Arkona Birds

Scene along the Ausable north of Rock Glen

Just got back from a nice day of birding around Arkona.  It snowed all morning!  Something about Arkona as it always gets snow.  Anyplace else can be dry and/or clear!
As expected numbers of birds were low.  Best bird was an adult Golden Eagle over the Ausable River at Rock Glen (told you so yesterday!).  For some reason it is reliable almost every year.
I like Rock Glen and used to specifically do the whole place first thing in the morning for the count.  The above photo shows an outcropping at a scenic spot quite a ways downriver from the falls.  Lots of Hemlock trees there.
When I was young, we went up there to hunt for fossils.  The area is well picked over now, but some still are found.  Today I found a brachiopod and a couple other types.


The Ausable River was running high and very turbid, so nothing on it.  We did find 3 Common Mergansers at a gravel pit pond at the end of the day.
Up near Joany's Woods, we found a 'flock' of Yellow-rumped Warblers.  Nice to see at least 15.  I think that is the most I have seen in one spot in winter, and certainly on a Christmas Count.  I've had up to ten or so at my secret winter spot north of Wilkesport one winter.
Sparrows were virtually absent, but usually are scarce on this count.  Steve and I managed to find a White-throated under some Norway Spruce on a property we look at.  We had a few Song Sparrows and only a few Tree Sparrows.
Juncos were around and we managed to find a nice male 'Oregon' at a feeder.  We quite often find one on this count (I mentioned that one also yesterday!).  A male Eastern Towhee was a nice find near the north end.  Pete Chapman found this one yesterday while scouting.

A Northern Shrike along Arkona Rd. N. was a nice



find too.
Harriers were numerous, which was unusual for this count.  We had five or six which is a new high for our area.
Owls were scarce, but Pete had 8 Screech while checking early this morning.



We had all the usual 5 species of woodpecker, including two Pileated in a reliable spot.
Finches were scarce but we had a few Pine Siskins.

I will try and find out tomorrow final total for this count.
Just got word of a nice winter bird near Cedar Beach (west of Kingsville).  Jim Burk found a White-eyed Vireo on the Cedar Creek CBC today.

NOTE:  photos here do not apply to today!
More later.