St. Clair River Birds

Sunrise over Running Creek

(no Long-tailed Duck here today!)

Weather was quite pleasant this morning so I checked out the river.  (The sun was even out today!  And no wind first thing!).  I first drove along the Snye and came across a Pied-billed Grebe just south of the Walpole bridge.

The Grebe

 I went onto Walpole Island to see if anything was one the river.  Hardly a duck.  Lots of Mute Swans though!

The Ring-necked Duck was still at Sombra ferry dock along with the usuals.  Not much was seen until I got to Cathcart Park.  This spot is always good in winter. Today lots of Canada Geese were present (over 400) and many Tundra Swans (~50) plus various ducks.  Nothing unusual though.

(two Black Ducks mixed in)

Golden-crowned Kinglets were working the pines in Cathcart as I walked through.  The park has been there a long time--it was once a provincial park in the 1950's!

A nice-sized raft of Redhead was at Courtright. Pretty much a pure flock except for a few Greater Scaup.
I only went to the south end of Sarnia where lots of Long-tailed Ducks were present.

As with every winter, lots of Hooded Mergs at the Shell Oil dock.

I headed back downriver to see if there was anything I missed.  At one point I found a Black Scoter-rare for the river especially this time of year.  A couple of White-winged Scoters were apparently seen yesterday, but I could not find them today.
I stopped at Cathcart park once again to check over the geese.  I finally did find one Cackling Goose.  Two were present there a week ago.

Flurry of Gulls off CF Industries (this place has changed names so many times!)

Lots of roadside birds today, especially on Walpole Island.  Juncos are certainly plentiful this winter.  Here is what we believe to be a female Oregon Junco (tinted view!) at a feeder last Saturday on the Wallaceburg CBC.

The Port Lambton novelty....always there!