It was gorgeous day in the park today. The falling snow simply stuck to everything, rendering a wintry landscape of white serenity, covering everything that captured the falling snowflakes. Trees, shrubs,weeds, fences,monuments ...you name it...snow gave anything it fell on a great impression.And you can say that for the ducks..Matching the snowy color, two drake Common Mergansers waded under thru wintry elements, while abundant Northern Shovelers stood on ice edges when I passed by along the southern shore of Prospect Lake. As I viewed the lake from Three Sister's western face, something caught me by surprised. Initially thinking Ring-necked Duck, I viewed instead two drake LESSER SCAUP , peaked heads tucked in as both glided into the confines of the island's branches, snowflakes gently falling on both rare visitors. I tell you...it was a great view accentuated by a backdrop of fast falling snowflakes.
Observation date: 2/4/09
Observer Peter
4 Mute Swan (2 lake, 2 boathouse)
6 American Black Duck (lake)
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid)
Mallard ( at least 80)
170 Northern Shoveler (lake
2 Lesser Scaup ( west shore Three Sister Islands)
2 Common Merganser (lake)
28 Ruddy Duck(lake)
40 American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull (American)
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
1 Swamp Sparrow (west Island benches, regular there)
9 White-throated Sparrow (west island pathways)
6 Northern Cardinal (west Island area)
Total species reported: 17
From Orrin :
Canada Goose
American Black Duck (1, 3 Sisters Island)
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Common Merganser (1 drake, lake)
Ruddy Duck (1)
Red-tailed Hawk (2)
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull (1)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Downy Woodpecker
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Eastern Towhee (1, feeders)
Song sparrow (2)
White-throated Sparrow
European Starling
Northern Cardinal
House Sparrow
