Winter Wednesday Wanderings - Wednesday, February 18th, 2015

Despite icy cold conditions, our regular Wednesday walk provided us with some great local birding and it was certainly interesting to see how birds were coping with the current weather. Flocks of American Robins with a few Cedar Waxwings in tow were making short work of any remaining holly berries – much to the annoyance of the local mockingbirds. Small patches of water that were ice-free on Lake Lily thanks to the bubbler system were brimming with parties of ducks, including American Wigeon, Mallard, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Ruddy Duck, Ring-necked Duck and Bufflehead. Further round we also added a female Common Merganser to our list, but a male Canvasback that had been seen earlier in the day had sadly succumbed on the ice. A look at the bay at Coral Avenue was truly awesome – it was like being in Barrow, Alaska! Ice floes packed the water surface as far as the eye could see but we did spot a Ruddy Turnstone and a couple of Purple Sandpipers on the stone jetties. A single male Lesser Scaup was with a small gathering of ducks on Lighthouse Pond and we pondered on just how any of these birds survive the night at this time of year, as we watched two Ruby-crowned Kinglets gleaning whatever they could from a maple tree. Leader: Mike Crewe.