[Ontbirds]St. Clair River Scoters, etc. Saturday

[Blake A. Mann]

Birders,
Waterfowl viewing was interesting today along the St. Clair River.  Numbers 
of diving ducks are building up.
Scoters are uncommon on the river, and one  WHITE-WINGED SCOTER at Port 
Lambton was a nice find.  A SURF SCOTER  was near Sarnia Harbour, but that 
one has been around a couple of weeks.  I counted at least 26 WHITE-WINGED 
SCOTERS off Point Edward in Lake Huron.
HOODED MERGANSERS were plentiful today and I found around 40 on the river. 
The biggest concentration was at Shell Refinery dock, Corunna with about two 
dozen there.  A PIED-BILLED GREBE was there as well.
RING-NECKED DUCKS numbered about 18 near Sombra.
A Horned Grebe was at Sombra earlier in the week, but I did not locate it 
today.
MUTE SWANS keep increasing every year, and at least 120 were at Sombra. 
TUNDRA SWANS are there as well, with over 50.
An AMERICAN COOT was in Sarnia Bay.
An odd Aythya duck was at Sombra ferry dock.  It appeared to be a Greater 
Scaup (male) crossed with something!  I did some research, and nothing seems 
to fit yet.
Gulls are rather scarce on the river so far this winter.  Thayer's Gull at 
Sarnia.
PEREGRINE FALCONS are at their usual locations  near the Sarnia/Port Huron 
bridge and at Detroit Edison Power Plant north of Marine City, Michigan.

Directions to Sombra and St. Clair River:  Find Hwy 40 that runs N/S between
Wallaceburg and Sarnia.  Turn west on Lambton Rd. 2 (Bentpath Line) and take
to Sombra on the St. Clair River.  Fawn Island is just to the south of the
village.  The St. Clair Parkway (Rd. 33) follows the river along its length.

Directions to Point Edward Lakewatch:  Find Front St. in Sarnia (along
river in downtown) and follow it north to St. Clair St. just past the 402
overpass.  Turn left on St. Clair St. and follow it to its very north end in
Point Edward past Michigan Ave.  Turn left on Victoria Ave. and go less than
two blocks to Fort St.  Turn right onto Fort St. and go to the parking lot
at the lake

Blake A. Mann
Wallaceburg
Chatham-Kent, Ontario
boatmannATkentDOTnet