The St. Clair River continues to be interesting and a challenge to look at everything. This past Wednesday to Friday were probably the busiest days for gulls, and Friday was insane for sorting through all the gulls (2000+) on ice floes! Today, Sunday, I took a good look. At least 1000 gulls were on the river today, and needless to say most were Herring. Highlight was an apparent adult “NELSON’S GULL” (Herring X Glaucous) at Lambton Generating Station (seen from Willow Park—south of Courtright). Also in the hybrid department, an apparent adult Herring X Great Black-backed was at the head of Stag Island (seen from Guthrie Park—north end of Corunna). There are probably two dozen-plus GLAUCOUS GULLS on the river, with at least ten in the Lambton Generating Station area today. A few Iceland (Kumlien’s) are also on the river.
The biggest concentration of ducks was at the head of Stag Island (seen from Guthrie Park south) where most were Redhead (~4000) plus a large number of Common Goldeneye etc. A GREEN-WINGED TEAL male was in the NE corner of Sarnia Harbour associating with Mallards. It has been wintering in the area. (go to west end of Exmouth St., turn at Harbour Rd., go behind hotel). A pair of GADWALL has been at the gravel dock opposite Fawn Island south of Sombra (I did not see them today though). An exceptional number (up to 2000) of LONG-TAILED DUCKS has been wintering in the Sarnia area! The TRUMPETER SWAN at Sombra has been hanging around the north tip of Fawn Island, associating with Tundras. Another TRUMPETER SWAN is in the Sarnia/ Port Huron area (we found it last Saturday in Sarnia Bay) and was seen off the Black River (Port Huron) on Wednesday by Tom Hince, and is likely still around. Several BALD EAGLES are also wintering on the river. Things change daily, so each day can bring something different! The St. Clair Parkway runs from Sarnia to Port Lambton along the river. There are various parks (signed) in which to pull off and look. Cheers, Blake A. Mann Wallaceburg, Chatham-Kent Ontario boatmannATkentDOTnet Blog: www.burgbirder.blogspot.ca _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
