Joe Soehnel

Canada Goose   2722
Snow Goose   2
Trumpeter Swan   4
Tundra Swan        1001
Mute Swan  2
Wood Duck   2
American Black Duck 82
Mallard  5194
Northern Shoveler  9
Northern Pintail  3
Common Goldeneye  1
Common Merganser  33
Hooded Merganser  9
Cooper's Hawk  1
Rough-legged Hawk 3
Northern Harrier  8  
Bald Eagle   7
American Coot  16  
Sandhill Crane   406
Bonaparte's Gull  10
Short-eared Owl  11
Long-eared Owl  2
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Rusty Blackbird  1 injured
American Tree Sparrow  108

Joe Soehnel - Highlights from this week's IWMMP survey along with non-waterbird observations.

This was a day, weather-wise, that would be the norm for Jan/Feb with snow fall most of the day, temps not exceeding 26F, and strong westerly winds.  All sections of the IWMMP were either totally or nearly totally frozen, leaving precious little area for waterbirds to congregate.  Even the Shiawassee River was nearly frozen, leaving two massive groups of waterbirds in dense formations on the river.

The American Coots were swimming/feeding in a narrow slit of open water on Grefe Pond.  The seemingly dazed Great Egrets were standing on a two track near Houlihan Grasslands.

The Short-eared Owls are still being well represented in the massive "farm unit" area of the refuge.  Maybe the extremely cold temps for this time of the year caused several of them to begin their hunt in daylight at 4:00 P.M.  Conversely, it seemed like the Northern Harriers were hunting close to dark which, by then, they are settled down for the evening.  A Short-eared Owl and a Northern Harrier actually dive bombed each other when their paths crossed a bit too closely.