Friday, April 2, 2010

Scoter, L. Waterthrush

Hello, sorry for the delay on this end.
FIrstly, this week has seen a steady stream of ducks at the Findlay Reservoirs.  Scaup are easily the most common.  Few great rarities, but there was a male Surf Scoter near the point on Wednesday morning.
Since the Findlay Reservoirs are the best known birding spot in Hancock County, I offer these two tips:
1) It's best to start at the small reservoirs parking lot on the south end and walk to the point farthest out separating the two reservoirs.  Its about a mile walk but almost always your best bet for birds.
2) You can't get there early enough in the day.  On clear mornings, the first ducks and gulls start to leave about an hour BEFORE sunrise.  I'm not saying good birds wont be out there later, just that the earlier in the day, the wider the selection and the greater the numbers.
Today (Friday) I got off work ealry this afternoon and went to Van Buren State Park and more specifically the east side.  Pretty quiet overall, though I did hear a Sapsucker calling, and had a Louisianna Waterthrush in the wet bottomlands along the creek.