Following the passage of a cold front yesterday evening and with the forecast for strong west/northwest winds for the day I started my morning at Winsor Dam in the hopes of catching a big influx of waterfowl. I arrived before dawn and found the conditions nearly calm with multiple Barred Owls and a Great Horned Owl calling and even some fog drifting across the water. So much for the forecast of strong winds. Nonetheless I decided to stick at the dam and see what might be moving. Ted joined me for almost the entire time I was there. The morning started with a number of Common Loons scattered across the water and a Pied billed Grebe that gave an interesting profile as it kept its neck extended the entire time giving the impression of a much bigger bird. As the morning continued we had small groups and singles of multiple species showing up with the highlights including a unidentified flyby scaup species as well as first two and then three Surf Scoters. The morning was just active enough to keep one from moving to another location but not active enough to not question if another area was more active. The forecasted winds never materialized during the three plus hours I was at the dam but it did appear the winds higher up where blowing a bit as evidence by the quick movement of low clouds. Although lacking in big numbers the diversity was okay with a total of 13 species of waterfowl (plus a few unidentified birds moving by). I suspect tomorrow will be an even more productive day but I will not have much time to bird so others will have to find the good stuff.
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