MBSP Cackling Geese 23-Nov-2006

At Maumee Bay State Park I had the two WHITE-FRONTED GEESE. They headed out pretty quick and I never did see them again. I birded that area early and again until noon. A lot of geese started coming back in to the interior swimming beach around 11:30. Included in that group were a flock of 9 CACKLING GEESE.. The cackling geese stuck together the entire time I watched them. Not much else other than 6 snow buntings on the lake beach. At Bayshore Power Plant there were 5 Great egrets and a few black-crowned night-herons.

After leaving the Maumee Bay area I had a rough-legged hawk along Howard Road just north of Route 2. At Metzger marsh Wildlife Area there was a late AMERICAN BITTERN. It flew out of the Phragmites

At Ottawa Refuge there were numerous tundra swans heading south out of the marsh. In all I saw at least 200. There was also a single snow goose with a flock of Canada Geese. Also at Ottawa Refuge there was a NORTHERN SHRIKE. It was on the dike north of the old headquarters. There was also a flyby LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, greater yellowlegs, and 6 dunlin.

... five Cackling Geese and two Great White-Fronted Geese in the field between Yondota and Decant. Also had about 220 Tundra Swans at ONWR. A single Sanderling on the inland beach at MBSP as well as a small flock of Snow Buntings that flew overhead. No luck on the Northern Shrike off Cedar Point Road, but I’ll try again this week.