[CT Birds] Bridgeport

[Dennis Varza]

Hi Folks

Another run at the Bridgeport Shore
With inland areas starting freeze the birds will be moving around  
more and clustering in the open areas. The hybrid Goldeneye was not  
seen today. There were more American wigeons on the shore this week  
but not the  Eurasian Wigeon. Considering there were reports from  
Johnson’s Creek in Stratford and Aspetuck Reservoir in Easton. If we  
assume it is the same bird, it is moving about quite a bit. Hopefully  
it will settle in for the CBC. Other odd find was a Lesser Scaup in  
the pond at Seaside Park. One female in with the Black Ducks.  
Normally they are seen in Captain’s Cove. In Captain’s Cove was a  
Ruddy Duck.

Off shore was empty agian only more so, 1 Common Loond and clusters  
of Red-breasted Mergansers close to shore. No Cormorants! At the  
field on the west end was a large mixed flock of Snow Buntings,  
Horned Larks and Longspurs.

Inland Bunnel’s Pond was half frozen over which made counting gulls  
easier. and one Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was there. The  
interesting stuff was at Lake Forest, Lots of Mergansers. Every time  
I see so many birds there I wonder how the lake can support so many  
fish. and how does this transient predation affect the aquatic  
comunity. The lake is the most reliable site for Coot and Ruddy Duck  
in the area until it freezes over.

Dennis Varza
Fairfield

Bridgeport, Ash Creek To Black Rock Harbor, 8;00-9:15 // Seaside Park  
9:20 - 10:30
High Tide,

Canada Goose	34	350
Mute Swan  	2	-
Gadwall     	4	-		Beacon St.
Amreican Black Duck	37	44
Mallard      	46	2
Amrican Wigeon	55	10
Lesser Scaup	-	1	
Bufflehead	42	-	
Common Goldeneye    	11	-		St. Mary’s
Hooded Merganser      	2	-
Red-breasted Merganser	29	22
Ruddy Duck        	1	-		Caswell Cove
Common Loon     	1	1
Great Blue Heron	5	-	Ash Creek
Red-tailed Hawk  	-	1	East end of Park
Killdeer              	-	1	West end of Park
Ring-billed Gull  	244/5	522/6	
Herring Gull	123/6	211/44
Great Black-backed Gull	3/0	6/1
Belted Kingfisher	1	-
Horned Lark       	-	100	West end of Park
Snow Buning      	-	65	West end of Park
Lapland Longspur	-	3	West end of Park

Beardsley Park // Lake Forest  10:45- 12:00
Bunnel’s Pond and Lake Forest partially frozen

Amreican Black Duck	65	1
Mallard              	130	72
Ring-billed Gull	189/32	120/16	
Herring Gull       	57/06	20/3
Lesser Black-backed Gull	1/0	-
Great Black-backed Gull	1/1	1/0
Red-tailed Hawk  	-	1	
Canada Goose    	220	30
Mute Swan         	-	2
Hooded Merganser	4	88
Common Merganser	-	17
Ruddy Duck        	-	4
Great Blue Heron	-	1
Amrican Coot    	-	12