[CT Birds] Stratford

[Dennis Varza]

Hi Folks

Here is what kicking around Stratford
Monday 10 Dec 2007 8:00 to 11:00
Stratford, Lordship. Route followed: Johnson's Creek, Refuge,  
Airport, Long Beach, Seawall, Short Beach, Frash Pond, Town Boat  
Ramp, Selby Pond, Stratford Marina.
Milford, Caswell Cove, Mondo Ponds.
The numbers are cumulative but I have it broken down by location. The  
Refuge Pond was frozen over, Mondo Ponds were frozen over as well as  
they get (The main pond never really freezes on the north side I  
strongly suspect it is spring fed.)

Canada Goose	72
Gadwall      	83
American Black Duck	92
Mallard       	80
American Wigeon	51
Canvasback	15	Frash Pond
Bufflehead   	10
Common Goldeneye	50	Off Long Beach in standard spot
Oldsquaw    	1
Hooded Merganser	58
Red-breasted Merganser	28
Ruddy Duck 	3	Frash Pond
Red-throated Loon	1
Common Loon	4
PIed-billed grebe	1	Frash Pond
Horned Grebe	2
Double-creasted Cormorant	7
Red-tailed Hawk	1	Refuge
American Kestrel	1	Short Beach
Wild Turkey 	14
Greater Yellowlegs	1	Refuge area 4
Ring-billed Gull	102/1	The one imm. was in Frash Pond.
Herring Gull 	110/11
Great Black-backed Gull 	2/0
Horned Lark	4

Milford, Mondo Ponds, Ponds mostley frozen over
American Black Duck	8
Mallard               	34
American Wigeon 	40
Ring-necked Duck	2
Bufflehead           	16
Great Blue Heron  	1
American Coot     	1
Ring-billed Gull	33/0
Herring Gull 	83/6
Great Black-backed Gull		3/2

Three interesting notes on Gulls.
The only immature Ring-billed Gull observed was in Frash Pond.
On Long Beach there were more Gulls on the beach next to the parking  
lot than down the beach. It looks like the possibility of begging for  
food keeps them close.
On Short Beach there was one lone car parked by the ball fields.  
There were 20 birds standing around the parking lot and none on the  
beach.

Dennis Varza
Fairfield