[CT Birds] Sourthport Survey #130 Plus

[Dennis Varza]

Survey # 130

The sky was mostly clear with a strong northwest wind. The water was  
rough but no white caps.


Off shore there was little about, a few Red-breasted Mergansers, and  
the 3 white-Winged Scoters. The Long-tailed Ducks were flyby’s. There  
were no Loons or Grebes. The ponds in the Golf course were frozen and  
most of the harbor was also frozen. Hooded Mergansers and most of the  
Geese were in the open areas. All the puddle ducks were at the mouth  
of Sasco Creek, likely frozen out of other areas. The one Great Blue  
Heron continues. The tide was well risen so many of the gulls were  
roosting on the ice in the harbor or on the beach. A few Ring-billed  
Gulls were hovering over surf looking for food.  There were no  
Immature Ring-biiled Gulls and 2 im. Herring Gulls making up 2.8% of  
the birds.

The tide was well risen so many of the gulls were roosting on the ice  
in the harbor or on the beach. A few Ring-billed Gulls were hovering  
over surf looking for food.  There were no Immature Ring-biiled Gulls  
and 2 im. Herring Gulls making up 2.8% of the birds.

Dennis Varza
Fairfield

Fairfield, Sunken Island, South Pine Creak Beach, Sasco Beach,  
Southport Harbor and Southport Beach 8:10-9:50

January (Tide)	12(L)	16(H)	22(H)	
Brant		0	30	0
Canada Goose	102	114	375
Mute Swan  	5	2	4
Gadwall     	0	0	4
American Black Duck	40	42	48
Mallard               	22	27	129
White-winged Scoter	0	3	3
Long-tailed Duck	58	8	8
Bufflehead         	22	38	6
Common Goldeneye	155	46	4
Hooded Merganser	6	42	30
Red-breasted Merganser	8	22	14
Red-throated Loon	12	8	0
Common Loon    	1	1	0
Horned Grebe      	28	10	0
Great Cormorant	2	3	4
Black-bellied Plover	1	0	0
Sanderling         	100	0	0
Dunlin                	68	0	0
Ring-billed Gull	205	71	109
Herring Gull	112	208	54
Great Black-backed Gull	10	6	2

January Birds
18 Days of Observantion (7 Low Tide, 11 High Tide)
36 Species recorded

10 Species were seen Once
Gadwall, Lesser Scaup, Common Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Northern Gannet,  
Iceland Gull, American Coot, Killdeer, Purple Sandpiper

10 Species were seen every day
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, American Black Duck, Mallard, Long-tailed  
Duck, Bufflehead, Great Cormorant, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull,  
Great Black-backed Gull

16 Species of intermeidate frequency
Snow Goose, Brant. Greater Scaup, White-winged Scoter, Common  
Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-thrated  
Loon, Common Loon, Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Bonaparte’s Gull,  
Great Blue Heron and shorebirds

All the shorebirds were seen at low tide
Black-bellied Plover 43%, Killdeer 14%, Ruddy Turnstone 43%,  
Snaderling 29%, Dunlin 71%, Purple Sandpiper 14%

Comparing numbers at high tide and low tide, Mallards and Oldsquaw  
were mare abundat at High Tide. The three gulls were slightly more  
abundant at low tide.

Snow Goose, Pied-billed Grebe were eliminated because it was the same  
birds seen once each at low and high Tide

Brant: More often seen at high tide but bigger numbers at low tide
Common Goldeneye: Found equally ath both tides but bigger numbers at  
low tide.
Hooded Merganser: More common at low tide, more abundant at high tide
Red-breasted Merganser: more common at high tide
Red-thrated Loon: More common and abundant ath Low tide
Common Loon: more common at low tide
Great Blue Heron: more common and abundant at Low Tide.