[CT Birds] Southport Survey #131

[Dennis Varza]

Survey # 131

The sky was mostly cloudy and calm. The water was also calm. and was  
at full low tide.

Sunken Island contained the Sanderling, Brant, and a few ducks. The  
White-winged Scoters were in scattered pairs. The Loons were  
scattered off shore while the Horned Grebes were close to shore. The  
Long-tailed Ducks were flyby’s. 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 Southport Harbor or west of Sasco Creek. There was a  
group of hunters in the creek.  The one Great Blue Heron continues.  
With the tide out, the gulls were scattered about feeding.  There  
were no Immature Ring-biiled Gulls and 4 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)  	16(H)	22(H)	26(L)	
Brant                       30	0	10
Canada Goose	114	375	330
Mute Swan	2	4	4
Gadwall   	0	4	2
American Black Duck	42	48	48
Mallard	27	129	130
White-winged Scoter	3	3	6
Long-tailed Duck     	8	8	22
Bufflehead               	38	6	24
Common Goldeneye	46	4	40
Hooded Merganser  	42	30	16
Red-breasted Merganser	22	14	29
Red-throated Loon	8	0	1
Common Loon 	1	0	6
Horned Grebe  	10	0	5
Great Cormorant	3	4	1
Great Blue Heron	1	1	1
Sanderling       	0	0	180
Dunlin              	0	0	15
Ring-billed Gull	71	109	82
Herring Gull     	208	54	180
Great Black-backed Gull	6	2	6