[CT Birds] Southport Survey #135

[Dennis Varza]

Survey # 135

The tide was low and the water rippled.

Off shore there was little about, a some Loons, Goldeneye, and the  
four White-winged Scotes. The Brant were gone,The Long-tailed Ducks  
were close to shore along with the Horned Grebes.  The ponds in the  
golf course were frozen and the harbor mostly frozen. The Geese and  
Hooded Mergansers were inside Southport Harbor in the one open  
space.  Again there were no Bufflehead! The gulls were mostly  
scatteres along the beaches and mud flats looking for food.  The  
highlight was the 13 Black-bellied Plovers and a Killdeer on the  
flats at the mouth of Sasco Creek. The other surprise was the Ring- 
necked Duck. I have only seen it once before on  the route on 9 Mar  
06. There were 8 Immature Herring Gulls making up 3.8% of the birds.	 
I get the impression of more immature gulls about in general but time  
will tell.

The Brant that wintered in the area are mostly gone. I covered the  
shore from Fairfield to Stamford and at best there are only about 150  
birds about (Most in Darien). The Black-bellied Plovers look to be  
part of a general post winter movement. They are sporadic during the  
winter, then become regular from mid-February to early March, and  
again in Mid April. The Killdeer seems to be the leading edge of  
spring migration and not a winter resident.

Dennis Varza
Fairfield

Fairfield, Sunken Island, South Pine Creak Beach, Sasco Beach,  
Southport Harbor and Southport Beach 7:10-9:05

February (Tide)	12(L)	16(H)	24(L)	
Brant	                72	12	0
Canada Goose	350	330	428
Mute Swan       	5	6	4
American Wigeon	2	4	4
Gadwall               	4	2	2
American Black Duck	72	38	18
Mallard             	34	13	36
Ring-necked Duck	0	0	1
White-winged Scoter	1	4	4
Long-tailed Duck	14	8	24
Bufflehead        	10	0	0
Common Goldeneye	0	10	8
Hooded Merganser	26	32	26
Red-breasted Merganser	30	19	16
Red-throated Loon	0	0	2
Common Loon     	3	4	3
Horned Grebe      	7	15	15
Great Cormorant	0	3	2
Great Blue Heron	0	0	1
Black-bellied Plover	0	0	13
Killdeer             	0	0	1
Ring-billed Gull	105	42	73
Herring Gull        	283	132	262
Great Black-backed Gull	10	9	10