[CT Birds] Southport Survey # 138

[Dennis Varza]

Survey # 138 10 March 2008

it was low tide  Sunken Island was exposed. the water was calm and  
the sky clear with a north wind.

Off shore was empty, just the Long-tailed Duck and Surf Scoters  
flying by. A big surpise was a fly by of an American Oystercatcher.  
My earliest record is early April. The White-winged Scoters were  
gone. The ponds in the golf course were partially frozen and  
contained the Gadwall. No Bonaparte’s Gulls were seen but an  
impressive cluster of Geat Black-backed Gulls  was on the beach.

Dennis Varza
Fairfield

Fairfield, Sunken Island, South Pine Creak Beach, Sasco Beach,  
Southport Harbor and Southport Beach 8:05-9:55

February / March (Tide)	24(L)	2(H)	6(H)	10(L)	
Brant                    	0	26	225	87
Canada Goose	428	350	175	146
Mute Swan      	4	1	11	2
American Wigeon	4	12	14	4
Gadwall              	2	6	2	12
American Black Duck	18	22	112	28
Mallard               	36	48	35	38
Greater Scaup 	0	4	0	0
Ring-necked Duck	1	0	0	0
Surf Scoter        	0	0	0	3
White-winged Scoter	4	6	7	0
Long-tailed Duck       	24	14	14	4
Bufflehead                   	0	6	40	16
Common Goldeneye	8	11	11	20
Hooded Merganser     	26	9	8	10
Red-breasted Merganser	16	20	28	15
Red-throated Loon	2	2	3	0
Common Loon  	3	3	1	0
Horned Grebe  	15	30	118	32
Great Cormorant	2	2	1	1
Great Blue Heron	1	1	0	0
Black-bellied Plover	13	0	0	0
Killdeer              	1	0	0	1
Am. Oystercatcher	0	0	0	1
Ruddy Turnstone	0	30	0	0
Bonaparte’s Gull	0	0	8	0
Ring-billed Gull	73	179	73	77
Herring Gull     	262	95	124	264
Great Black-backed Gull	10	9	4	16