Lots Of Loons At The Gillson Park Lake Watch Thursday 12-8-22

[Al Stokie]

Hello Bird People,

Another east wind, another Lake Watch & another day with no
Kittiwakes. I am about ready to give up on seeing a Kittiwake this
year as I keep failing to see one even on the east wind days. Too bad
I could not go with David & Andy on Tuesday but my dentist got in the
way.

Anyway, today at Gillson was a good day for Loons with 3 Common Loons
& from 10-12 RED THROATED LOONS all flying by in both directions.
Birders present today were Woody G, Andy S. & Jayne L so not a very
attended Lake Watch.

Besides the Loons we saw 7 duck species including Mallard (3), Redhead
(~15), Greater Scaup (~40), WHITE WINGED SCOTER (groups of 6 going
north & 2 going south), Goldeneye (~15) & Red Breasted Merganser
(~80). Add to those 6 species one adult male SURF SCOTER seen only by
Woody. Also saw the usual Ringed Billed (2 on the beach) & Herring
(~16) Gulls flying over the lake. One highlight was an adult BALD
EAGLE which 1st flew south over the beach & then reversed course &
went back to the north. The only land birds I saw were Cows (2),
Robins (~10)
& Starlings (~60 in one group. All I saw in the harbor were Mallards &
3 Red Breasted Mergansers.

As the Loons & W.W Scoters were not very close, Bird-Of-The-Day will
be the adult Bald Eagle which was indeed very close. Runners-Up to the
White Winged Scoters & Red Throated Loons.

License Plate Of The Day to one from New Mexico, the one which the
chilli peppers, seen at the Jewel in Niles.

Al Stokie
In Cook County today