Lots of ducks at Lakeshore State Park…

As advertised, I joined the Milwaukee Birders this morning at Lakeshore State Park, and we had nice, if chilly, weather for our outing. The “Quiet Water Basin” was mostly frozen over, and the little bit of open water, near the bridge, was chockfull of ducks. The most common appeared to be greater scaups, with easily several dozen, and here’s a clump of just over one dozen.

They’re diving ducks, and here’s one who has brought up something to eat, with two others in hot pursuit offering to “help” with it. As far as I know, I’ve only seen them once in Estabrook, back in March 2021.

There were a few red-breasted mergansers, whom we haven’t seen in Estabrook since last April, and here’s a drake, …

and here’s a hen.

We found just one bufflehead, this drake, out by the breakwater, and they also visited Estabrook last April.

I hear that others saw more, but I only saw this one pair of redheads. By crazy coincidence, one of the times I’ve seen them in Estabrook was the same day I saw the greater scaups.

Finally, there were plenty of goldeneyes, and here’s a drake, in the lower right, already performing his fancy display for the ladies.

Tomorrow morning, I’ll be back in Estabrook, and I hope you’ll join me for our weekly wildlife walk. It’s supposed to be chilly, but the winds should be light, and the sun should be bright, so great conditions for seeing critters.