Manitowoc!

Yes, that’s the same Manitowoc as in Charlie Berens’ “Manitowoc Minute”. Ya see, Anne promised the grandson an overnight camping trip, she opted to host it this week at Point Beach State Forest, in Two Rivers, and I got to go with. Then, when I was looking for where I might find some interesting wildlife to show you, I learned about the Manitowoc Impoundment. Please note that I wrote “impoundment” not “impound lot”, and that’s because it is a Confined Disposal Facility for sediment dredged from Manitowoc harbor and not a lot for towed cars. Phew! Right? Anyway, when they were done dredging, they finished it off with a nice little pond and wetland that appears to attract birds from miles around, and that’s where I went first thing this morning.

The first bird I noticed, because how could I miss it, was the American white pelican, and not only was there a bunch of them, but they kept coming and going like jumbo jets at JFK. Here’s one on short final with flaps and gear already down.

The star of the show, for me at least, was this canvasback drake (Aythya valisineria). As with Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee, the lighting can be a challenge early in the morning, but this is the very first canvasback I’ve ever seen, so I was thrilled just to get a picture good enough for a positive ID, and I’ll leave the portrait for another day.

There were plenty of mallards there, which should come as no surprise, and one hen even had a trio of fresh ducklings, but what I didn’t expect was watching her catch and gulp down a nice little fish. I’ve seen wood ducks do that plenty of times in Estabrook, but I’ve never caught a mallard doing that, until now. Live and learn, right?

The next big surprise was spotting this American wigeon drake. We’ve seen them in Estabrook, but not in the middle of the summer, so eBird considers this one to be “rare” for this location on this date. Ha!

I thought he had a pair of hens with him, but my editor pointed out that, while those are indeed hens, they are gadwall hens, and not wigeons at all. Sheesh! It was turning into quite the menagerie.

I eventually had to tear myself away and get back to the campsite before Anne reported me missing, and on my way back to the mainland, I checked the gulls on the beach, as one does. Well, one of them did not look like all the others, and that’s because it’s our first Bonaparte’s gull since last summer in Oak Creek.

Finally, there were a couple of martin houses there, but they appeared to be unoccupied. On my drive back to Two Rivers, however, I noticed another one at the Little Manitowoc Slough, and look at the gorgeous creature I found perched there with a bunch of its housemates.

We’re camping one more night and then driving back to Milwaukee tomorrow. I’m sure I will be able to get out in the morning, but I don’t know when I’ll get to show and tell you what I saw, so tomorrow’s post might be delayed a bit. Don’t worry, though, I’ll get to it eventually.