Fun Fall Birding - 27 November 2022

About 30 enthused bird lovers of all ages including several UW students and a couple kids joined the Sunday November 27 "Fun Fall Birding" Bird and Nature Adventure at UW Lakeshore Nature Preserve to follow beloved birding Pied Piper Chuck Henrikson along the Picnic Point path and excitedly help spot and observe lots of waterfowl and other birds. 

The forecast weather of dreary clouds and drizzle gave way to blue sky and bright sun that flashed on white spots on the water as dozens of beautiful Buffleheads dove briefly and popped up again among rafts of hundreds of cute squeeky toy Coots and common but still stunningly colored Mallards bobbing and dabbling for duckweed. Some more difficult to spot Merganzers and Loons took turns doing longer dives. Overflight sightings of two Bald Eagles, a Coopers Hawk and a Red-tailed Hawk rounded out the Raptors and a friendly Red-bellied Woodpecker and some Blue Jays brought flashes of color to the winter trees.

​The outing wrapped up at fire pit 2 with hot chocolate and smores around a campfire with lots of talk about the day's birding adventure, future plans for the Preserve and opportunities to engage and help out.  

Mark your calendar for Sunday December 25 1:30pm for a Christmas Day "My Favorite Places" Bird and Nature Adventure to share stories and visit favorite places at the Preserve!

​Here is the Nov 25 eBird report - 
45 Canada Goose 
60 Mallard 
100 Bufflehead 
2 Hooded Merganser 
1 Common Merganser 
1 Mourning Dove 
400 American Coot 
2 Sandhill Crane 
25 Ring-billed Gull 
2 Common Loon 
1 Cooper's Hawk 
2 Bald Eagle 
1 Red-tailed Hawk 
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 
1 Downy Woodpecker 
3 Blue Jay 
2 American Crow 
4 Black-capped Chickadee 
1 White-breasted Nuthatch 
3 American Robin 
2 American Goldfinch 
2 Northern Cardinal 

Number of Taxa: 22

Photos and report by Paul Noeldner