Bantam Lake's Bird Activity, 12/3/2010

The waterbird migration is in full swing, as evidenced by the high numbers and good variety of species found at Bantam Lake today. The rarest was a Red-necked Grebe in North Bay, as viewed from the Litchfield Town Beach. A Horned Grebe and a Pied-billed Grebe were off Pt. Folly. The Central section of the Lake hosted approximately 210 Common Mergansers and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers feeding actively on Alewives, Shiners, and White Perch. They were being harassed by 85 Ring-billed Gulls trying to steal these fish. Also fishing the Lake were 4 Bald Eagles (3 adults and 1 immature), 2 Great Blue Herons, and 3 Belted Kingfishers. The other notable birds seen today consisted of a Sharp-shinned Hawk, 18 Buffleheads, 20 Common Goldeneyes, 39 Hooded Mergansers, 60 Ruddy Ducks, and 46 American Coots. These birds were all seen in a 2 hour time span.
Back at the WMCC Museum Area, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches were seen at the feeders.
Bobcat tracks, Fox scat, and an Otter slide were found along Butternut Brook today.

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