Saturday January 7th - Harlequin Ducks


Saturday January 7th – Harlequin Ducks

          On Saturday morning we birded locally along the lakeshore and saw a number of ducks, swans, cormorants, and a horned grebe.  In the afternoon, we decided to chase a Slaty-backed Gull which was being seen along the Cuyahoga River in downtown Cleveland.  This would have been an Ohio life bird for us and was a mega rarity in our area.  The only time we had seen this bird was in Alaska on a trip to Gambell located on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea.  You really can see Russia from there!

Unfortunately, after spending a lot of time looking, we were unable to find the Slaty-backed Gull.

          Mike and I were disappointed but decided to stop at Rocky River Park on the way home.  Rocky River is a nice suburb on the west side of Cleveland.  The park sits high above the lake and is a good vantage point for viewing the lake.  There was a group of four female Harlequin Ducks sitting very close to shore, so we got great scope views of them.  This was a special treat because Harlequins are rare in Ohio.

          Harlequin Ducks breed near turbulent mountain streams in the far north and winter along rocky coastal areas.  Studies have shown the many adult Harlequins have suffered broken bones, probably due to their rough surroundings.

                                           Harlequin Ducks (female)

                                           Horned Greber


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