I then shot over to Big Marine Park and found open water visible at close and long range. I soon found that duck hunters had set up near the boat launch and on the distant island in key positions. This I figured would limit any value I might extract, but I was soon proven wrong. After pulling out some near birds of interest I noted a single bird overhead calling repeatedly. Though not visible the park was quiet enough to hear the bird very well. It was my first American Pipet of the year and county life bird 249. I tried very hard to find this bird in spring and fall near proper habitats, but nothing worked and then it just flies over me standing on a beach looking at a half frozen lake in November. Birding can be very odd like that and having a great ear can help you pull in extra species that you would otherwise miss. I also heard Red-breasted Nuthatch about this time and figured I had my best birds of the day.
I trained by scope on the island area in spite of the hunters and realized that out from their decoys was actually 4 diving ducks. One I could tell was a female Canvasback duck and another I could tell for sure was the previously reported (by me) White-Winged Scoter still present on the lake. The other 2 though seemed odd to me and the birds were just about to heat shimmer zone and near impossible to know for certain. What I did know is that I couldn't immediately ascribe them to species and that always peaks my curiosity. I stayed on 1 of the 2 birds for a long while thinking maybe Long-tailed Duck based on size and color pattern. At this point a duck hunter wanted to stir the pot a little and zoomed around the island in an extended arc chopping ice flows and getting any ducks up in the air. I followed one bird with my scope and it went behind the 1 mile out island and I picked it up on the other side as it began to arc closer to my position. Once the bird settled in to a spit of open water it was finally inside heat shimmer range and I was sure Long-tailed Duck was the id for this bird. I stayed on that bird with my scope for over an hour after sending word to Pete Nichols that I had found another sea duck on Big Marine Lake (3rd species this year) and added a 2nd bird on the same list for my Washington County year total.
I eventually headed home with the plan to lunch and maybe bird some more. I soon found out I was already at 39 species for the day after adding 3 more on the drive home (RTHA, WITU, and MODO) and that put me just 3 off my own November record for the county.
I had a lunch with my wife and soon jetted off to the Hastings Sandbar down from the Lock and Dam #3 to see about some birds and added Double-crested Cormorant. I missed American White Pelican, but moved to Point Douglas Park hoping for something else new and missed also. Carpenter Nature Center was just a few minutes away though and I quickly broke the record by adding some easy birds like Dark-eyed Junco, Downy Woodpecker, and Red-bellied Woodpecker. To add extra value I spotted a lingering Northern Flicker. I had been chatting with Pete and scheduled a stop at his place and also rapidly added Pine Siskin (a November first for me), Purple Finch, and White-Throated Sparrow. So running up the total I finished with 49 on the day and broke my prior record by 7.
Worth noting that none of the above even relates the fun I had while out looking for possible Townsend's Solitaire at several different locations and finding instead 4 Long-Eared Owls. One of the coolest personal finds yet and in a location I'm sure nobody has find them before. Birding always presents wonderful surprises.
In the evening I worked on my big year schedule for the State Parks, adding locations for the months of February and March. My strategy is to focus effort in the areas of the state most likely to produce unique situations...
1. January/February: Work for northern species likely down from the far north for the winter like Redpoll, Pine Grosbeak, etc... Also plan to hit the south-east in order to have a small chance at Golden Eagle.
2. Late February/March: Depending on how quick spring comes I know that Geese, Swan, and some waterfowl will start moving in February, but most certainly in early March. That will focus efforts in the west and south-west to put me on quality fly over territory so I can snag Greater White-fronted, Snow Goose, Ross's, etc...
I'll fill in the early months with some local trips or slightly northern trips in hopes of snagging something hiding out like an overwintering owl or maybe a northern species that has dropped farther south. This would be places along the St. Croix river like St. Croix SP, Interstate, etc...
Deep into November already and I'm getting antsy to get out and start this big year. I need to settle my official tracking plans a bit as I'm still not sure if I want to bother with the hiking club or passport club items. I like the concepts a lot, but I don't like being tied down to those goals as they aren't really my own goals. I'll have to see how I feel this coming month and decide on 1 or both. My main concern on hiking club is that some trails are not as winter friendly as I'd like so the ability to finish it in a single year (not the design of the program) may not be viable for me.
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