I was quite pleased, today, that I started my midwinter waterfowl surveys on Sunday because, by noon today, I was ready to hang it up. I found myself facing into strong, gusting wind at Lawrence Lake and, at one point, was blown back from my scope eyepiece when I was about half done sweeping across a flock of Canvasbacks and I had to start over. I ended up counting 101 Canvasbacks at Lawrence Lake which is a significant flock of Canvasback in south Puget Sound. I also found a single male Wood Duck on Lawrence Lake, the first Wood Duck I've seen this winter.

I encountered four Greater White-fronted Geese today, three with one big flock of Canada Geese, the other with a different large flock of Canada Geese. These four Greater White-fronted Geese were all in pastures north of Lake Lawrence, the first three along the west side of Vail Road and the other along the north side of 123rd, just east of Morris Road.

Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Olympia, Washington
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