Early/late Snow for me in the County

A quick run today around the county this morning, with a focus on waterfowl netted my best looks yet at Snow Goose.  

P DR N between 19.5 and 21 Mile, and then up 21 Mile to R DR N had minimum of 250 Sandhill Cranes in the various farm fields.  Brief looks at Horned Lark, but I was unable to see too much other movement.  Some very distant small flocks that I was unable to identify.  

I swung by 23 Mile Road for a quick look, and zero shorebirds hanging around now.  Duck Lake offered up a decent mix of birds, but the bright sun made staying in one spot difficult, at least on the West side.  Really wish there were some better spots to view on this lake.  A couple of Common Goldeneye, still large numbers of American Coots and Ruddy Duck on the lake.  

The WTP offered very little.  Some easily spooked Canada Geese, a handful of Buffleheads, and a few Ring-billed Gull but nothing else interesting.  I drove down 27.5 Mile road, intending to check out Gordon Lake just in case, when some Birding Mojo happened.  A small pond just South of O DR N, before the Gordon Lake access, has never really yielded anything of note.  Today and nice big bright white bird caught my eye.  After a quick turnaround I was getting my best look yet at a Snow Goose.  

This small pond doesn't even register on the "normal" Google map, as you can see below.  This was definitely an unexpected find, and much welcome to add this new year bird today.  Now if I could only get another Greater White-fronted Goose at my next stop in Homer

Yeah, that wasn't foreshadowing, unfortunately.  No such luck at Homer.  It was a decent mix of waterfowl, and a couple of Killdeer still hanging around.  Nothing to get too excited about though.  

This all lead me back to looking in to some numbers I have looked at in the past couple of weeks.  This time last year, doing my Calhoun County Big Year, I had 188 birds with an American Pipit on 10/26.  I went 0-November and snagged up 6 birds in December to get to 194.  I am having some minor regrets on not going after some other birds earlier in the year, just because I was so focused on 206 lifetime number.  

Birds I didn't go after, that I won't get another chance this year:

1. Blue-headed Vireo - last seen on 10/10
2. Wilson's Warbler - seen numerous times at Meijer on Columbia
3. Lincoln's Sparrow - maybe a slight chance of them still being around.  Some November records still.  
4. Virginia Rail - I did not go chase
5. Olive-sided Flycatcher - I did not go chase, or look for

Birds that I still might have a chance for this year:

1. Red-breasted Nuthatch - would be a County lifer
2. Pine Siskin - a County lifer nemesis
3. Canvasback - still a possibility that I didn't chase earlier in the year
4. Barred Owl - should hit up the trails at the zoo if I can.  Seems reliable there
5. Snowy Owl - looks like we might get another irruption this year
6. Tundra Swan - still a possibility
7. Golden Eagle - seems like quite a few sightings around, compared to what I remember seeing last year.  May have to go out "Hawk-watching" some day.  
8. Greater White-fronted Goose - still possible I picked one up late last year
9. Cackling Goose - picked up quite a few of these later in the year last year
10. Lesser Black-backed Gull - picked up late last year
11. Glaucous Gull - picked up on 12/31 last year.  
12. Northern Saw-whet Owl - if I can get close enough one night at Hart's Lake maybe they will be be there.  
13. Merlin - I had one in mid-November at Ketchum Park last year
14. Northern Shrike - Would be a lifer
15. Red Crossbill - not seen since 2013 in the County
16. White-winged Crossbill - would be a first eBird report for the County
17. Common Redpoll - not seen since 2013 in the County

I guess there is always the shot still at 200, but those first 5 sure would make it a lot easier.  Have to hope for a decent irruption on some of the latter ones.  Hate to waste such a great miracle of shorebirds seen this year.  Had I only known, I might have pushed just a little bit harder.  Still have definitely had a great year already, and thoroughly enjoyed it.