Dune Harbor County Park

I made my first visit to Dune Harbor County Park this morning, sort of previewing our April 23 field trip.  Despite the cold, somewhat windy conditions, birds were plentiful.  Many of them were gulls and Double-crested Cormorants resting on the island and flying here and there.  

Notable were a Great Black-backed Gull and this Common Loon which called three times during the morning.

I also saw Wood Duck, Canvasback, Redhead, Greater Scaup, Red-breasted and Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Golden-crowned Kinglet and Eastern Bluebird among the 32 total species.

This new park is similar to Ottawa Dunes County Park in that both use back-dune property decimated by sand mining and allow nature back in.  There's only the one trail 2.2 miles around the lake.  Walking is a bit easier because the trail is firm virtually everywhere (some at ODCP is beach sand).  There are no hard climbs at either park.

Although access is from Lincoln Street along the park's eastern border, the best birding habitat is on the west and south sides of the lake through wooded areas (unlike the eastern side which is more open).  For the same reason there should be fewer people walking themselves and/or their dogs along the west side.