RFI: Las Colinas Hooded M & Gr Scaup

[Perry]

Has anyone been to the Los Colinas area to find Hooded Mergansers and Greater Scaup this year? I want to make a run over for my year list, but would like to know if they are being seen.

Perry
Plano

[Susan]

I was there Monday, the 8th, and saw only 2 of the Hooded Mergansers, and no Greater Scaup. Have been seeing 8 to 10 of the mergansers usually as recently as last week, but have not seen the Gr. Scaup since before the CBC on 12/16.

Susan, from Irving

[Perry]

I went over lunch and found several Hooded Mergansers, but no Greater Scaup. Other ducks present:

Lesser Scaup
Ring-neck Duck
Canvasback
Northern Shovler
Gadwall
Mallard

[Connie Sandlin]

Interesting time for this question, as I talked to Dell Little at the TOS* Winter Meeting in Arlington just last night and I specifically asked him if he'd seen Greater Scaup in the ponds and canals around Las Colinas.

He said that they're there and he's getting better at picking out Greater Scaup from Lesser (by they shape of their heads) as he's driving along.

Connie

*Texas Ornithological Society

[Perry]

If you see him again, can you ask where the scaup were? I only found two random ones, so there wasn't much head reviewing to do. I really would like to find the Greater Scaup.

[Connie Sandlin]

Will do. I'm going to the evening activities for TOS tonight and tomorrow night, so I will ask him then and post his answer so others can look, too.

Connie

[lei]

Is there any good spot for seeing Hooded Mergansers? I'm very interested in photographing them.

[Perry]

Take George Bush 190 west/south past 635 towards Las Colinas. Exit at the hospital on MacArthur Blvd. Take a left and go back over 190. Take another immediate left on the access road and then an immediate right into the hospital. You want to get to the ponds behind the hospital. The birds are back there. This is a great vantage point to photograph because there is no traffic and you are looking down on the birds. The issue is there are many places for them to hide.


When you're done there, take the backside of the hospital to the tiny road called Patton Dr. Left onto this (construction going on). Then turn right on Las Colinas Blvd. The road is split with ponds all along your left. Drive up and down. There were several Hoodeds along here. There is virtually no place to park and photograph them. About the only way is to find a parking place at the hospital and walk a 1/2 mile or more to the ponds. There is a nice walkway along this area.

[lei]

Perry, many thanks. :)

[Connie Sandlin]

The best time to visit the pond behind the hospital is on the weekend. The hospital loading docks are on the side nearest the pond. It's best to visit when the docs are not so busy. Also, ambulances may come through there.

Connie

P.S. to Lei - Glad to e-see you!

P.S. to Perry - I'm not going to make it over to the TOS meeting this evening after all, but I still expect to go to the banquet tomorrow evening at 6 p.m., as long as the icing in Arlington is expected to hold off until after 10 p.m.