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Sparked by Spencer Hardy's report yesterday of terns in vicinity of the Champlain Bridge to Arnold Bay, I visited five viewing areas midday today. Highlights seen from the Champlain Bridge included 21 Common Terns, one Black Tern, 31 Brant, and 16 White-winged Scoters - the last two apparently seriously in migration. A Caspian Tern flew by while I was at Turkey Lane. Over a thousand Ring-billed Gulls (clicker-counted) occupied beaches and piers at Port Henry, with another flock of nearly 600 at White Bay in Panton. The Champlain Bridge checklist is below. Ian ====================== Champlain Bridge / Chimney Point, Addison, US-VT May 23, 2014 10:55 AM - 11:58 AM Protocol: Stationary 19 species (+1 other taxa) Brant 31 Single flock mostly in single file flying just above the water northward up the center of the lake. Characteristic goose shape, dark body, noticeably large white underbody showing when viewed from the side and rear. Could make out a light necklace on a number of the birds in spite of distance and speed. Mallard 4 Greater/Lesser Scaup 7 Small flock on water. Too distant to discern species. White-winged Scoter 16 Single string flock skimming the water flying northward up the center of the lake. White secondaries prominent; otherwise a black bird. Common Loon 2 Double-crested Cormorant 32 Osprey 1 Ring-billed Gull 1027 Large groups on pier, dock and beaches at Port Henry: 123, 285, 53, 514. Others in air and on water. Clicker counted. Lighting good. Herring Gull 1 Great Black-backed Gull 3 Black Tern 1 With Common Terns. Very noticeably smaller. Overall gray tern, including top and bottom of wings. Body dark.. Wings long, sharply pointed. White rear underbody clearly distinct from dark belly and wings. Common Tern 21 Actively flying and diving over water from mid-lake to near NY shore. Only other tern distinguished was one Black Tern. Counted by individuals three times; when all together (20), when in two separate groups (21), and when scattered (19). Belted Kingfisher 1 Warbling Vireo 2 American Robin 2 Common Yellowthroat 1 American Redstart 1 Song Sparrow 1 Common Grackle 3 House Sparrow 2 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S18528380 This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org/vt)