goose spent several days in Rock 
Harbor (39)• 
12. Snow Goose (Chen hyperborea 
(Pallas)) 
This goose is an uncommon migrant 
usually observed in flight with other 
geese, but none has been known to stop, 
[luring the mid-1940 f s it was noted in 
small numbers with larger flocks of 
Canada geese. In early October 1962 
Shelton reported flocks which appeared 
to be made up mostly of snow geese, 
along with a small number of blue 
geese (39) . 
13. Blue Goose ( Chen caerulescens 
(Linnaeus)) 
The blue goose is a rare migrant. 
In May 1948 a single bird was observed 
at close range in the vicinity of 
Washington Island. The specimen had 
immature plumage and was quite tame. 
A year later, a blue goose, believed 
to be the same bird, appeared at the 
same location in adult plumage. A few 
probably migrate over the island in 
flocks with snow geese ( 36) . 
**14. Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos 
Linnaeus) 
The mallard is an uncommon summer 
resident and an uncommon spring and 
fall migrant. Six of these ducks were 
reported by A. Murie on September 16, 
1929 (21). During the 1940*s and early 
1950's a total of 19 were noted on bea¬ 
ver ponds and on several inland lakes 
and streams (29, 30 , 31 , 35 , 36) . Ob¬ 
servations by Shelton include a female 
mallard with five young on 0jibway Lake 
on July 31, 1960 (39) . In August 1963, 
Krefting and Lee reported a single male 
on Sumner Lake and a female with four 
young in a beaver pond along the Hugin- 
nin Cove Trail near Windigo Mine (34). 
**15. Black Duck ( Anas rubripes 
Brewster) 
The black duck is a common summer 
resident and the most abundant breeding 
duck on the island. It is most common 
on sheltered harbors, lakes, beaver 
ponds, and sometimes streams. The 
first records are in the journal for 
the lighthouse station at Menagerie 
Island (Siskiwit Bay) during the 
later part of the 19th century. In 
October 1891 the two lighthouse 
keepers shot six of these ducks (40). 
Black ducks were reported again in 
the late 1920's and in the 1930's by 
A. Murie and N. Wood (21). During 
the 1940's many observers reported 
this duck as a common summer resident 
particularly in beaver ponds, inland 
lakes, and protected harbors (24, 27 , 
29, 3£, 36^, 38) . On a field trip in 
May 1948, 40 of these ducks were 
noted, 26 in beaver ponds or small 
streams and 14 either in the inland 
lakes or in the protected harbors of 
the main island. In the spring of 
1950, black ducks were fairly common 
throughout the island, and one nest 
was located (35). Twenty-five were 
noted at various locations in early 
August 1963 ( 34) . 
16. Pintail ( Anas acuta Linnaeus) 
The pintail is a rare migrant. 
Five were seen in the fall of 1929 
and the spring of 1930 ( 21) . These 
are the only records for Isle Royale. 
**17. Green-winged Teal ( Anas 
carolinensis Gmelin) 
This duck is an uncommon summer 
resident. In September 1904, Peet 
noted a flock of five in Washington 
Harbor ( 14) . Fargo noted five in 
September 1924 (21). Gilbert in 
1946 reported a brood at the mouth 
of Grace Creek (30) . On field trips 
to the island in 1946, 1948, and 
1950, a total of nine of these ducks 
was seen, mostly in beaver ponds 
and often in pairs (29, 35 , 36) . In 
1962 and 1963 Shelton saw this duck 
nine times, six in May or early 
June and three in September and 
October. All were in groups of four 
or less ( 39) . 
21 
