Birding Petoskey, MI - 06 Nov 2004


06 November 2004 Petoskey, MI

1100 Hrs. Pt. Cloudy, Windy, 50ºF Robin and I drove up to Petoskey from our condo in Central Lake via Co. Rd. 65.  Along the roadside we passed a flock of Canada Geese feeding in a freshly mowed field.  At first glance we saw no Cackling Geese among the Branta canadensis. 

A little further up we passed several Wild Turkeys feeding along side of the road.  

Instead of taking US-31 from Charlevoix we decided to drive through East Jourdan via Co. Rd. 48 and pick up US-131.  Along the way we passed a Rough-legged Hawk (dark phase) roosting in a lone tree in a field.  Lighting was poor but it was definitely all dark.  

Just before we arrived in Petoskey we spotted two more Rough-legged Hawks hovering low over a field below the road.  From the bright white tails and dark tail bands we knew they could be no other type of hawk.

Bear River Valley RA, Emmet, Michigan, US
Nov 6, 2004 10:00 AM - 10:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Cloudy, windy, 50F
3 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  22
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)  4
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)  3     1 dark phase and 2 light-phase

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S182679555

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
 
1200 Hrs.  We stopped at Petoskey State Park on US-119 just north of the city.  Winds were blowing 30 mph off the water and little activity was apparent.  A few Ring-billed Gulls were feeding in the shallows and I got the chance to shoot a few close-ups using Robin’s Nikon D-70 and a Sigma 400mm/f5.6.  







As I returned to the car I noticed a small flock of birds bouncing along the shoreline.  Hoping they were American Pipits I soon discovered that they were Snow Buntings.  I counted 21.  I chased after them, but had little luck getting close enough to get decent photos.  They disappeared easily into the sparse grasses growing along the shoreline, and took off as a group as soon as I stood practically on top of them.  I did manage a couple of shots of the flock as they flew past me along the shoreline.




Petoskey SP, Emmet, Michigan, US
Nov 6, 2004 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments:     Beach shoreline
2 species

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  4
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)  21

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S41728237

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)