Erie Marsh Preserve and Pt. Mouillee SGA - 17 Mar 2007
1000 Hrs. Drove down to Erie Marsh this morning. Its partly cloudy but cold (mid 20’s) with a stiff breeze. It snowed about an inch last night, so there is some snow on the grass and trails.
At the foot of Summit Rd and Stern Rd I saw several Red-winged Blackbirds and a small flock of Common Grackles on the side of the road.
The bay is somewhat choppy, but there are Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Goldeneye, Hooded Mergansers and Common Mergansers. In the canals I saw several Lesser Scaup and (6) Hooded Mergansers.
Erie SGA--Bay Creek Rd., Monroe, Michigan, US
Mar 17, 2007 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.2 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Its partly cloudy but cold (mid 20’s) with a stiff breeze. It snowed about an inch last night, so there is some snow on the grass and trails.
7 species
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 18
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 4
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 6
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) 10
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 6
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 5
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 4
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
As I turned into Erie Marsh I spotted a pair of Killdeer wondering where all the snow came from:
The marsh itself was mostly open, and the trails were muddy, so walking was a chore. Winds were blowing quite briskly, so digiscoping was pretty much out of the question. The sun broke out here and there, but overall conditions weren’t the best for taking photos. However, the marsh was quite active. There were lots of ducks this morning, especially Green-winged Teal and Northern Pintail.
The fields had some ice on them but some open flooding, also. Out in one of the fields to the NW were dozens of Mallard, Ring-necked Ducks, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, and Northern Shovelers.
As I walked the trails I saw several American Tree Sparrows working the ground for seeds, but one flew up and posed on a dried primrose for me.
No matter how careful I was, I could not get within 150-200 yds of anything without ducks flushing. Its also too windy to do any decent digiscoping, so I didn’t try. Along the trail I then saw a Song Sparrow and Fox Sparrow feeding in the road in front of me. I took a couple of poor digiscoped images. Some Downy Woodpeckers, and more Song Sparrows and Northern Cardinals made the walking acceptable. As I approached the lake (2) immature Bald Eagles flew overhead.
As I photographed them flying overhead I talked w/ Hal on the phone through my ear/mouth piece.
Fly-by Canada Geese gave me some flight practice as did some Green-winged Teal.
A couple of Red-tailed Hawks were also seen as I walked.
Mar 17, 2007 10:20 AM - 12:20 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Ptly cloudy, cold, 20F, stiff wind. 1" snow on ground
15 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 4
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 6
Gadwall (Mareca strepera) 6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 12
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) 12
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 12
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 12
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 2
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 2
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 2
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 2
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) 4
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) 1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 3
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
1300 Hrs. I drove down up to Pt. Mouillee by way of Rheaume Rd and saw a pair of American Kestrels on the side of the road.
At the foot of Roberts Road I walked out onto the dikes and immediately saw several Lesser Scaup in the Lead Unit. To the north the Lead Unit was flooded and filled with mostly Ring-necked Ducks and Lesser Scaup and Canada Geese.
Some American Coot were mixed in with the large flocks.
As I approached Cell 2 I noticed numerous small flocks of Northern Pintail and Green-winged Teal flying overhead toward Lake Erie. The cell itself was packed w/ thousands of Northern Pintail, Mallard, and Green-winged Teal, as well as American Wigeon, Black Duck, and a few Wood Duck.
Unfortunately for me, as soon as I approached a break in the phragmites, the ducks nearest to shore saw me, and flushed. As did everything else! Ducks everywhere were heading back out toward the Lead Unit. In a matter of seconds Cell 2 was completely empty.
Just as I was deciding to head back toward the Lead Unit, or to the Lake Erie Shoreline, I spotted a female Peregrine Falcon flapping and soaring overhead. I watched it swoop and soar, and divebomb several times before it disappeared somewhere over the Lead Unit. I could not keep up w/ it using my binocs it moved so fast! I then saw a pair of Bald Eagles soaring overhead in the distance.
As I walked the dike toward Cell 3 I noticed that most all the ducks had disappeared into the cattails and reeds. Numerous Muskrats were feeding and grooming on their houses near shore, and I was able to get some shots of them.
Cell 3 was mostly empty, and Lake Erie shoreline was mostly empty save for several small rafts of Common Mergansers far out in the lake. Back by Cell 2 I managed numerous digiscoped shots of a new flock of pintail, teal, and American Wigeon along the far shore before they flushed again.
Long walk back to the car and home by 1630 Hrs. Good outing!
Mar 17, 2007 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Cloudy, cold, 20F, stiff wind, some snow on ground; open water inland
14 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 30
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 6
American Wigeon (Mareca americana) 12
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 46
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 4
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) 12
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 16
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 23
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 46
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) 24
American Coot (Fulica americana) 16
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 2
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 2
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
