Central Lake, MI - 13-15 Apr 2007

13 April 2007 Up north

1500 Hrs. Robin and I are driving up north for a quick getaway. Weather is supposed to be cold and wet this weekend downstate, and possibly sunny up north. It is sunny and mild right now, so it’s a good evening for a drive. North of Lansing we see a pair of Sandhill Cranes flying overhead. Out at Maple River SGA another Sandhill Crane is seen flying overhead. Still several inches of snow are on the ground, but the roads were clear, and most of it will be gone in a week or so.

Maple River SGA (Gratiot Co.), Gratiot, Michigan, US
Apr 13, 2007 3:00 PM - 3:05 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
1 species

Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S173734188

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

14 April 2007 Central Lake, Antrim Co.

0830 Hrs. Its sunny this morning, and cool, 21ºF. No wind. I start out at Intermediate Lake and find a pair of Bufflehead courting in the calm water below the bridge. I digiscope a few pics before a pair of Canada Geese fly in and stir up the water. 

A quick drive over to Hanley Lake produce a pair of Lesser Scaup, several more Bufflehead, a pair of Mute Swan, and Hooded Mergansers. 

Thurston Park, Antrim, Michigan, US
Apr 14, 2007 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Sunny, 21F
5 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  2
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  2
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  5
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S173735563

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

I then drive up Co-65 toward Fisherman’s Island State Park. On the way a tom Turkey is displaying on the side of the road to passing cars. I stop and get a couple of pics before he moves off the road. 

Charlevoix Co., MI, Charlevoix, Michigan, US
Apr 14, 2007 9:15 AM - 9:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
1 species

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S173736204

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

At the Charlevoix A/P an Eastern Meadowlark flies across the front of the car and starts singing in the grass a ways off. Otherwise, it is quiet. American Robins are back and can be seen most everywhere there is bare grass. 

Round Lake, Charlevoix, Michigan, US
Apr 14, 2007 9:30 AM - 9:35 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.2 mile(s)
2 species

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  6
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S173737843

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

As I pull off the road toward FISP I spot four Wild Turkeys on the side of the road and get a couple of pics before they run into the woods. At FISP the lake is open and calm. Scanning from the entrance to the park I see several small rafts of Common and Red-breasted Mergansers, Common Goldeneye, and Bufflehead. There’s a bit of ice and snow still on the road into the park, and lots of snow still in the woods. 

I get out and walk the beach toward the island, and find lots of ice/snow still along the shoreline. But its mild, and no wind, so its quite pleasant. I digiscope a Red-winged Blackbird displaying about 50 yds away using the Nikon D70, Sigma 400mm f/5.6 and 1.4TC as a reference. 

A pair of Ring-billed Gulls from about 100 yds are also digiscoped at all magnifications for comparison w/ the Nikon /Sigma w/ and w/o the TC. 

Out on the island the main birds are Song Sparrows and Common Grackles. A few Golden-crowned Kinglets can be seen working the cedars. A handful of Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead are off in the distance. Otherwise, kinda quiet. On the way back to the condo I spot a single Pileated Woodpecker fly overhead. 

Fisherman's Island SP, Charlevoix, Michigan, US
Apr 14, 2007 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
11 species

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  10
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  8
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)  6
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)  8
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)  4
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  2
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)  2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  1
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S173739513

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

Another Pileated Woodpecker is seen later in the afternoon just across the street from the condo, but it flies off toward Hanley Lake before I can get anywhere near it.

Thurston Park, Antrim, Michigan, US
Apr 14, 2007 4:00 PM - 4:05 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
1 species

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S173739980

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

15 April 2007 Mt. Pleasant, MI

1100 Hrs. Driving home down US-127 I spot (6) Sandhill Cranes over the Houghton Dead Swamp Area. At mile marker 164, just north of Mt. Pleasant I an immature Rough-legged Hawk is perched in a tree next to the road and scoping out the ditches.

Houghton Lake Flats Flooding, Roscommon, Michigan, US
Apr 15, 2007 11:00 AM - 11:05 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.2 mile(s)
2 species

Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)  6
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S173742630

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