Pt. Mouillee SGA - 26 May 2007
0630-0830 Hrs. With rain forecast for the entire weekend I decided to chance a bike ride along the dikes at Pt. Mouillee SGA this morning. Skies were overcast, but mild. At the junction of the Nelson and Long Pond Units I counted a group of (77) Great Egrets roosting in an adjacent canal. I digiscoped a group of them from several hundred yards using the self-timer on the F30.
The Long Pond Unit held dozens of Dunlin, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers. No Dowitchers were seen, however. A group of (66) Whimbrels and (6) Glossy Ibis were seen in the NW corner of the Vermet Unit two days ago, so I looked for them without luck.
The herbicide spray that was conducted in the Vermet Unit has really taken hold, as the unit is open and nothing is growing. The shorebirds didn't seem to mind, though. And numbers seem to be up this year. In the NW corner this morning, however, only a pair of Sandhill Cranes were present. One adult and a cinnamon-colored young bird about 60 yards out on the large patch of dead stubble. As I scoped them I heard a pair of Bobolink calling as they flew overhead.
I decided to ride around the back side of Cell 5 to see if any shorebird habitat was present. The west side of the Cell was under water, but a few Mallard and Blue-winged Teal were present. Several small families of Canada Geese were in the Cell and a couple were on the dike ahead of me. The little ones scampered ahead of me as the parents flew off into the water. A couple of them tired, however, and laid down in the path ahead of me. I slowly steered around them pretending not to see them. Very cute. Out in the lake several pair of Lesser Scaup and Redhead were swimming next to shore. At the east end of the Cell a small raft of Ruddy Duck were mixed with several dozen Canada Geese. A large mud spit was exposed and a couple pair of Green-winged Teal were walking the shoreline. A half-dozen Dunlin were present, and as I stopped to scope them small flocks of Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers flew in. At this point the skies opened up and first of several downpours commenced. Before I left, however, I spotted a single Common Moorhen with its bright red faceshield.
The herbicide spray that was conducted in the Vermet Unit has really taken hold, as the unit is open and nothing is growing. The shorebirds didn't seem to mind, though. And numbers seem to be up this year. In the NW corner this morning, however, only a pair of Sandhill Cranes were present. One adult and a cinnamon-colored young bird about 60 yards out on the large patch of dead stubble. As I scoped them I heard a pair of Bobolink calling as they flew overhead.
I decided to ride around the back side of Cell 5 to see if any shorebird habitat was present. The west side of the Cell was under water, but a few Mallard and Blue-winged Teal were present. Several small families of Canada Geese were in the Cell and a couple were on the dike ahead of me. The little ones scampered ahead of me as the parents flew off into the water. A couple of them tired, however, and laid down in the path ahead of me. I slowly steered around them pretending not to see them. Very cute. Out in the lake several pair of Lesser Scaup and Redhead were swimming next to shore. At the east end of the Cell a small raft of Ruddy Duck were mixed with several dozen Canada Geese. A large mud spit was exposed and a couple pair of Green-winged Teal were walking the shoreline. A half-dozen Dunlin were present, and as I stopped to scope them small flocks of Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers flew in. At this point the skies opened up and first of several downpours commenced. Before I left, however, I spotted a single Common Moorhen with its bright red faceshield.
As I rode around the back of Cell 5 toward Cell 4 I flushed six Wood Ducks and a dozen Black-crowned Night Herons from the shoreline.
Cell 3 is currently hosting several large bulldozers and other earthmoving equipment. Out on the mud spit, however, I spotted a preening Sanderling among several Semipalmated Sandpipers and Dunlin. A pair of Ruddy Turnstones flew in and joined the Sanderling, and the three birds began a jaunt working the mudflats and fresh dirt next to the large equipment. I attempted to photograph them w/ the Nikon D70 and Sigma 400mm f/5.6 but the dark skies and intermittent rains prevented any shutter speeds greater than 1/15 second. As I scoped them a pair of Horned Larks appeared nearby. Another downpour prevented any digiscoping attempts.
Cell 3 is currently hosting several large bulldozers and other earthmoving equipment. Out on the mud spit, however, I spotted a preening Sanderling among several Semipalmated Sandpipers and Dunlin. A pair of Ruddy Turnstones flew in and joined the Sanderling, and the three birds began a jaunt working the mudflats and fresh dirt next to the large equipment. I attempted to photograph them w/ the Nikon D70 and Sigma 400mm f/5.6 but the dark skies and intermittent rains prevented any shutter speeds greater than 1/15 second. As I scoped them a pair of Horned Larks appeared nearby. Another downpour prevented any digiscoping attempts.
Back on the bike and down the Middle Causeway I rode between the Lead and Vermet Units. The Lead Unit was surprisingly quiet, with only a few Pied-billed Grebes and American Coot present. A Sora called nearby, but only for a few moments.
As I rode the dike between the Vermet and Long Pond Units several shorebirds flushed from nearby. Among them was a Glossy Ibis that flew toward the center of the Vermet Unit. As I tromped through the cattails to scope the Ibis and verify ID (dark iris) several small flocks of Dunlin flew in. Among them was a single White-rumped Sandpiper. Since the Ibis was too far away to digiscope I concentrated on the shorebirds nearby. As I searched for the WR I spotted a Lesser Yellowlegs and several Semipalmated Sandpipers. I managed a few pics of a Semipalmated Plover before another downpour and high winds drove me back toward to the bike and back to the car.
I was disappointed at not seeing any Whimbrels, but the Glossy Ibis was a nice consolation. Two Whimbrels were reported yesterday afternoon so I'm assuming that they may have moved on. A pretty productive two hours, however, in spite of the weather.
I was disappointed at not seeing any Whimbrels, but the Glossy Ibis was a nice consolation. Two Whimbrels were reported yesterday afternoon so I'm assuming that they may have moved on. A pretty productive two hours, however, in spite of the weather.
