American Avocet - Pt. Mouillee SGA 29 Jul 2007

My first ever field notebook entry in 1983 described seeing a pair of American Avocets at Pt. Mouillee in late summer. However, I could never remember the time, and being new to shorebirding, suspect that I may had seen some Yellowlegs. Since that time, I've been unsuccessful at seeing an Avocet at Pt. Moo, until today. Thanks to a post earlier this week by Greg Norwood, I knew to look in Cell 5 of the Banana Unit for the Avocet, which had been seen irregularly for a couple weeks now.

I parked at Mouillee Creek entrance this morning at 6 am and rode the dikes. Clear skies, a moderately stiff breeze, and high humidity made for a sticky morning's ride. Black-crowned Night Herons were plentiful in the Walpatich Unit with lots of immature birds flushing from the ditches to either side. Wood Ducks were also in good numbers with a couple dozen easily seen flying into and over the lotus field. A Least Bittern was also seen briefly as it flushed and dove quickly back into the cattails. Sedge Wrens and Swamp Sparrows were heard but not seen out in the cattail marsh.

I took the dike between the Long Pond and Bloody Run units and quickly heard and saw several Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Sandpipers, and Pectoral Sandpipers in the shallows of the Long Pond Unit. As the Bloody Run Unit opened up a shallow pond held a dozen Short-billed Dowitchers, a half-dozen Stilt Sandpipers in various stages of molt, dozens of Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers, several Pectoral Sandpipers, and a dozen or so Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs. It was still fairly early for digiscoping, so I spent the time looking for any rarities (none found).

Heading along the North Causeway I passed the Long Pond Unit and Vermet Units, seeing only a handful of shorebirds: Spotted Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs, and a pair of Pectoral Sandpipers.

As I reached the NW corner of Cell 5 of the Banana Unit, I spotted (3) Ruddy Ducks, a pair of Green-winged Teal, and a several pairs of Mallard. 

A small flock of shorebirds were feeding in the exposed mudflat and flushed as soon as I came into view. But only seconds later, and flock of (24) Stilt Sandpipers and (1) Wilson's Phalarope returned to feed in the mudflats. Unfortunately for me, they were mostly concealed by the phragmites lining the near shore. 

I continued on for the SE corner of the Cell, where I saw a large flock of Ring-billed and Herring Gulls roosting in the shallow mud flats. A half-dozen Green-winged Teal (immatures) were there, along with another half-dozen Mallard. 

From scoping distance I was able to make out the previously-reported American Avocet, and quickly made my way toward it, being cautious not to spook the gulls. Despite the large numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds flushing along the dike in front of me, the American Avocet paid no attention to me and continued to preen at the edge of the mudflat. Once in digiscoping range, I took a few images before moving forward. The bird then began feeding in the shallows, and for the next half-hour I digiscoped dozens of images as it made its way out into deep water and back in. 

Four Lesser Yellowlegs and a pair of Semipalmated Sandpipers were also feeding in the vicinity. After a several minute video was taken, I continued on.

Cell 4 was fairly quiet save for several Mallards and a female Redhead. The mud spit toward the middle of the Cell was occupied by dozens of Ring-billed Gulls and Herring Gulls, (3) Bonapartes' Gulls, 

several Caspian Terns, and a single Common Tern (1st summer bird) with a silver leg band. 

The east side of the Vermet Unit held a few Lesser Yellowlegs, and a (presumed) domestic, all-white Mallard.

As I approached Cell 3 I flushed an American Pipit from the dike in front of me, and watched as it flew off over the Vermet Unit. Arriving at Cell 3 I found only a couple Lesser Yellowlegs among a dozen or so gulls and Caspian Terns, and decided to head back down the Middle Causeway. 

Stopping along the way I scoped a pair of immature Osprey atop the nesting platform in the middle of the Lead Unit. A Pectoral Sandpiper posed nicely just a few feet away in the shallows before a Killdeer flew in and chased it off. 

I had no luck seeing any Glossy Ibis, and decided to head back northward along the dike between the Vermet and Long Pond Units.

Following the dike, I saw a pair of immature Bald Eagles flush from an opening in the Long Pond Unit and take to the air. After circling a few times, they began to tussle in the skies, either playing or just annoyed by each other's presence. I took several quick photos of their encounter before they broke off and went separate ways. 

Along the North Causeway I ran into a Lesser Yellowlegs perched atop a dead tree overlooking Lake Erie, and digiscoped several images at it sounded its 'Tu, Tu, Tu' alarm call.

Returning to the Bloody Run Unit I spent some time digiscoping the Short-billed Dowitchers, 

and Stilt Sandpipers. 

A short ways down the dike I came across another Pectoral Sandpiper and took its portrait. 

A fly-by Caspian Tern required some fast shooting. 

Returning to the car at about 9:30 am I returned home.

Thanks, Greg for the Avocet!

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
Jul 29, 2007 6:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
7.0 mile(s)
22 species

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  6
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  2
Redhead (Aythya americana)  1
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)  3
American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)  1     Cell 5
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  12
Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)  1
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  1
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  3
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  1
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)  30     24 in Cell 5 plus 6 in Walpatich Unit
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  12
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)  3
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  24
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  1
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)  1     immature, banded
Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis)  1
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)  2
Sedge Wren (Cistothorus stellaris)  1
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)  1     flushed from dike in front of me and flew over Cell 3. Buffy w/ streaks, white eyeline, and calling "pipit-pipit" as it flew away.
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S41949223

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