Petobego Pond - 21 Aug 2008


This morning I decided to check out Petobego Pond, located just north of Bates Rd. and just south of Elk Rapids in Antrim Co. Parking in the small lot off of US-31 I walked into the woods and heard several Eastern WoodPeewees singing high in the trees.

Crossing the highway I hiked down the trail and headed into the woods eastward toward the large marsh pond. Several Black-capped Chickadees followed me, and I was delighted to find a Black-throated Green Warbler among them. A Yellow-rumped Warbler was also nearby. Somewhere in the distance a Red-eyed Vireo sang in the tree tops.


The walk through the cedars and oak woods was quiet, otherwise. As I reached the shoreline I spotted an adult Bald Eagle disappearing over the trees. A flock of five Forster's Terns passed by with hardly any sound.

As I walked south along the beach a pair of Kingfishers flew out of Petobego Pond toward me and I managed a sequence of flight shots. 


Reaching the pond I stood atop a large sand dune and looked over the water. Only a small flock of six Mallard were visible. Otherwise it was quiet.

Petobego Pond, Grand Traverse, Michigan, US
Aug 21, 2008 8:00 AM - 9:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
10 species

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  6
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)  5
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  2
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  2
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  1
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S42120243

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

Returning through Elk Rapids I stopped at the Wastewater Treatment Plant off of Cairn's Highway and checked out the ponds. The nearest pond was active with several Semipalmated Sandpipers actively chasing Least Sandpipers that ventured too close. A Solitary Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs appeared to have hooked up as they both followed each other all over the pond. A single Spotted Sandpiper rounded out the shorebirds.

Elk Rapids Treatment Ponds, Antrim, Michigan, US
Aug 21, 2008 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Protocol: Stationary
5 species

Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  1
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)  1
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  1
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  2
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S42120276

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

Heading back to Central Lake along US-31 and then to M-88 I stopped along side the road to photograph an American Kestrel that roosted atop some fresh mowed hay bales.



Eastport Landing, Antrim, Michigan, US
Aug 21, 2008 11:00 AM - 11:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
1 species

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S167123882

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