Lift-off! - 23 Nov 2008

It was sunny and somewhat mild this morning, so I drove down to southern Monroe Co. to check for gulls. Exiting at Summit Rd. I took it south just over the border into Ohio. Crossing the Ottawa River I spotted a flock of gulls on the ice. Turning on 131st and heading east to 305th I stopped at the end of the road and scoped the sleeping flock. I was able to pick out two Lesser Black-backed Gulls from the mostly Ring-billed Gulls. I managed a couple digiscoped images from about 50 yds away.

Returning north I spotted a Red-tailed Hawk in a tree next to Summit Rd. and photographed it from the car. Branches obscured it enough to prevent a clean image.

Sterns and Bay Creek Road, Monroe, Michigan, US
Nov 23, 2008 8:00 AM - 8:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Sunny and mild
3 species

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  50
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)  2
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S166986286

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

A quick stop at the Whiting Power Plant yielded no birds. Ducks were absent on Lake Erie and only a handfull of Ring-billed Gulls were at the discharge.

Whiting Power Plant, Monroe, Michigan, US
Nov 23, 2008 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
1 species

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  6

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S166986718

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

Heading north toward Pt. Mouillee I turned down Port Sunlight Rd. and drove right past a Red-tailed Hawk sitting on the fence bordering the landfill. The bird flew up onto a light pole and provided several nice frames from the car. After a few moments it lifted off and flew to a second pole, where I managed a clean flight-shot as it flew west.

Gibraltar Landfill, Monroe, Michigan, US
Nov 23, 2008 10:30 AM - 10:40 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
1 species

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S166987054

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

A drive down Campau Rd. toward Pt. Mouillee HQ yielded a Bald Eagle roosting next to the road, but it was severely back-lit and prevented a clean photograph, even after it flew off.

Pte. Mouillee SGA--HQ, Wayne, Michigan, US
Nov 23, 2008 11:00 AM - 11:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
1 species

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S166987291

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