Wet Saturday! - 07 Mar 2009

Despite forecasted rains today, I decided to get out and take my chances with the weather.

I drove down to Monroe Co. and checked out gulls along Lotus Rd. The ponds were melted and all the gulls were concentrated in a field off of Suder Rd. Among the hundreds of Herring and Ring-billed Gulls I managed to pick out (3) Lesser Black-backed Gulls, all adults. Unfortunately I was too far away to digiscope them, and I didn't feel like trespassing on private property to get any photos. Besides, the rains were starting and I had lots of ground to cover.

Lotus Rd. mudflats, Monroe, Michigan, US
Mar 7, 2009 7:30 AM - 7:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Cloudy, rainy
3 species

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  150
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  50
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S166292660

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

I made a quick stop along Sterns Rd. east of Summit and found a singing Fox Sparrow among the numerous Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and Tree Sparrows.

Sterns and Bay Creek Road, Monroe, Michigan, US
Mar 7, 2009 8:00 AM - 8:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.2 mile(s)
4 species

American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)  6
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  26
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  32

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S166293033

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

Heading north I stopped in Belleville and found the previously-reported Long-tailed Ducks near the bridge on Belleville Rd. By the time I parked and walked back to the bridge the four females and one male were far out in the lake. I took a couple photos w/ the D300 and Sigma 400 mm f/5.6 just for record. Other birds seen were (2) Great Black-backed Gulls, numerous Common Mergansers and Goldeneye, Redhead, Canvasback and Mallard. I did not find the Horned Grebe.

Belleville Lake--Belleville Rd. access, Wayne, Michigan, US
Mar 7, 2009 9:00 AM - 9:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
7 species

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  12
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)  6
Redhead (Aythya americana)  6
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)  5
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  12
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)  12
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S166294227

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

Next stop was Gotfredson Rd. (and Vreeland) to look for Lapland Longspurs. With the rains now coming down heavily I could only crack the windows and listen for birds. Horned Larks were noisily marking their territories and chasing each other near the road and among the corn stubble, but I could neither see nor hear any Lapland Longspurs. At one point I did spot the featured Ring-necked Pheasant male in the ditch to my left, and managed a few photos before it disappeared into the undergrowth. A Red-tailed Hawk was the only other bird seen in this area.

Superior Twp. Roads, Washtenaw, Michigan, US
Mar 7, 2009 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
3 species

Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)  6

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S42187300

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

With rains coming down I decided to call it a morning and head home.

Oh, I continue to host about 3 dozen Common Redpolls, American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins in my yard in Wyandotte.

2506 21st Street, Wyandotte, Wayne, Michigan, US
Mar 7, 2009 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM
Protocol: Stationary
3 species

Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)  12
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)  12
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  6

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S166294520

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