Dickcissels - 13 Jun 2010

I drove down to Pt. Mouillee this morning for a quick ride on the dikes. The usual suspects geeted me at the entrance to the Middle Causeway: Warbling Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Marsh Wren and Eastern Kingbird.

As I passed the Walpatich Unit and started up the dike toward the Lautenschager Unit a Cattle Egret flushed from the cattails and headed south toward the Lead Unit. The Lautenschager Unit pond was devoid of water and only a few Great Egrets were present.

I ran into Mike Docherty at the junction of Lead, Long Pond and Vermet Units. As I walked over to scan the Long Pond Unit a flock of American Goldfinches flew in and started picking at the blooming thistle plants. I was able to get some digiscoped images from about 20' before they flew off. Below them in the brush were several Blue Dasher dragonflies: male and female.

An Osprey was flying over the Middle Causeway as I heard a pair of bugling Sandhill Cranes somewhere up ahead. For those concerned about the lack of Great Egret sightings I counted 30 birds in the Vermet Unit and would see another 20 in the Lead Unit. I did not see any Snowy or Little Blue Herons, though.

A pair of Lesser Scaup were swimming in Cell 4. As I walked the bike I spotted numerous Odonates flying among the clover lining the dike. Several Halloween Pennants were buzzing around and made for some nice photos. Nearby were Furtive Forktail damselflies, and Slender Bluet damselflies.

Cell 3 was filling up with water as more more sludge was being pumped into the cell. The mudflats held only a few shorebirds: Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, and Dunlin.

As I scanned the gulls at the mudflats a single 'possible' Little Gull was observed. The bird appeared to look like an immature Bonaparte's Gull, but had a smudgy cap and visible ear spots. I was unable to see its underwings or the bold 'M' on the forewings as the bird failed to fly. It was also too far away to photograph. I'm hoping someone else sees it and can weigh in on it.

As I rode back along the North Causeway I spotted several Garter Snakes and a Northern Watersnake that paused in the grass long enough for some nice macro shots.

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
Jun 13, 2010 8:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
6.0 mile(s)
15 species

Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)  2
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)  1
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  1
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  1     Cell 3 filling up w/ dredgings. Mudflats held only a couple shorebirds: Least Sandpiper (yellow feet, slight decurve to bill).
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  2
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  1
Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)  1     Walpatich Unit and Middle Causeway. Small white egret w/ yellow bill and orange wash to head / neck. Yellow legs. Flew toward Lead Unit.
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  56     30 in Vermet and 20 in Lead Unit. Rest in Long Pond
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  2
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  6
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S165325700

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

Returning to the car I headed south to Haggerman Rd. and the antennae farm to to see if any Dickcissels could be found. As I slowly cruised along the road I spotted several Horned Larks and Savannah Sparrows.

Just as I reached the fenceline surrounding the antennae farm I heard the distinct 'dik-dik-seer-seer' of a Dickcissel. Sure enough a male bird was perched on the fence singing away. I grabbed the scope and headed onto the grass to try to digiscope it.

With overcast skies the bird was severely backlit, so I needed to get as close as possible. It soon flew off and headed down the fence line. A second bird was heard nearby as I followed the first bird. As I walked the fenceline I could see two more birds perched farther down. I took several images of both birds together: a male and female.

As I approached them a male Bobolink flew in and hovered overhead. It then landed on the fence behind me and chattered away. With food in its beak I knew it had a nest nearby and I was probably objecting to my presence. I took several digiscoped images of it before continuing on toward the Dickcissels. I was able to get close enough for some nice digiscoped images of the male Dickcissels, and counted at least 5 birds.

As I returned to the car a group of 3 male Bobolink appeared along with a female. I managed a few digiscoped images through the fence before returning to the car. Another Dickcissel was perched on the fence near the car, so I took a few more pics before heading home.

Sweet!

Antenna Farm, Monroe, Michigan, US
Jun 13, 2010 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.2 mile(s)
5 species

Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)  3
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  3
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)  4
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)  2
Dickcissel (Spiza americana)  5

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S42349441

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