The Place for Rarities! - 18 May 2014
Black-necked Stilt
Tricolored Heron
Snowy Egret
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Little Gull
Whimbrel
Red-necked Phalarope
White-faced Ibis
Black Tern
White-winged Scoter
White-rumped Sandpiper
Sanderling
Ruddy Turnstone
Dunlin (all of them)
The last three may not be rarities, but eBird requested further documentation. Especially the Dunlin, where I estimated 2000-3000 birds in Cell 3 alone.
Though I would look I did not see either the (4) White-faced Ibis or the Tricolored Heron. Others saw them earlier in the morning, so they are still around. A pair of Osprey are nesting in the Humphries Unit.
An impressive flock of Dunlin and Ruddy Turnstones were working the north shoreline of the Humphries Unit near the eastern corner where the phragmites were burned away last spring. Flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles were scattering in all directions along this stretch of the Middle Causeway, but I could not find a Yellow-headed Blackbird among them.
Along the east side of Cell 3 a scope scan of the north shoreline of exposed water revealed hundreds and hundreds of Dunlin huddling / roosting among the exposed mudflats/peninsulas. A few Short-billed Dowitchers and Semipalmated Sandpipers were among them, but their numbers were the most I've ever seen here in the spring. Luckily a few Dunlin and Semipalms flew to the near shore, where I could digiscope them from about 20' away.
From the south side of Cell 3 a scope scan of the SW corner produced hundreds of Bonaparte's Gulls, and the two Little Gulls first reported on the 15th. A pair of Red-necked Phalarope could be seen swimming among the hundreds of Dunlin foraging in the area. A Black Tern was also a nice find near the tip of the muddy peninsula.
The Red-necked Phalaropes were close to shore along the west side of Cell 3, so I spent some time photographing and digiscoping them in the low, backlit conditions. Gorgeous birds!
As I rode back to the car, a Yellow-headed Blackbird flushed from the grass next to the Middle Causeway in hot pursuit by a Red-winged Blackbird; both birds squabbling for (apparent) territory.
I could only watch them disappear back to the east.
Though I missed out on the White-faced Ibis, Tricolored Heron and Whimbrel, all three species would be reported/photographed today by other birders. If you can, now is the time to hit Pt. Moo!
An impressive flock of Dunlin and Ruddy Turnstones were working the north shoreline of the Humphries Unit near the eastern corner where the phragmites were burned away last spring. Flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles were scattering in all directions along this stretch of the Middle Causeway, but I could not find a Yellow-headed Blackbird among them.
A surprise bird appeared when a flock of ducks took off for the middle of Cell 3. Among the Northern Shovelers, Lesser Scaup, Gadwall, Mallard, Ruddy Ducks and Redhead was a single White-winged Scoter!
Out on the Lake Erie shoreline, where exposed sand appeared opposite Cell 3, a flock of ~24 Sanderlings were stretched out along a 1/4 mile distance. Most birds were in breeding plumage, but a couple of birds were still in non-breeding plumage.
From the south side of Cell 3 a scope scan of the SW corner produced hundreds of Bonaparte's Gulls, and the two Little Gulls first reported on the 15th. A pair of Red-necked Phalarope could be seen swimming among the hundreds of Dunlin foraging in the area. A Black Tern was also a nice find near the tip of the muddy peninsula.
As I rode back to the car, a Yellow-headed Blackbird flushed from the grass next to the Middle Causeway in hot pursuit by a Red-winged Blackbird; both birds squabbling for (apparent) territory.
I could only watch them disappear back to the east.
Though I missed out on the White-faced Ibis, Tricolored Heron and Whimbrel, all three species would be reported/photographed today by other birders. If you can, now is the time to hit Pt. Moo!
Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
May 18, 2014 8:00 AM - 11:04 AM
Protocol: Traveling
6.0 mile(s)
54 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 60
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 12
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 2
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) 4
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 2
Gadwall (Mareca strepera) 4
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 20
Redhead (Aythya americana) 4
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 20 Cell 3
White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) 1 Cell 3. Immature male. White belly but dark brown/black body with diagnostic white teardrop and wing patch.
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 2
Common Merganser (North American) (Mergus merganser americanus) 4 Cell 4
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) 1
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 4
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 4
American Coot (Red-shielded) (Fulica americana (Red-shielded)) 12
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 1
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) 1 Found yesterday by Byrne, Terry and McDaniel. Relocated in NW corner of Lautenschlager Unit at 0830 in flight toward Walpatich Unit.
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 6
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 6
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) 3
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) 2 Cell 3 along W shoreline . Both adult female.
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 12
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 1
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) 12 N Humphries, Cell 3, and Lake Erie shoreline next to Cell 3.
Sanderling (Calidris alba) 24 Lake Erie shoreline next to Cell 3. A few in basic plumage and rest in alternate plumage.
Dunlin (Calidris alpina) 3000 Cell 3. Crazy numbers roosting along north shore of exposed mudflats. Most I've ever seen here.
White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) 2
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 20
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) 12
Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) 2 Cell 3 in SW corner on same mudflat as reported 5/15/14. Suspect 1st winter birds. Black fore wings bolder and thicker than nearby Bonaparte Gulls.
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 400
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 2
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 28
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) 1 Cell 3 SW corner on mudflat
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) 16
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 2
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 1 One of two observed by several birders in NW corner of Vermet. Captured in flight.
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 6
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 7
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 3
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 12
Purple Martin (Progne subis) 2
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 4
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 2
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 2
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 2
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) 1 Adult male along Middle Causeway next to Humphries Unit.
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 200
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 4
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
May 18, 2014 8:00 AM - 11:04 AM
Protocol: Traveling
6.0 mile(s)
54 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 60
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 12
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 2
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) 4
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 2
Gadwall (Mareca strepera) 4
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 20
Redhead (Aythya americana) 4
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 20 Cell 3
White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) 1 Cell 3. Immature male. White belly but dark brown/black body with diagnostic white teardrop and wing patch.
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 2
Common Merganser (North American) (Mergus merganser americanus) 4 Cell 4
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) 1
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 4
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 4
American Coot (Red-shielded) (Fulica americana (Red-shielded)) 12
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 1
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) 1 Found yesterday by Byrne, Terry and McDaniel. Relocated in NW corner of Lautenschlager Unit at 0830 in flight toward Walpatich Unit.
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 6
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 6
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) 3
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) 2 Cell 3 along W shoreline . Both adult female.
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 12
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 1
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) 12 N Humphries, Cell 3, and Lake Erie shoreline next to Cell 3.
Sanderling (Calidris alba) 24 Lake Erie shoreline next to Cell 3. A few in basic plumage and rest in alternate plumage.
Dunlin (Calidris alpina) 3000 Cell 3. Crazy numbers roosting along north shore of exposed mudflats. Most I've ever seen here.
White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) 2
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 20
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) 12
Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) 2 Cell 3 in SW corner on same mudflat as reported 5/15/14. Suspect 1st winter birds. Black fore wings bolder and thicker than nearby Bonaparte Gulls.
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 400
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 2
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 28
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) 1 Cell 3 SW corner on mudflat
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) 16
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 2
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) 1 One of two observed by several birders in NW corner of Vermet. Captured in flight.
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 6
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 7
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 3
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 12
Purple Martin (Progne subis) 2
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 4
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 2
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 2
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 2
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) 1 Adult male along Middle Causeway next to Humphries Unit.
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 200
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 4
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
