Dickcissel! - 21 Jun 2015

I took a late afternoon run down to Pt. Mouillee SGA. It was already 6 pm so I decided to swing by the Antennae Farm first to see if any Dickcissels are in the area this year.  About half way along the fence a bright yellow bird popped onto the fence and I knew immediately that I had found my quarry.

I was able to get out w/ the scope and grab a few long-distance photos before it flew off. Bobolink were still courting in the area, as well as a dozen Savannah Sparrows.

I noticed that this bird was not singing, but I heard the distinctive "dik-dik-SEER-SEER!" in the distance, so I knew that there were at least 2 birds in the area.

Antenna Farm, Monroe, Michigan, US
Jun 21, 2015 6:00 PM - 6:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
3 species

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  12
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)  4
Dickcissel (Spiza americana)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S162133616

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

Pt. Mouillee itself was relatively uneventful. I did see three Plegadis ibis in the Vermet Unit, but they took off as soon as I started hiking through the grass toward them.  Two appear to be White-faced and one Glossy Ibis.

Just as well, I was COVERED in Hexagenia sp. mayflies that had just hatched in the last 24 hrs. They were everywhere, and all over me. I would spend the next half-hour just trying to shake them loose from my clothing and scope w/o squishing any of them. Luckily the winds were blowing out at Cell 3 so I could send them into the air and away from me safely.

No shorebirds in Cell 3, which was flooded. Dozens of Ring-billed Gulls, Caspian Terns, and Common Terns were roosting near the peninsula, but it was under water. I would see a pair of American White Pelicans in Cell 5 on the way out.

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
Jun 21, 2015 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
4 species (+1 other taxa)

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  24
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  12
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)  6
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)  2
Glossy/White-faced Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus/chihi)  3     3 in flight. Two appeared to adult White-faced Ibis w/ white skin patches on face and red eyes and a third that may be a Glossy (dark eye) but unable to verify eye color on all three.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S162134815

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