Monroe County Birding - 19 Nov 2016
Seventy degrees yesterday. Forty degrees today with rain and snow showers. Welcome to Michigan.
I drove down to Lotus Rd. to check for gulls and found only a handful of Ring-billed Gulls, a single Red-tailed Hawk, and six Great Blue Herons. It was quickly apparent that the tide was out here along the shores of Lake Erie as the canals and shoreline were exposed mudflats.
Lotus Rd. mudflats, Monroe, Michigan, US
Nov 19, 2016 8:00 AM - 8:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: 70F yesterday. 40F w/ rain and snow showers
3 species
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 12
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 6
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
I drove over to Sterns Rd on the east side of the turnpike to scope the marsh along the south side of the Gun Club. I was drawn by the 400+ Bonaparte's Gulls, but stayed for the 700+ ducks that included 400 Northern Pintail and another 300 Gadwall. Another 100 or so Northern Shovelers and American Wigeon with a dozen or Mallard and Black Duck mixed in. Farther out in the canal were another 1000 ducks that included Ruddy Ducks, American Coot, Common Mergansers and most likely Bufflehead and possibly some Common Goldeneye.
Nov 19, 2016 8:00 AM - 8:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: 70F yesterday. 40F w/ rain and snow showers
3 species
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 12
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 6
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
I drove over to Sterns Rd on the east side of the turnpike to scope the marsh along the south side of the Gun Club. I was drawn by the 400+ Bonaparte's Gulls, but stayed for the 700+ ducks that included 400 Northern Pintail and another 300 Gadwall. Another 100 or so Northern Shovelers and American Wigeon with a dozen or Mallard and Black Duck mixed in. Farther out in the canal were another 1000 ducks that included Ruddy Ducks, American Coot, Common Mergansers and most likely Bufflehead and possibly some Common Goldeneye.
Halfway Creek Boat Launch, Monroe, Michigan, US
Nov 19, 2016 8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
12 species
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 50
Gadwall (Mareca strepera) 200
American Wigeon (Mareca americana) 50
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 12
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 12
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) 20
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 60
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 35
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 100
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 100
American Coot (Fulica americana) 400
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 220
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
I would drive over to Bay Creek Rd. and scope the flocks again from the north side of the canal, and manage to get a few pics from a half-mile away. A Bald Eagle flushed the duck flock, so I was able to get a few pics of the birds in flight with the knowledge that the true size of the flock was about another 5-6 fields of view larger.
A 4K video of the ducks allowed a frame or two to be captured.
I then drove to the Whiting Plant and walked the beach. With the Consumers Energy Plant now shut down, and the winds pushing Lake Erie to the west I was able to walk the beach past the discharge canal w/o getting my feet wet! A single Lesser Black-backed Gull and two Great Black-backed Gulls were found among the two hundred or so Herring / Ring-billed Gulls that crowded the sandbars. A Horned Grebe was a nice find, as well.
At Bolles Harbor a Belted Kingfisher was close enough to digiscope, but low light made for a challenging subject.
Nov 19, 2016 8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
12 species
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 50
Gadwall (Mareca strepera) 200
American Wigeon (Mareca americana) 50
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 12
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 12
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) 20
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 60
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 35
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 100
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 100
American Coot (Fulica americana) 400
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 220
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
I then drove to the Whiting Plant and walked the beach. With the Consumers Energy Plant now shut down, and the winds pushing Lake Erie to the west I was able to walk the beach past the discharge canal w/o getting my feet wet! A single Lesser Black-backed Gull and two Great Black-backed Gulls were found among the two hundred or so Herring / Ring-billed Gulls that crowded the sandbars. A Horned Grebe was a nice find, as well.
Erie Rd. and Public Beach Access, Monroe, Michigan, US
Nov 19, 2016 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Winds pushed lake out so able to walk shoreline 100 yds out
5 species
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 100
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 100
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Nov 19, 2016 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Winds pushed lake out so able to walk shoreline 100 yds out
5 species
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 100
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 100
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
At Bolles Harbor a Belted Kingfisher was close enough to digiscope, but low light made for a challenging subject.
Bolles Harbor of Refuge, Monroe, Michigan, US
Nov 19, 2016 10:45 AM - 10:55 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
1 species
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Three Bonaparte's Gulls were the highlight at Sterling State Park.
Nov 19, 2016 10:45 AM - 10:55 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
1 species
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Three Bonaparte's Gulls were the highlight at Sterling State Park.
Sterling SP, Monroe, Michigan, US
Nov 19, 2016 11:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
1 species
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 3
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Pt. Mouillee was a no-go due to the number of waterfowlers along Roberts Rd.
Nov 19, 2016 11:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
1 species
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 3
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Pt. Mouillee was a no-go due to the number of waterfowlers along Roberts Rd.
