Pt. Mouillee at 30 mph - 20 May 2017
Winds, that is. A strong, persistent NE wind made birding and digiscoping a challenge this morning. I know its going to be a tough day when I have to remove my hat in order to bike the place.
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| Forster's Tern |
I started at Mouillee Creek parking lot at 7 am and quickly picked up Warbling Vireo and Yellow Warbler just as I got out of the car. A Swamp Sparrow was singing just on the other side of the gate. A ride to the Pump House yielded the usual suspects: Eastern Kingbird, Song Sparrow, Willow Flycatcher, Bank Swallows, Tree Swallows, and Mallard.
A short jaunt down the Bad Creek dike to the flooded farm field yielded 200 Dunlin, but no other shorebirds. I heard a Sora on the way back to the Middle Causeway. A lovely male Baltimore Oriole flew across my path as I bounced along the grassy dike.
As I headed E along the Middle Causeway to the junction of Walpatich and Bloody Run Units I spotted 8 American White Pelicans in the NE corner of the Walpatich Unit. Rather than bike, I hiked the ⅓ mile to them to see if I could get any pics. Along the way a Common Yellowthroat kept me company by teasing me w/ brief glimpses. Ruddy Ducks were bobbing in the shallows, and a half-dozen Dunlin flushed from one spot along the bank to the next.
I managed to get the scope on the pelicans just as they began to stir. Still 60 yds away they saw my approach and decided to lift off. With dark skies and partial clearing they made a wonderful subject in flight. A Black-crowned Night Heron passed by as they disappeared. A dozen or so Gadwall nearby were a nice surprise.
The couple dozen Dunlin out on the flats with the pelicans were skittish, and flying back and forth between the open water and near shore, so I spent a few minutes trying to photograph them in flight. Unfortunately the vegetation blocked my best exposures.
A pair of Short-billed Dowitchers were the only other shorebirds nearby, so I spent a few minutes digiscoping them and the Dunlin.
A Song Sparrow perched on the rusty flood gate blended nicely into its surroundings while singing on territory. The Common Yellowthroat finally appeared long enough for a digiscoped portrait!
As I continued along the Middle Causeway I checked the dike between Bloody Run and Long Pond Units. A pair of Green-winged Teal had my brief attention until I heard the distinct grinding noise of Yellow-headed Blackbirds! Sure enough, there were six YHBB squabbling among Red-winged Blackbirds on the dike ahead of me and in the cattails to my left. I'd spend the next 30 minutes or so trying to digiscope them among cattails and severe backlit conditions.
I returned to the Middle Causeway and headed into the teeth of the stiff wind and made my way to the Banana Unit. I stopped along the way to record sightings: Red-winged Blackbirds (50), Blue-winged Teal (2), Marsh Wren (2), Canada Goose and goslings (36), Mute Swans (20), Eastern Kingbirds (2), and so on... Cell 4 had whitecaps, and nothing notable other than a Double-crested Cormorant or two. I made my way around to the east side of Cell 3 and Lake Erie, picking up 3 Least Sandpipers in the puddles next to all of the construction equipment parked at the south end of Cell 4.
Yellow Warblers were the only birds singing this windy morning. But, there was open water in Cell 3 and a nice flock of 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 96 Dunlin, 12 Short-billed Dowitchers, 2 Killdeer, and 1 Whimbrel! The Whimbrel was sitting by itself on the mudflat and permitted a quarter-mile digiscoped image.
The ride to the North Causeway was not fun. I had to stop a few times to adjust the backpack - slash - parachute. During those times I counted Forster's Terns in the Humphries Unit (86) and a single Black Tern!
When I got to the Vermet Unit, however, I could at least turn my attention to a fly-by flock of Common Terns that numbered 70 birds! They kept flying behind me, so I couldn't get my camera around on them w/o falling off the bike, but it was still nice to see them passing by.
Finally reaching the NE corner of the Vermet Unit I finally had the wind to my back. The rest of the ride would be easier, and allow me to enjoy the birds on the way back to the car. The Long Pond Unit and western side of Vermet Unit held a count of 62 Mute Swans! Another large flock of American White Pelicans were among them, however, and they were different birds from the groups seen in the Humphries Unit and Lake Erie I saw while riding. I also saw another 6 Whimbrel roosting at the edge of the mudflat just moments before they took off. I could only get a flight shot as they flew to the west. I would have to settle for fly-by Osprey, Bonaparte's Gulls and Great Egrets.
Despite the windy conditions I still managed 61 species and some nice photographs that made the trip worth taking.
Pte. Mouillee SGA, Monroe, Michigan, US
May 20, 2017 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
12.0 mile(s)
Comments: Stiff NE winds at 30mph the entire morning made biking difficult; birds, especially waterfowl, were lacking on Lake Erie and large Units. Whimbrel flights reported in Ontario prompted trip;
61 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 130
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 148 Heaviest concentrations in Long Pond (NE end) and Vermet (NW) side where they were a bit protected from wind.
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 1
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 16
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 78
Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) 4
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 2
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 3
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 2
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 37
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) 30 Separate groups of 8 - 10 birds in Bloody Run, Lake Erie, Cell 4 and Long Pond Units.
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 5
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 16 Odd seeing 2 birds flying directly into teeth of wind east over Lake Erie w/ no land in sight.
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 4
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 2
Sora (Porzana carolina) 1
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 2
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 5
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 6
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) 7 One bird in Cell 3 the other 6 in a group in NE corner of Long Pond Unit.
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) 1
Dunlin (Calidris alpina) 396 Largest concentrations in Bad Creek Unit and Cell 3, otherwise all over in small flocks of 3 - 10 birds.
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 5
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) 14
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 5
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 8
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 2
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 30
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 1
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) 1 Flying far out over Humphries Unit
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) 70 A constant stream of Common Terns flew directly overhead screaming "keeeeerrrrr" while I rode the dike along the east end of Vermet Unit. They were flying directly NE into the wind and out to Lake Erie and Huron River. Darker gray than Forster's Terns, which were mainly in Cell 4 and Humphries Unit.
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) 86 Actively nesting and foraging over Humphries Unit and feeding in Vermet and Cell 4. Lake Erie shoreline, as well.
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) 2 Walpatch Unit near pump house
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 12
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 3
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) 2
Purple Martin (Progne subis) 3
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 10
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) 23
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 12
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 6
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 12
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 5
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 12
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 7
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 5
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 6 Antennae farm
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 340 nesting all over the marsh. No large flocks seen.
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) 1
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) 7 Six immature males (brown bodies, yellow hoods) on dike between Long Pond and Bloody Run. 1 more on dike between Vermet and Long Pond Units. Squabbling w/ RWBB's and mostly foraging.
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 13
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 2
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 8
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
May 20, 2017 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
12.0 mile(s)
Comments: Stiff NE winds at 30mph the entire morning made biking difficult; birds, especially waterfowl, were lacking on Lake Erie and large Units. Whimbrel flights reported in Ontario prompted trip;
61 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 130
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 148 Heaviest concentrations in Long Pond (NE end) and Vermet (NW) side where they were a bit protected from wind.
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 1
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 16
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 78
Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) 4
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 2
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 3
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 2
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 37
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) 30 Separate groups of 8 - 10 birds in Bloody Run, Lake Erie, Cell 4 and Long Pond Units.
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 5
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 16 Odd seeing 2 birds flying directly into teeth of wind east over Lake Erie w/ no land in sight.
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 4
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 2
Sora (Porzana carolina) 1
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) 2
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 5
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 6
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) 7 One bird in Cell 3 the other 6 in a group in NE corner of Long Pond Unit.
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) 1
Dunlin (Calidris alpina) 396 Largest concentrations in Bad Creek Unit and Cell 3, otherwise all over in small flocks of 3 - 10 birds.
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 5
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) 14
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 5
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 8
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 2
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 30
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 1
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) 1 Flying far out over Humphries Unit
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) 70 A constant stream of Common Terns flew directly overhead screaming "keeeeerrrrr" while I rode the dike along the east end of Vermet Unit. They were flying directly NE into the wind and out to Lake Erie and Huron River. Darker gray than Forster's Terns, which were mainly in Cell 4 and Humphries Unit.
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) 86 Actively nesting and foraging over Humphries Unit and feeding in Vermet and Cell 4. Lake Erie shoreline, as well.
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) 2 Walpatch Unit near pump house
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 12
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 3
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) 2
Purple Martin (Progne subis) 3
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 10
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) 23
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 12
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 6
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 12
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 5
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 12
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 7
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 5
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 6 Antennae farm
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 340 nesting all over the marsh. No large flocks seen.
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) 1
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) 7 Six immature males (brown bodies, yellow hoods) on dike between Long Pond and Bloody Run. 1 more on dike between Vermet and Long Pond Units. Squabbling w/ RWBB's and mostly foraging.
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 13
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 2
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 8
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
