Odds and Ends - 15 Sep 2019


This Red-eyed Vireo was just one of several fall migrants moving through the woods this morning after a brief rain shower.


An early morning drive to Lake Erie Metropark took me to the woods around the Marshland Museum. Mallard and Wood Ducks are congregating in the waters west of the museum and took flight at the first notice of my presence. The camera somehow got switched to ISO 320 instead of the usual Auto-ISO 100-6400 w/ minimum SS 1/2000 sec. As such, the 1/160 sec exposure was not enough to stop the mallard in flight. But, it made for a nice image and highlighted the onset of fall colors beginning along the shoreline.



A small flock of warblers were foraging near the east side of the woodlot next to the museum. Nashville Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, American Redstart, and this apparent Bay-breasted Warbler were foraging in thick cover, so I was lucky to get any photos (especially at ISO 320 in the shade). Note the under tail pattern, Buffy chest and flanks, and bright eye-arcs with a dark line through the eye. White wing-bars are also consistent for Bay-breasted. But, this IS a fall warbler, so it could be a condor...


A suspected Least Flycatcher, but Empid sp. may be a better ID.


I tried walking the Cherry Trail south of the Hawk Watch but flooded paths turned me back. This Double-crested Cormorant juvenile was severely backlit by the rising Sun, but still made for a nice pic.



This little guy came by the Hawk Watch and posed for a few minutes before looking for a fisherman with food to offer. Ring-billed Gull molting into 2nd-year plumage (note gray back feathers).


Back home I played with settings on the Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS Lens. I set up the button on the lens to switch between AF/M so that I could work on macro photos or just manually focus when I need to. The porch Mums made for a nice subject in the evening light.



Monarch Butterflies continue to swarm the Prairie Ironweed out back in the Quinlan Prairie behind Brownton Abbey. I did find a single Red Admiral, but she flew off before I could raise the camera.


A pair of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds continue to come to the feeder. This female and a juvenile male were seen tussling in flight above the grass.



While playing with the Sony a7iii and 90mm f/2.8 Macro GM OSS lens this morning in the rain I spotted a small flock of warblers moving along the trees next to the woodlot out back. I ran into the house to grab the big lens, and managed a few pics of a Red-eyed Vireo, but missed the Magnolia Warbler nearby. A quick walk through the woods gave me brief glimpses of a Gray Catbird, another pair of Magnolia Warblers, an American Redstart, and this (presumed) Eastern Wood-Pewee below!



Brownton Abbey, 26340 Higgins Way, Wayne, Michigan, US
Sep 15, 2019 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Overcast, rainy, cloudy
16 species

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)  2     juvenile male and female tussling over feeder next to porch
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  12
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  1     heard rattling call near house
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  11
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  1     calling "pee-a-wiii"
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  1     Small empid with bright eye-ring. Calling "Che-beck!"
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  12
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  2
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  2
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  6
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)  1     juvenile under feeder - molting into adult male plumage
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  1
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  1
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)  1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  2     juveniles feeding on berries

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S59824086

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