Stopped Raining, Finally - 20 May 2020


After almost two straight days of rain the skies are finally starting to clear. SE Michigan saw 2-4" rain, while 6-7" rain fell farther north (Midland, MI would see bursting dams and major flooding). I decided to go birding this morning and head into work a bit late. Glad I wore the waders...

I hiked out back of Brownton Abbey to check out the woods. Almost immediately I spotted a Chestnut-sided Warbler foraging at eye level. It was still only 6:30 am so light was low. I still managed a keeper w/ the Sony a9 and 200-600mm lens.



The highlight, though, was hearing a Blackburnian Warbler high up in the canopy at the edge of Quinlan Prairie.

A Swainson's Thrush was the other highlight. But, it was too far up the trail to get any pics. A Nashville Warbler was also singing, but out of view. Also heard were an Eastern Wood-Pewee and Least Flycatcher.

Brownton Abbey, 26340 Higgins Way, Wayne, Michigan, US
May 20, 2020 7:30 AM - 8:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.2 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     6" Rain last night!
6 species

Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  1
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  1
Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)  1
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)  1
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S160262681

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

I then headed down to Lake Erie Metropark to walk the trails around the Marshland Museum.

A family of Mute Swans were swimming in the ponds next to the road. Next to the parking lot a rabbit was hiding in the grass, while a baby Opossum was playing on the boardwalk inside the trailhead.



Warblers were hopping in the trees next to the parking lot. Overhead were several more Blackburnian Warblers, a Magnolia Warbler, and numerous Baltimore Orioles. Tennessee Warblers were calling everywhere, but none could be found. A Cooper's Hawk chased an American Robin into the trees, but was unable to catch it. Unfortunately, it was too backlit for decent images.






The trails were flooded, and the waders came in handy. Tennessee Warblers were again belting out their "Tsika-tsika-sika-si-si-si" call but I could not find a one. Otherwise the trails were surprisingly quiet. I would have to settle for pics of Mallard and Barn Swallows.




Near the west side of the loop the trail turned into a river and I had to walk almost a quarter mile through 10" water. A White-tailed Deer was my only photo opportunity.


A Carolina Wren was singing nearby, and I managed to spot it through heavy brush.




I then headed over to the boat launch where I heard a Black-throated Blue Warbler ("Beer-beer-beer-biii") and saw a female Scarlet Tanager foraging high overhead.


Yellow Warblers were everywhere and dominated the avian life.


Another hike through a quarter mile of flooded trails yielded only local swallows and a fishing Forster's Tern.




Tree Swallows and Barn Swallows were gathering mud for nests next to the flooded trails. Song Sparrows were wrestling nearby, and a pair of Herring Gulls were looking particularly handsome sitting atop the bridge.




I would head back to the car, peel off the waders, and head into work before 9:30 am.

Lake Erie Metropark, Wayne, Michigan, US
May 20, 2020 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     6" rain last night.
17 species

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  9
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  6
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  2
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)  1
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  9
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  16
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  4
Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina)  3
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  1
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)  2
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  6
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)  1
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S160264141

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