American Bittern - 06 Jun 2022
With rain forecasted for this afternoon/evening I decided to make a quick run to Pt. Mouillee SGA to look for the Plegadis ibis and Black-necked Stilts. Clouds were moving in and 2-3" of rain were expected, so I figured it would be a short outing.
I parked a Mouillee Creek and rode around to the Walpatich Unit. Marsh Wrens were singing from the reeds just to my left as I rode, but sprinkles urged me on around the east side, then north end of the unit. I did not see any ibis, but did somehow spot an American Bittern in the grassy portion of the unit.
I took a digiscoped video from about 60 yds away:
A few digiscoped images later I turned my attention to a walk-by Sandhill Crane. Then a fly-by Forster's Tern.
The rain temporarily stopped, so I took my chances on the pumphouse.
As I rode past the Nelson Unit I spotted a female Yellow-headed Blackbird out in a fluddle.
I failed to see any stilts, so I decided to continue on toward the Vermet/Humphries Units along the Middle Causeway. I spotted the Black-bellied Plover briefly, but it flew off before I could take any pics. I was more interested in the drake Green-winged Teal that was sitting on the shoreline of the Humphries Unit. This bird seems late for this time of year.
As I turned back to ride to the car the rains started coming down. I got soaked riding the bike as hard as I could to get back to the car. I rode past a Painted Turtle on the side of the dike and decided it did not need rescuing. I only stopped briefly when I saw 3 large birds flying toward the pumphouse, but they turned out to be Double-crested Cormorants.
Thoroughly-soaked I headed home.
Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
Jun 6, 2022 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: 2-3" rain expected this afternoon.
8 species
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 1
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 1
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) 1
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) 1
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 3
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) 1
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 3
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Jun 6, 2022 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: 2-3" rain expected this afternoon.
8 species
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 1
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 1
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) 1
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) 1
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 3
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) 1
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 3
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
