Snow Before Cold - 30 Jan 2023
With temps hovering near 30F the past several days an arctic blast is set to hit the majority of the country starting this afternoon/evening. Tempertures will drop to single digits here for the next several days, with a slight warmup on Wednesday/Thursday, then more single-digit weather. I took the opportunity to get in some birding this morning before the cold. Unfortunately, a steady snowfall nixed my chance at hiking Pt. Mouillee; not wanting to get my equipment wet I chose to do a drive tour of DRIWR, LEMP, and PMSGA.
At 8:30 am skies were dark with a steady snizzle and little activity was going on at the refuge. Flocks of American Tree Sparrows at the Visitor Center and the entrance were the only highlight. Too dark and too far to photograph.
Detroit River IWR--Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Wayne, Michigan, US
Jan 30, 2023 8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.3 mile(s)
1 species
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) 6
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 over to Lake Erie Metropark. Three Eastern Bluebirds brought a splash of color to an otherwise drab landscape of browns and whites. They were flying across the road in front of the delta as I drove toward the Marshland Museum. The Boat Launch was quiet; the canal was open but only a couple of Ring-billed Gulls were flying.
Another flock of American Tree Sparrows greeted me as I drove over to the Wave Pool.
I then drove over to Cove Point where a couple thousand Redhead / Canvasback were stretched out for a half mile just off shore. I scoped them from shore but only saw a couple of Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, several pair of American Black Duck, a dozen Tundra Swans, and many Mallard and Canada Geese. On the way out, however, I spotted 4 Sandhill Cranes below the bridge.
Jan 30, 2023 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
13 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 27
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 2
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) 12
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 36
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 6
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) 1000
Redhead (Aythya americana) 1000
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 2
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 2
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 4 In canal next to bridge on way to Cove Point. Photos
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 3
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) 3
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) 7
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
The parking lot at Pt. Mouillee HQ is solid ice and extremely rough; I was worring about puncturing a tire. A Bald Eagle was roosting in the same snag as a few days ago while a mix of Canada Geese, Mallard and American Black Ducks were foraging near the parking lot. A small raft of Bufflehead were near the observation platform, and I manage a few pics of a swim-by Lesser Scaup.
On the way out I spotted a Red-shouldered Hawk perched in a tree near the entrance gate. Too far away.
Jan 30, 2023 9:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Icy, frozen parking lot
7 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 6
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 4
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 4
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 18
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1 Perched in tree near entrance gate to HQ; small buteo w/ checkered back/wings, small head and beak. Reddish chest indicate adult.
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Roberts Road was quiet, as was Rheaume Rd. I thought better of trying to drive down Haggerman Rd. after seeing large muddy tracks. Instead I drove down Port Sunlight Road and found a female Northern Harrier fly across the road.
A Great Blue Heron was sleeping in the canal next to the road but was on the driver side of the car. I drove to Chinavarre Rd, turned around, and got a few pics before a large truck barreled past me and scattered the bird.
The snow would finally let up just as I got home. Now to see how much cold we get...
Detroit River IWR--Port Sunlight Rd. marshes, Monroe, Michigan, US
Jan 30, 2023 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
2 species
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
