More Dunlin - 30 Mar 2023

Today's gear included the Sony a1 and 600/4 + 1.4TC. I also decided to use a Sony a1 w/ the 45/2.5 and Digidapter™ DLM combo for digiscoping. Skies were clear, and it was a cold 25F as I arrived at Mouillee Creek parking lot. 

The ride started on a wrong foot when I reached the Pumphouse before realizing I'd forgotten the scope. So, I turned around and rode back. The Blue-winged Teal and Northern Shovelers were not happy; I flushed them twice now, and would a third time when I returned.

The sunrise was brutal this morning, so I put my head down and rode. I did not try to photograph anything backlit this morning. This included a Northern Harrier that flushed ahead of me and flew off toward the Sun.

I photographed this Canada Goose flying toward me from the Bloody Run Unit just to make sure the gear was working correctly.

I rode north to the North Causeway and headed east toward the Banana Unit. Common Mergansers were flushing from the shoreline but too backlit for photos. A pair of Horned Grebes swam out from the shore but stayed close enough to shore to photograph once I got past them and had a bit of Sun at my back.

A Bufflehead drake made a fly-by while I was stopped so I practiced some panning shots. He joined a group of females a bit farther up.

I flushed three Black-crowned Night Herons, several American Black Ducks, and more scaup as I rode past Cell 5 toward the Lake Erie shoreline. I would not stop until I reached the SE corner of Cell 5 where the Sun was finally at my back. A Song Sparrow rewarded me with photos while it sang along the edge of the phragmites lining the southern bank of Cell 5.

A Common Loon continues in the middle of Cell 4. It was too far away to photograph this morning. A pair of Horned Grebes was closer but drifted too far away to photograph, either. I would settle for a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers in the SW corner of Cell 4. 

Knowing that I'd flush a number of ducks from the east shoreline of the Vermet Unit I quietly left the bike and walked toward the shoreline. I managed to flush mostly Gadwall this time, but a number of Lesser Scaup and Redhead were present, as well.

Riding south along the Banana Dike I stopped at the Middle Causeway and scanned the Humphries Unit for shorebirds. 14 Dunlin were now roosting on the small mudspit in the SE corner. I would try for them after I loop Cell 3.

A couple more Horned Grebes were in Cell 4 along the SW shoreline, and several Lesser Scaup were caught between the shore and barges along the south dike, but they scampered away as I approached. A fairly stiff breeze was blowing waves into the shoreline of Lake Erie, so there was little in the way of birdlife along the shore. The beach was bare save for a pair of Killdeer. Several Horned Grebes were swimming far out on the lake.

The bulldozing of Cell 3 continues with the woodlot being knocked down. I had to be careful as construction equipment was being driven near the path between Cells 3 and 2. When I reached the east shoreline of the Humphries Unit I turned and headed back north toward the Middle Causeway.

The first of many shotgun shells broke the quiet of the morning. As I reached the Middle Causeway the American White Pelicans were flying, and the Mute Swans were falling... A cull was in progress. Sadly, I watched as dozens of Mute Swans were being shot in both the Humphries and the Vermet Units as birds scattered around them. Though necessary, it turned my stomach. 

I decided to distract myself by digiscoping the Dunlin in the SE corner of the Humphries Unit until the boats moved away from the Middle Causeway long enough for me to safely ride back to the car. Digiscoping with the Sony a1 was fun, and the extra megapixels would allow for more cropping.

I tried taking an 8K/60p video through the scope.

I also got to practice some flight photography with the 600/4 as they took off, flew and circled to the sound of gunshots. I was glad I was wearing my blaze orange hat this morning.

The boats headed off to opposite ends of the units so I took the opportunity to ride back to the car. It was sad to see the dead and dying swans along the edge of the causeway, and there was nothing I could do but pray for their quick passing. I headed back to the car and posted a note for others to avoid the area today.

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
Mar 30, 2023 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
12.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Clear, 25F, cold!
18 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  13
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  65     Active cull underway; Mute Swans being shot in Vermet and Humphries Unit - dozens killed. These 65 are crowded at SW end of Humphries Unit.
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  6
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)  12
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)  7
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)  4
Redhead (Aythya americana)  6
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  30
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  6
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)  7
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)  2
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)  9
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  2
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  14
Common Loon (Gavia immer)  1
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)  7
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)  3
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S158627664

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