Morning at the Moo - 09 Jun 2023
I arrived at Pt. Mouillee SGA at 7:30 am and planned to ride the SGA with no particular target(s). Parking at Mouillee Creek I rode the Middle Causeway to the Pumphouse. Along the way I heard the "Fitzbew" of a Willow Flycatcher and managed to get some pics with both the 600/4 and the digiscoping equipment.
As I arrived at the Pumphouse mudflats (now covered in vegetation) I spotted a pair of Mute Swans with cygnets.
As I scanned the mudflats I heard the distinctive "BET-BET-BET-BET" of a Black-necked Stilt and spotted a single bird flying in from the east.
I then doubled-back to the two-track separating Walpatich and Laughtenschlager Units and rode north toward the North Causeway. A pair of Sedge Wrens interrupted my ride, but I was unable to spot them in the Walpatich Unit.
As I rounded the corner and headed east along the two-track I spotted a Common Snapping Turtle laying eggs in the middle of the trail. I took a few photos and wished I had a flag or marker to alert oncoming traffic to the turtle. Hopefully she lays her eggs and clears out before a truck / car comes by.
The North Causeway was uneventful. As I rounded Cell 5 and reached the north end of Cell 4 I spotted a small raft of 12 scaup. Two were Lesser Scaup
while another pair of scaup appeared to be Greater Scaup!
I headed south along the Banana Unit and headed to the Lake Erie shoreline around the north end of Cell 3. Stopping at the junction of Cells 1 and 2 I walked the path to look for shorebirds. The pair of Northern Shovelers were visible in one puddle while a group of 6 Semipalmated Sandpipers flew in to forage. Overhead 3 Osprey were circling and one passed close enough for photos.
My attention then turned to several Chimney Swifts that circled overhead and tried to get some images with the 600/4.
Returning to the bike I spotted a single Indigo Bunting next to the path.
As I rounded the south end of Cell 1 I spotted a group of Double-crested Cormorants, Forster's and Common Terns diving in what I assumed was a school of minnows.
A scan of the west side of Cell 1 produced a pair of Black-bellied Plovers and several dozen Semipalmated Sandpipers, but I failed to locate the Red-necked Phalarope that was just seen by another birder. I continued on to the Middle Causeway and westward toward the car when I came across a couple of Mink. One stopped on the edge of the trail and gave me a look before ducking for cover.
I returned to the car to the serenade of Warbling Vireos, then drove south to check out the Antennae Farm. There I spotted several Bobolink and the first Dickcissel of the year!
A nice 14 mile bike ride left me worn out and ready for a nap...
Pte. Mouillee SGA, Monroe, Michigan, US
Jun 9, 2023 7:30 AM - 10:13 AM
Protocol: Traveling
13.88 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Clear, cool, 60F; Mouillee Creek Parking Lot to Pumphouse, north through Walpatich and Lautenschlager to North Causeway, east to Banana, around Cell 5 to Cell 4, south to Cell 1 along Lake Erie shoreline, back north to Middle Causeway then west to parking lot.
47 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 36 Many adult and young
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 7
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) 2
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 2 continue in Cell 2; male and female among mallard
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 24
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) 2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 2
Greater/Lesser Scaup (Aythya marila/affinis) 8
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 2
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 6
Sora (Porzana carolina) 1
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 1
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) 2
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 3
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 4
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) 24
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 1
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 1
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 1
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) 4
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) 6
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 12
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) 36
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 2
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 4
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 2
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 4
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) 2
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 4
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 2
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 2
Sedge Wren (Cistothorus stellaris) 1
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 24
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 4
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 2
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 12
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 4
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 4
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 4
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 4
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1 41022669
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Jun 9, 2023 7:30 AM - 10:13 AM
Protocol: Traveling
13.88 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Clear, cool, 60F; Mouillee Creek Parking Lot to Pumphouse, north through Walpatich and Lautenschlager to North Causeway, east to Banana, around Cell 5 to Cell 4, south to Cell 1 along Lake Erie shoreline, back north to Middle Causeway then west to parking lot.
47 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 36 Many adult and young
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 7
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) 2
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 2 continue in Cell 2; male and female among mallard
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 24
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) 2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 2
Greater/Lesser Scaup (Aythya marila/affinis) 8
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 2
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 6
Sora (Porzana carolina) 1
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 1
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) 2
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 3
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 4
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) 24
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 1
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 1
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 1
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) 4
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) 6
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 12
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) 36
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 2
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 4
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 2
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 4
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) 2
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 4
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 2
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 2
Sedge Wren (Cistothorus stellaris) 1
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 24
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 4
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 2
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 12
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 4
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 4
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 4
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 4
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Antenna Farm, Monroe, Michigan, US
Jun 9, 2023 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Haggerman Rd west
7 species
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) 2
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 2
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 4
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 4
Dickcissel (Spiza americana) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1 41022908
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Jun 9, 2023 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Haggerman Rd west
7 species
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) 2
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 2
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 4
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 4
Dickcissel (Spiza americana) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)