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/S141022669

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/S141022908

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