Day of Dips - 22 Jan 2024

Overcast, rainy skies and fog were the weather of the past several days, but I decided to run down to Monroe County to look for previously reported raptors and owls. I should've stayed home. It was 8 am and I was itching to get out.

A drive down Clark Road just south of Willow Road failed to produce either Rough-legged Hawk or Northern Shrike. Just empty fields.

I then drove to Crystal Waters State Game Area to look for a Northern Shrike. Nothing.

From there I headed south to Sterling State Park to look for another Rough-legged Hawk. Nothing. I did see a Red-tailed Hawk fly across the field near the RLHA location and managed to get the camera out the window of the car to get some passing flight shots.

I then headed back north to Haggerman Road to look for Short-eared Owls. Again, the fields and fences were void of visible life.

A drive down Campau Road to Point Mouillee HQ produced a distant raptor that could've been a Red-shouldered Hawk (based on size only) but it disappeared before I could get the scope on it. I would settle on 1 of 2 Great Blue Herons in the canal next to the road for a photo opp. 

Lastly, a drive through the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge - Humbug Marsh Unit failed to produce any bird life, so I headed home.

No eBird reports today...