Short (eared) Ride This Evening - 21 Mar 2024
A winter storm is forecasted for tonight and the rest of the weekend so I was hoping to get out beforehand. Skies were clear and calm this morning, but temps were in the teens. I couldn't make up my mind where to go, so I stayed home and worked on blog archiving. Skies were supposed to cloud up this afternoon, but as of 5 pm they were still clear, so grabbed the bike and headed to Pt. Mouillee.
I drove down Haggerman Rd on the way to Mouillee Creek and found a pair of American Kestrel along the fence line. One bird took off and kited for several minutes while I photographed it from the car.
Antenna Farm, Monroe, Michigan, US
Mar 21, 2024 4:45 PM - 4:55 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Sunny, cool, 37F
3 species
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 2
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) 2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
A mild breeze was blowing from the SE as I headed out onto the Middle Causeway. The first Blue-winged Teal of the spring finally showed up (I had mis-reported them last week) in the Walpatich Unit.
Ring-necked Ducks, Northern Shovelers and American Wigeon were swimming along the east side of the Walpatich but were spooked and difficult to photograph.
At the Pump House I counted forty swans (presumed Mute) but was surprised to find them to be Tundra Swans! Another 75 Mute Swans were farther east in the Humphries Unit.
Greater Scaup and Lesser Scaup continue in great numbers in the Vermet Unit, forming large rafts numbering thousands.
I was hoping to see a Short-eared Owl along the Middle Causeway but had to settle for a Northern Harrier.
With the wind blowing a bit stronger my plan was to ride to the Lake Erie shoreline when I reached the Banana Unit but decided to pause when I did spot a Short-eared Owl foraging at the NW corner of Cell 3.
The owl worked its way back toward me, but kept to the Humphries Unit shoreline that also meant flying directly into the Sun. I would stand on the Banana dike and watch as it foraged along the Middle Causeway several hundred feet away. Despite severe side-lighting I managed some nice captures as it hovered, dove and circled toward me.
The Short-eared Owl started flying off to the west, so I had to decide whether to continue on to the Lake Erie shoreline along Cell 3 or follow the owl. I decided to follow the owl. Unfortunately, a younger kid with fishing equipment passed me on the Middle Causeway and flushed the owl from the road ahead. I would have to settle for binocular views as it flew off w/ the vole and get harassed by the Northern Harrier. I would see both again before returning to the car.
I stopped just long enough to get some flight shots of Lesser and Greater Scaup flushing from the Vermet Unit shoreline.
I returned to the car just before 7 pm and decided to drive back down Haggerman Rd on the way home.
Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
Mar 21, 2024 5:27 PM - 6:53 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.454 mile(s)
34 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 72
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) 76
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) 41
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) 8
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 13
Gadwall (Mareca strepera) 16
American Wigeon (Mareca americana) 4
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 46
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 2
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) 6
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 6
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) 8
Redhead (Aythya americana) 13
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 19
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) 24
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 24
Greater/Lesser Scaup (Aythya marila/affinis) 3500 Continuing in Vermet, Humphries and cell 4
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 42
American Coot (Fulica americana) 120
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 4
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 18
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 2
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) 1 Middle Causeway. Pics
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 75
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 8
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 6
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 88
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 15
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
As I drove south along US Turnpike, just past Roberts Rd, I spotted a Short-eared Owl perched on the fence to my left. I was able to pull off to the right and get photos from inside the car. The owl looked around and seemed to be unconcerned with my presence but suddenly flushed when my engine kicked back on from idle. I followed it as it flew south and toward the berm, and headed back to Haggerman Rd.
Heading west I stopped and talked to a few owl-watchers who informed me of 3 Short-eared Owls working the Antenna Farm. I would spot one bird flying in the distance as I drove by and then see a singing Eastern Meadowlark on the fence! I continued on toward home as the Sun set in the SW.
Antenna Farm, Monroe, Michigan, US
Mar 21, 2024 7:00 PM - 7:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Clear, cool, 35F
3 species
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) 2 One on fence along US Turnpike that came from Antenna Farm. 2nd bird flying inside fence line. A thrid was reported by several owl-watchers.
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 3
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
