FOY Warblers @ Erie Marsh - 22 Apr 2024

Yesterday Ohio recorded its first State Record White Wagtail in Dayton. Closer to home 16 Marbled Godwits were found at Erie Marsh in southern Monroe County, MI. I suspected that they'd be gone by today but still held off chasing them until this morning. I was more interested in the report of dozens of Yellow-rumped Warblers that had shown up along the outer dikes at Erie Marsh and was looking forward to getting my first warbler fix of the year.

Skies were clear but cool this morning (30F). Winds were relatively calm but supposed to pick up in the afternoon. I took the bike and headed to Erie Marsh, arriving just before 7:30 am. I was hoping to ride the bike along the outer dike but was stopped by someone at the Nature Conservancy who told me I had to walk.

A pair of Trumpeter Swans were in the canal at Bay Creek Road and I-75 just prior.

As I headed into the outer dike I immediately caught ear of Yellow-rumped Warblers AND Yellow Warblers! Sure enough, just moments later, Danny Bernard (here since 7 am) had reported that the Yellow Warblers must've arrived overnight.

The Yellow-rumped Warblers proved hard to track as they were high in the canopy or foraging at water's edge, too obscured for any photographs. About a quarter mile in, however, I heard the loud call of a Northern Waterthrush in the thickets to my left. Though I spent 15-20 minutes looking I couldn't find it in the thick.

As I continued to walk east into the bright, blinding sunrise I could see dozens of Red-winged Blackbirds and Tree Swallows chasing each other through the trees. A Bald Eagle would lift off from the trees every once in a while and fly away. The bay to my right was relatively calm and devoid of waterfowl.

I then heard the distinct trill of a Pine Warbler overhead. After a few moments of looking I found the bird foraging in the trees about 15' off the ground. I had the Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens this morning so I was able to track it a bit better and get some images. 

The Pine Warbler eventually moved a bit lower and close enough to get some nice images in the morning sunlight. 

I caught this brief sequence of a bug's final moment.

I continued along the dike toward the SE corner and stopped long enough to grab a photo of a distant White-tailed Deer. 

Butterflies were moving this morning. Several Red Admirals were spotted, and I managed a few pics of an American Lady.

I ran into Danny Bernard who reported no godwits this morning. He did see over 200 American White Pelicans still roosting at their usual spot, and a Long-billed Dowitcher near there but little else unusual. He had gone out through the marsh and had ended up on the outer dike, so I decided to head back to the cars with him. Along the way we spotted several Palm Warblers and this Northern Mockingbird!

The warbler action quieted as we walked back. We failed to find the Pine Warbler and Northern Waterthrush. At the parking lot we scoped Pond 1 and found a pair of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, but nothing else. Pond 2 had an American White Pelican that took off just before I headed out. 

I stop to chat w/ Todd and Karen Palgut just before leaving.

Erie Marsh Preserve/Gun Club (no access Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US
Apr 22, 2024 8:10 AM - 10:11 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.601 mile(s)
35 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  16     Pair w goslings already (3).
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  12
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)  2
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)  2
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)  16
American Wigeon (Mareca americana)  2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  4
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)  6
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  4
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  1
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  6
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  2
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  1
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  9
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)  4     I only saw 4 but Danny Bernard saw 200+ in their roosting spot near Ponds E and F.
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  12
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  12
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  22
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  5
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)  1     Outer dike atop bare tree. Gray, slender and long tail got attention. Binocular view showed bold wingbars and white outer tail feathers. Photos
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  7
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  6
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  36
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  1
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)  1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  6
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)  2
Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  23
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S169791457

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