Rainy Cape May Warbler - 03 May 2024
Today marks the first day of the Biggest Week in American Birding Festival. Scheduling conflicts prevented me from going, but I was going to try to spend the morning at Erie Marsh Preserve. Overnight thunderstorms and heavy rain killed that idea as I wasn't going to walk the muddy dikes.
So, I decided to make an early trip to Elizabeth Park to look for warblers. As luck would have it, I arrived just as the rains started coming down, again. A singing Ovenbird and Northern Waterthrush were the only vocal warblers heard. The trails were quiet, and I headed back to the car in the midsts of a downpour.
Elizabeth Park (Trenton), Wayne, Michigan, US
May 3, 2024 7:56 AM - 8:11 AMProtocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Overcast, downpour cut walk short
10 species
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 2
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 2
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 1
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
I took a drive through Lake Erie Metropark to look for the Ross' Goose that was reported yesterday, but was unable to relocate it. Allen Chartier would report that the bird was behind the Wave Pool near the beach.
I then stopped at Pt. Mouillee HQ along Campau Road. I saw Allen in his car and pulled over to chat. A Northern Waterthrush was singing loudly from the creek nearby, and the first Northern Parula was calling overhead.
I drove on toward the gated entrance to the HQ and quickly found a pair of Killdeer blocking my path. Four tiny hatchlings were barely visible but scrambling along the gravel road ahead of the car. I stopped to get some quick pics.
With no other notable birds I left to drive over to Roberts Road.
Pte. Mouillee SGA--HQ, Wayne, Michigan, US
May 3, 2024 8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Raining
4 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 5 Adults w/ 3 chicks
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 5 Pair of adults w/ three hatchlings at entrance to HQ
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 1
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
May 3, 2024 8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Raining
4 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 5 Adults w/ 3 chicks
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 5 Pair of adults w/ three hatchlings at entrance to HQ
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 1
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Allen caught up w/ me as I drove slowly along Roberts Road listening for warblers. A light rain was falling, but starting to end. He let me tag along as we bushwacked to look for a Golden-winged Warbler that Justin Labadie found yesterday. Though we would dip on it we did hear Northern Parula, Blackburnian Warbler, lots of Yellow Warblers, House Wrens, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and Gray Catbird.
Amber Piotter then joined us as we walked the road southward. Overhead an American White Pelican drifted by in the dark skies.
Northern Rough-winged Swallows and Bank Swallows made appearances. This pair of NRWS cooperated for some pics with the 200-600mm lens.
We came to a spot where Allen heard the call of a Golden-winged Warbler. I concurred, and we scanned the trees only to find a Yellow Warbler making the call.
A pair of Cape May Warblers a few trees away got our attention, and we took advantage of their relatively close proximity to try to get some pics.
One of the birds finally dropped down low enough to get better exposures against the green vegetation background.
This poor midge had its last moments photographed as the Cape May Warbler lunged and plucked it out of the air.
With rain threatening we went our separate ways. Allen took off for home, while I decided to walk out to the field where the Osprey were nesting. Having never explored it I walked the perimeter and had lovely views of the backside of the Bad Creek Unit of Pt. Mouillee. Highlights were a female White-tailed Deer and a singing Field Sparrow.
Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
May 3, 2024 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Allen Chartier; walking Roberts Road
57 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 1
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 1
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) 1
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 2
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 2
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 1
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) 1
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) 2
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) 4
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 1
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 2
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) 1
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 2
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) 1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 6
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 2
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 2
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 1
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 2
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) 1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 2
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 1
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 2
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 12
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 4
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
May 3, 2024 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Allen Chartier; walking Roberts Road
57 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 1
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 1
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) 1
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 2
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 2
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 1
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) 1
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) 2
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) 4
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 1
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 2
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) 1
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 2
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) 1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 6
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 2
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 2
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 1
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 2
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) 1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 2
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 1
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) 2
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 12
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 4
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
