Oakwoods Metropark w/ Monopod - 05 Jun 2024

The Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens is truly an exceptional lens. With the 1.4X TC I have 840 mm effective focal length (EFL) and in APS-C Crop mode (1.5X) I have 1260 mm EFL. Bokeh is magnificent as can be seen in the White-tailed Deer images (below). It is light enough to hand hold, but lately I've been finding a bit of shake in my arms. So, this morning I took it, and the IFootage Cobra 3 Monopod on its maiden voyage to Oakwoods Metropark. I was there to look for an Olive-sided Flycatcher that was reported yesterday, along with the continuing Yellow-breasted Chat.

I arrived at the Horse Staging Area and headed out along the mowed trails east and north of the parking lot. I would hear the Yellow-breasted Chat singing out in the field near the road but never see it.  Closer by the songs of Field Sparrows, Common Yellowthroats, Brown-headed Cowbirds and Red-winged Blackbirds were common. 

I had the opportunity to finally try the Cobra 3 monopod on a White-tailed Deer that was foraging in the meadow nearby. The monopod allowed me to hold the lens above eye level so that I could photograph the deer in the tall grass. Every photo was tack sharp!

A bit farther along the trail I saw a pair of velvet bucks running across the field, and they stopped long enough for a few pics. 

An Eastern Towhee was singing nearby and I found it atop a tall snag in the field. 

I double-backed along the east trail then headed north of the parking lot and made a loop by the river and railroad tracks. Birds were mostly quiet and invisible to view. A trio of Blue Jays were making a racket and I had hoped to find an owl but they flew off before I could reach them. 

So I decided to hit the trail to west of the parking lot to look for woodland birds. Another White-tailed Deer in the deep shadows had me thanking the monopod for giving me the stability needed to photograph it. Otherwise only the song of Eastern Wood-Pewee was heard.

Things finally picked up once I reached the open meadows north and west of the parking lot. 

A Great-crested Flycatcher was "Wheep" ing nearby and I managed a few long-distance pics as it moved from tree to tree.

A pair of Field Sparrows flew across the trail and landed in the trees to my right. Though in shadows I managed a few nice portraits of one individual.

Farther down the trail a male Indigo Bunting was singing from a visible perch or two.

A Common Yellowthroat also made a brief appearance next to the wooded trail. 

I hiked back to the main road and photographed another Field Sparrow from an overhead power line right before Todd and Karen Palgut pulled up to report their findings. 

We all dipped on the Olive-sided Flycatcher but at least heard the Yellow-breasted Chat. They offered to give me a ride back to the car and I accepted with gratitude. My 5-mile hike was fun, but tiring. The monopod worked great, and the lens balanced nicely on it while carrying. I found that rolling up a towel and placing it on my shoulder worked wonders for a comfortable walk.

Oakwoods Metropark, Wayne, Michigan, US
Jun 5, 2024 8:19 AM - 10:46 AM
Protocol: Traveling
4.978 mile(s)
32 species

Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)  1
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  4
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  1
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)  2
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  2
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  3
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  1
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  2
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  1
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  4
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  1
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)  9
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)  2
Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)  1     Continuing. NE of Equestrian Parking lot. Heard only.
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  12
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  6
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  3
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  4
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  1
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S179550926

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