Red-headed Woodpeckers @ Humbug - 28 Aug 2024
My plan to bike Pt. Mouillee this morning was once again foiled by a flat front tire. So instead I drove to Elizabeth Park and walked the trails. Skies were overcast and humid with temps already at 70F at 8 am.
Yesterday's storms had dropped a few limbs and left everything soaked.
The trails were quiet, again. My only encounters were severely backlit Cooper's Hawks that were roosting atop tall dead snags near the Maintenance Yard.
On my second loop I ran into a couple of Blackburnian Warblers and an American Redstart but none of the birds were close enough for photos. I decided then to drive over to the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.
Elizabeth Park (Trenton), Wayne, Michigan, US
Aug 28, 2024 8:56 AM - 9:41 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.1 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Overcast, humid, 73F, storms overnite
19 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 50
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 1
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 4
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 1
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 1
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 2
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 3
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 1
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Aug 28, 2024 8:56 AM - 9:41 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.1 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Overcast, humid, 73F, storms overnite
19 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 50
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 1
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 4
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 1
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 1
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 2
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 3
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 1
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
I arrived at the Humbug Marsh Refuge and immediately heard the loud "Queeer" calls of Red-headed Woodpeckers coming from the dead trees lining the Detroit River. Walking over I spotted this Northern Flicker, but knew that it was not making the call.
Moments later I found a pair of adult Red-headed Woodpeckers chasing each other through the trees lining the shoreline, but couldn't get a clean shot at either. Finally, one bird appeared near the canoe launch.
Continuing on to the short loop trail I saw one of the Red-headed Woodpeckers fly into the clearing and land nearby.
I was then surprised to see 3 juvenile Red-headed Woodpeckers playing together at the junction of trails next to the outdoor pavilion. Their gray heads and white wing patches were distinctive.
They flew off but were replaced by an adult bird that flew in with an acorn.
Other than a House Wren calling from the marsh the trails were quiet. This Belted Kingfisher was flying along the delta and posed for a long-distance image before continuing on.
Detroit River IWR--Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Wayne, Michigan, US
Aug 28, 2024 9:10 AM - 9:49 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.81 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Overcast, humid, 75F, calm
23 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 12
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 10
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 2
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 1
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 1
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) 5 2 adults and 3 juvies. Adults w black backs and bold white wing patch. Juvies were gray-brown w bold white wing patches.
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 2
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 21
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 3
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 6
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Aug 28, 2024 9:10 AM - 9:49 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.81 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Overcast, humid, 75F, calm
23 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 12
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 10
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 2
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 1
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 1
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) 5 2 adults and 3 juvies. Adults w black backs and bold white wing patch. Juvies were gray-brown w bold white wing patches.
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 2
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 21
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 3
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 6
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
