Happy April, No Foolin' - 01 Apr 2025

Rain and storms are forecasted for the next several days, so I took the opportunity (and sunshine) to head down to Erie Marsh Preserve to get in a good mile+ walk. Temperatures hovered around 32F as I arrived just before 8 am.

Red-winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows were making lots of noise at the entrance to the preserve. Pond 1 was open, but showed some ice formation in the shallows; no shorebirds were seen. 

I parked in the small lot and walked out past Pond 2 (open but empty) toward Pond 3. Setting up the scope I scanned the west shoreline and found dozens of Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, and Gadwall.

I could hear the faint "Tu-Tu-Tu" of a Greater Yellowlegs and saw several flying off in the distance. As I walked past Pond 4 I spotted a bird nearby three very plump Dunlin still in basic plumage.

I stayed on the main trail as it was beginning to thaw and there was at-least gravel to walk on. Pond B was quiet, but small flocks of Gadwall flushed from nearby cattails so I aimed the Sony a1 + 600/4 toward any that flew by close enough for frames.

Out near the Sulfur Pond (pair of Canada Geese only) were several Great Egrets (my first of the year) roosting on the dike. They flushed as I approached.

A small flock of Mute Swans flew directly at me, but I was too slow to get any focused images. Luckily, they were followed by a single Trumpeter Swan that flew right overhead.

Bald Eagles were roosting in the trees lining Field C so I took a few pics of very rough-looking juvenile birds that were molting into their 2nd-year plumage.

Though Field E was severely backlit the flooding held numerous rafts of American Coot, Ring-necked Ducks, Gadwall, and scaup. A pair of Ring-necked Ducks,

a dozen Northern Pintail,

and Blue-winged Teal.

American White Pelicans were seen flying into Field E. I followed then to a massive roost on the dike at the south end of Field E. With binoculars I was able to get an estimated count of 450 birds. Another 120 were scattered in the field on either side of the roost. They were too backlit for any photos.

I headed toward the north end of Field E that leads to the outer dike and came upon my first Lesser Yellowlegs of the season.

Just a few feet away a much larger Greater Yellowlegs was foraging. It flushed and I managed a few pics as it fly past me.

I reached the Outer Dike and started back toward the south. Song Sparrows and American Tree Sparrows were foraging in the path ahead of me while American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds and European Starlings chattered in the trees lining the dike. The first Fox Sparrow of the season was heard singing nearby. With the Sun now behind me I could see and ID the ducks making up the large raft in Field E. 

I finally reached a location where I could finally get some pics of the pelicans.

At the SE corner of the dike I heard a singing Eastern Towhee calling out "Zree". Along the south dike I ran into a small flock of Fox Sparrows singing from 3 different directions. I was unable to see any until I found a skulking individual a few feet away. 

Tree Swallows were easier to find. They are courting and claiming tree cavities.

Though I had a couple miles to walk I was happily distracted with several Golden-crowned Kinglet that were foraging on the patch ahead of me. Quick little guys...

As I reached the Maintenance Yard I spotted my first Eastern Phoebe of the season. It continued well ahead of me but I managed a quick pic or two when it flew to the dock area.

A nice 5-mile hike!

Erie Marsh Preserve/Gun Club (no access Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
Apr 1, 2025 8:13 AM - 10:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
4.932 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Clear, 34F, light breeze. Honeysuckle starting to leaf out.
52 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  16
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  36
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)  4     2 pair in pond left of south outer dike. All black bills and rusty head and neck
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  2
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  36
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)  22
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)  44
American Wigeon (Mareca americana)  6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  116
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)  42
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  94
Redhead (Aythya americana)  2
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)  120
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)  2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  450
Greater/Lesser Scaup (Aythya marila/affinis)  60
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  2
Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)  1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  6
Sora (Porzana carolina)  1     Calling.
American Coot (Fulica americana)  650     Large raft in pond west of east outer dike. Count by 50s. Among Ring-neck and scaup.
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  6
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  2
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  5
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  3
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  34
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  23
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  17
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  4
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)  517     Continuing. Estimated by 100s to 400 and individual counts of birds not roosting. Pics.
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  8
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  5
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  5
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  18
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)  3
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  33
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  25
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  2
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  1
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)  4
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)  4
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)  4
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  3
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  10
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  2
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  62
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  1
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  53
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S222273819

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