Swamp Sparrows - 24 Jul 2025

Robin and I drove to Crosswinds Marsh this morning for some drawing and birding. While she headed off with her watercolors I hiked through the woods under sunny, warm (74ºF), humid conditions; temps are to reach 100ºF heat index today.

The woods were quiet except for the lazy call of a distant Red-eyed Vireo and a very quiet Eastern Wood-Pewee. Mosquitos were even quiet.

As I reached the boardwalk I could hear a distant Bald Eagle calling from across the pond. Closer by a pair of Swamp Sparrows were sitting on the boardwalk. An adult flew off but a juvenile bird stayed several moments for some photos.



Just past the shoreline cattails a family of Wood Ducks scattered. One remained behind and swam away while I photographed it from just 20' away.





More Swamp Sparrows were singing from the trees dotting the small islands between boardwalk sections. This one posed long enough for a few pics in the morning sunlight.


A Willow Flycatcher was also posing in the morning sunlight, but was unfortunately (for me) backlit enough that imaging it was a challenge.






The remainder of the walk was spent listening to Gray Catbirds, Yellow Warblers and Common Yellowthroats singing from heavy cover. By 8:30 am we'd be sweating and ready to seek cooler climes so we headed back to the car and home.

Crosswinds Marsh, Wayne, Michigan, US
Jul 24, 2025 7:46 AM - 8:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.084 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Sunny, hazy, hot/humid, 75F. Temps to hit 100 today.
19 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  30
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  3
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  1
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)  2
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  2
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  1
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  6
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  4
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S262339413

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