Birding The Fog - 14 Sep 2025

I drove to Elizabeth Park this morning under clear skies and calm, 60ºF temperatures. However, as I approached the Detroit River the fog appeared. Heavy and dense! Almost zero visibility as I drove into Elizabeth Park. Luckily, it began to thin by the time I was out of the car.

I brought another jug of water for the water drip along the main trail, but found that someone had taken my little bird bath. So, I continued north along the creek bed and found a pair of Bay-breasted Warblers and a Magnolia Warbler foraging in the dark understory.







I circled back along the east trail and found a few more warblers including another Magnolia Warbler





and a skulking Nashville Warbler. 


It finally appeared in the open meadow where the Jewelweed was in bloom so I was able to get some nice closeups. Honestly, I found it to be a bit confusing as the throat area is grayish. I suspect a possible immature female Nashville Warbler.














Just as it flew off a Ruby-throated Hummingbird appeared hovering in the small opening. 



Another loop of the area failed to produce any birds, so I grabbed the jug of water and headed back to the car.

Elizabeth Park (Trenton), Wayne, Michigan, US
Sep 14, 2025 7:54 AM - 8:59 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.659 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Foggy, calm, 57F
16 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  60
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  5
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  2
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  1
Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina)  1
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)  1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  2
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  2
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)  2
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S273325003

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


It was only 9 am when I got back to the car, and Bobby Irwin had just posted good warbler action at the Humbug Marsh Reserve next door, so I decided to drive over for a quick walk.  Fog was till present as I entered the short-loop trail behind the Visitor Center.

Ultimately, the only birds I would hear were a House Wren and a Carolina Wren. No warblers. So I took photos of the dew-covered spiderwebs that were EVERYWHERE.






Detroit River IWR--Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Wayne, Michigan, US
Sep 14, 2025 9:09 AM - 9:35 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.465 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Foggy, 60F, calm
6 species (+1 other taxa)

Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  1
Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher) (Empidonax alnorum/traillii)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  2
Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  5
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S273338229

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