Tough Day to be a Bug - 03 Sep 2025
This afternoon winds are supposed to pick up and herald the arrival of rain/storms this evening, but right now skies were clear and calm as I drove to Roberts Road to look for warblers. Temps were a mild 58ºF.
I spotted this Red-tailed Hawk atop one of the power poles next to the landfill at the north end of Roberts Road. It would not turn its head to look my way so I continued on.
The trees were quiet this morning. I spotted a Blackburnian Warbler that never really presented any photo opportunities, but this Black-throated Green Warbler appeared low enough to photograph.
I managed to catch a sequence of it going after a spider that had a web underneath this grape leaf.
Poor guy didn't stand a chance.
Farther south along the road I was pleasantly surprised to see a Northern Waterthrush pop into the open briefly before flying west. Too slow with the camera.
Nearby a Great-crested Flycatcher flew to open branches and went after another poor spider.
Stoneco/Rockwood Quarry, Monroe, Michigan, US
Sep 3, 2025 8:25 AM - 9:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.931 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Clear, mild, 55F
22 species
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 5 Family of 5 along Roberts Rd.
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 3
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1
Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 6
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 4
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 1
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) 1
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) 1
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Sep 3, 2025 8:25 AM - 9:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.931 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Clear, mild, 55F
22 species
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) 1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 5 Family of 5 along Roberts Rd.
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 3
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1
Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 6
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 4
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 1
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) 1
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) 1
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
I then headed over to Lake Erie Metropark and the Detroit River Hawk Watch. The trails south of the boat launch were quiet except for the calls of Warbling Vireos, Carolina Wrens, and House Wrens. I would manage a few photos of a Carolina Wren catching and eating a presumed katydid.
Tough day to be a bug...
With SW winds picking up the hope for a raptor flight was low. Between 10 - 11 am we saw a single Northern Harrier cross Lake Erie.
Lake Erie Metropark, Wayne, Michigan, US
Sep 3, 2025 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Detroit River Hawk Watch. Clear, mild, 66F, winds 5-10 mph.
33 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 6
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 2
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 1
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 3
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 8
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 3
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 2
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 1
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 3
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 60
Purple Martin (Progne subis) 30
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 10
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 3
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 26
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Sep 3, 2025 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Detroit River Hawk Watch. Clear, mild, 66F, winds 5-10 mph.
33 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 6
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 2
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 1
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 3
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 8
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 3
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 2
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 1
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 3
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 60
Purple Martin (Progne subis) 30
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 10
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 3
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 26
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
