Brown Creeper - 15 Oct 2025

 

I arrived at Elizabeth Park at 8:30 am under cloudy skies, a cool 55ºF, and very light rain. As I walked the trails in the center of the island I couldn't help but notice that the trails had been blown free of all leaves and acorns. The squirrels were not happy...

Trails were quiet. I spotted a small flock of Cedar Waxwings foraging on privet berries, but they were far back off the trail next to the maintenance yard. A flock of American Robins were with them, as well, but were also out of view. I would see a Hermit Thrush among them, and several Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers, but they were too high up in the trees to photograph. This White-breasted Nuthatch was the only bird willing to appear close enough for a photo or two. 

Elizabeth Park (Trenton), Wayne, Michigan, US
Oct 15, 2025 8:19 AM - 8:55 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.629 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Cloudy, calm, cool, sprinkles, 55F
13 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  109
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  2
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  8
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  4
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  9
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  11
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  8
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  6
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S279493020

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

I then drove over to the Humbug Marsh Unit of the DRIWR as the sprinkles picked up, again. My "windshield" Cooper's Hawk appeared in front of me again as it landed on the post as I drove into the refuge. I could only photograph it through the windshield (again).

I was happy to see my first pair of Dark-eyed Juncos fly out of the shrubs in front of the Visitor's Center and fly to a nearby tree next to the entrance to the refuge trails. 

The trails were quiet until I came across a few Yellow-rumped Warblers foraging overhead in the oaks. Otherwise I saw only a small flock of Tree and Northern Rough-winged Swallows foraging over the Monguagon Delta. 

Along the north trail near the entrance I spotted a Brown Creeper foraging on one of the trees just a few feet away. I was able to grab a few photos before it took off into the dogwoods where a half-dozen Yellow-rumped Warblers were feeding on berries. 

I followed the warbler flock to the entrance and managed a few photos of the Yellow-rumped Warblers before they disappeared across the creek.

The rain started falling a little heavier as I reached the car so I headed home.

Detroit River IWR--Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Wayne, Michigan, US
Oct 15, 2025 9:05 AM - 9:46 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.562 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Cloudy, calm, sprinkles, 55F
23 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  1
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  7
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  1
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  1
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  2
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  4
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  1
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)  2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  6
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  12
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S279504529

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