Slow, Rainy Morning - 07 Oct 2025
Clouds have finally arrived, temperatures have dropped to 65ºF, and rain is expected today. It was drizzling as I arrived at Elizabeth Park shortly before 8 am.
Construction projects are currently underway at the park. The abandoned turnaround drive at the north end of the park has been ripped out; it is unknown if it will be replaced. More alarmingly was the small "meadow" next to the Maintenance Yard that has been bulldozed completely this morning. The trees and vegetation have gone scorched earth. I'm sad.
Birds were quiet. The highlight was seeing a pair of Bay-breasted Warblers that eBird have now tagged as rare for this date. I was hoping that one bird might be an Orange-crowned Warbler, but the wing bars eliminated it.
Elizabeth Park (Trenton), Wayne, Michigan, US
Oct 7, 2025 7:57 AM - 8:36 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.669 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Cloudy, humid, scattered rain. 68F
9 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 45
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 8
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 12
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) 3
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) 2 Pair next to maintenance yard. Both tan, eye line, wing bars, and black feet.
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)
Oct 7, 2025 7:57 AM - 8:36 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.669 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Cloudy, humid, scattered rain. 68F
9 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 45
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 8
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 12
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) 3
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) 2 Pair next to maintenance yard. Both tan, eye line, wing bars, and black feet.
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 stopped by the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Humbug Marsh Unit for a short walk.
A dozen Yellow-rumped Warblers at the entrance were nice to see, but lighting was horrible and the birds were looking a bit drab. Still, a nice find.
The walk along the trails were quiet. The Yellow-rumps were still hanging around the entrance along with a pair of Ruby-crowned Kinglets that were foraging at eye level. This guy posed. Posed!.
As I was driving out of the parking lot I spotted a juvenile Cooper's Hawk sitting atop the stop sign in front of me. I could only photograph it through the windshield, which is not conducive to good photos. So, I converted my images to watercolor images in Photoshop.
Detroit River IWR--Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Wayne, Michigan, US
Oct 7, 2025 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.483 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Cloudy, humid, calm, 68F, scattered sprinkles
18 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 8
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 4
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 2
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 4
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) 4
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 12
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Oct 7, 2025 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.483 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Cloudy, humid, calm, 68F, scattered sprinkles
18 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 8
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 4
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 1
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 2
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 4
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) 4
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 12
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
I then stopped by Lake Erie Metropark to check out the Detroit River Hawk Watch. It was disappointing to learn that someone stole our banner sign at the hawk watch site...
In the meantime I spotted several Wood Ducks as I drove in, so I stopped to get some pics.
Jo Patterson (counter) was the only one at the boat launch so I joined her until the rain started coming down at 10:15 am. Only a couple hundred Blue Jays were flying, but I did see several Common Terns on the channel in front of us.
Lake Erie Metropark--Detroit River Hawk Watch, Wayne, Michigan, US
Oct 7, 2025 9:30 AM - 10:17 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.373 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Cloudy, rain shortened viewing at 10:15 am, 65F
14 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 4
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 8
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 12
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 13
American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus) 4
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) 4
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 12
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 180
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 40
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 14
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Oct 7, 2025 9:30 AM - 10:17 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.373 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Cloudy, rain shortened viewing at 10:15 am, 65F
14 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 4
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 8
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 12
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 13
American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus) 4
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) 4
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 12
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 180
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 40
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 14
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
