Birding The Woodtick Peninsula - 07 Nov 2025

Yesterday Justin Labadie found a Baird's Sandpiper among several Dunlin along the Lake Erie shoreline south of Erie Road in Monroe Co. This was on the heels of a Parasitic Jaeger being seen by him and others a few days before. So, I was ready to go for a long walk along the beach to see if any of these birds were still hanging around.

The Woodtick Peninsula is approximately a 2 mile walk south from Erie Road to its point. Depending on water levels it is possible to reach the tip when winds (W) blow Lake Erie out and expose walkable shoreline. Since strong winds were the story of the past several days my chance of getting to the tip were reasonably good. Of course, driving through heavy downpours on the way to Monroe had me second-guessing my decision to leave the house. Forecasts were calling for rain for the next 2 hours so I knew I was going to get wet.

I arrived at the foot of Erie Road shortly after 8 am just as the rain was beginning to subside so I headed down to the beach with my camera and binoculars tucked under my rain jacket as best as I could. At 50ºF the temperature was relatively mild despite the wind and rain.

Within minutes of heading along the beach I spotted 3 Snow Buntings foraging among the exposed rocks along the beach. I was lucky enough to get some pics as the birds moved along the rocks before flying off.

The rains started again and I got soaked as I continued walking along the shoreline. The lake was relatively calm and I was happy to see dozens of Bufflehead flying a couple hundred yards out and landing among even larger numbers of Lesser Scaup that were forming the first rafts of the winter.

A few Ring-billed Gulls were flying about, but otherwise the shoreline was devoid of bird life. A quarter mile farther I came upon the first of 100+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls roosting on the sandbars formed by the receeding lake waters. The first bird seen was a juvenile that was identifiable by the black back feathers with thick white fringes and dark eye mask. Unfortunately my scope, camera lens (40mm f/2.5) and camera were fogging so my first attempt at digiscoping in almost a year resulted in soft images.

Sub-adult and adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls began to increase in numbers as I continued walking. Falling rain and condensation again proved to be a challenge.

As I approached the tip of the Woodtick Peninsula the rain finally subsided and the first of several hundred American White Pelicans began flying north along the shoreline.

I managed to clean my lenses and clear condensation as the sky began to brighten so I was able to get better digiscoped images of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Near the tip of the peninsula a large roost of American White Pelicans were congregating so I took a few pics before realizing that I had to head back to the car due to previous commitments. Which was unfortunate because I'd run into Justin and he would later report the Baird's Sandpiper at the tip of the peninsula.

As I walked back I took a few more pics of the juvenile LBBG using the Sony 200-600mm lens. 

And an adult bird.

With some nice light I couldn't resist getting some pics of the shoreline.

As I approached the (former) power plant property a pair of American Pipits popped up onto the rocks in front of me momentarily before flying off. I struggled trying to get a few pics as they took off.

A single Dunlin then appeared in the shallow water next to the rocky shoreline.

I was then alerted by the calls of the Snow Buntings as they flew in overhead and landed on the beach in front of me.

One bird even took flight and flew a few feet closer to me before landing just in front of me.

I'd get back to the car a little after 11 am and was able to get home by noon.

Woodtick Peninsula, Monroe, Michigan, US
Nov 7, 2025 8:16 AM - 11:11 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.009 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Cloudy, rainy, windy, 50F
18 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  18
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  14
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  240
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  220     Large rafts among LESC along Lake Erie shoreline between Erie Rd and tip of Woodtick Peninsula.
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  6
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  2
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  16
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  60
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)  220     Large roosting flock on sandbar near tip of Woodtick Peninsula. Dark-mantled, yellow legs. Adults, subadults.
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  5
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)  1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)  1
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)  2
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)  4
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S283307180

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