December Butter-Butts! - 14 Dec 2025

Skies cleared overnight but temperatures dropped into the teens this morning and winds were predicted to pick up. They did. I was still itching to get out so I drove down to Lake Erie Metropark to look for photo opps.

Parking at the Marshland Museum shortly after 8 am I walked the trails; they were icy and slippery so walking was slow. Inland canals were frozen and much of Lake Erie was frozen along the shoreline. The birds didn't seem to mind, though, as a Carolina Wren popped up in the brush next to the trail and several more were singing in the morning light.

The trails failed to produce any photos but this Northern Cardinal posed nearby just as I was getting back into the car. 

 

As soon as it flew off several American Tree Sparrows flew in and posed briefly. 

I then drove over to the boat launch and walked the Cherry Trail. Ring-billed Gulls were roosting in the frozen channel and open water was visible only from a scoping distance. The trail was quiet as I made the loop back to the bike path at its SW corner.

I walked north along the bike path and looked for evidence of roosting owls (none) but did come across a half-dozen Northern Cardinals and White-throated Sparrows. Hoping to bring some birds into view I started making a screech owl call and managed to lure a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches. They were followed by a pair of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, which a considered a rare bird this time of year.

As I attempted to follow the Ruby-crowned Kinglets through the brush a flock of seven Yellow-rumped Warblers flew in and started foraging along the edge of the trail that heads east toward the boardwalk and boat launch. Several birds were visible in the morning light while most foraged on the ground. With frozen fingers I did my best to get some pics.

Several Downy Woodpeckers flew in but were obscured by tree branches. This White-breasted Nuthatch literally hopped into view just a few feet away before disappearing behind the trees.

I continued walking a got a last few photos of the flock before they drifted toward the museum.

I would stop by Cove Point and attempt to scope the open water, but ice was too far out, and convection currents on the water made ID of the hundreds of ducks impossible. I would have to settle for a half-dozen American Tree Sparrows foraging in the wildflowers next to car before moving south toward Point Mouillee HQ.

Lake Erie Metropark, Rockwood US-MI 42.07672, -83.19838, Wayne, Michigan, US
Dec 14, 2025 8:20 AM - 9:59 AM
Protocol: Traveling
4.78 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Clear, cold, 21F. Inland ponds frozen. Lakeshore frozen. Trails icy.
15 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  2
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)  24
American Coot (Fulica americana)  200
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  140
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  4
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  2     Pair on bike path across from Marshland Museum. Olive green, wingbars, red crown stripe. With flock of Yellow-rumps.
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  4
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  4
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  12
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)  13
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  10
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  7     Exact count. Flock of yellow-rumps with white eye rings, streaky breasts along bike path across from Marshland Museum and path to boardwalk along road to Boat Launch. Pics.
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  8

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S288555023

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

I stopped by Campau Rd and Pt. Mouillee Headquarters to look for waterfowl. The Huron River was frozen except for a small canal of open water near the parking lot. A pair of duck hunters were returning from the morning outing and had to get out of the boat when they hit frozen ice; they would need to push the boat the remaining 50 yards to the boat ramp.

As I sat and scanned the river for ducks a Tree Swallow flew over the car from Pt. Mouillee SGA! Another December rare bird.

Campau Rd. & Pte. Mouillee Headquarters (Wayne County), Wayne, Michigan, US
Dec 14, 2025 10:16 AM - 10:27 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.351 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Clear, cold, windy, 19F. Huron River frozen.
4 species

Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)  3
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  60
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  2
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  1     Flying across parking lot from Pt Mouillee SGA. Blue swallow with white belly.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S288560052

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