A Couple of February Rarities - 12 Feb 2026

 

I took a drive to the Humbug Marsh Unit of the DRIWR this morning. Skies were clear, and temperature was hovering around 30ºF. The Detroit River was open so waterfowl were scattered enough to discourage me from a walk to the fishing pier. So, I decided to take a walk through the woods next to the Visitor Center.

Walking the short loop trail revealed an "OPEN" view of the woods. Alexa Blankenship (FWS) and Crew cleared the underbrush and some of the trees with brush hogs and chainsaws. The result is lots of open views "THROUGH" the woods. Birds were relatively quiet, though. It was nice to hear Northern Cardinals and Tufted Titmouse singing.

Detroit River IWR--Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Wayne, Michigan, US
Feb 12, 2026 8:22 AM - 8:50 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.921 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     32F, Pt sunny, calm. Refuge understory cleared out (maintenance); looks more open.
14 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  36
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  120
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  60
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)  1
Redhead (Aythya americana)  1
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)  1
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  1
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S299723893

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

I then took a drive through Lake Erie Metropark. American Tree Sparrows and White-throated Sparrows continue to forage along the road just past the Maintenance Yard but in fewer numbers.

I then parked at the Boat Launch and walked the Cherry Trail. A surprise February "rarity" (flagged by eBird) was a pair of Carolina Wrens singing next to the bridge. One came out across the canal and provided some distant looks and photos w/ the 200-600/5.6-6.3.

Much of Lake Erie was frozen for as far as the eyes could see, so a couple of Song Sparrows and American Goldfinches were the only birds along the shoreline. 

I walked back to the bike trail, and in my attempt to call in some chickadees / nuthatches / woodpeckers by making Eastern Screech Owl calls, I failed to elicit any response from the small birds. But, I did get an Eastern Screech Owl call back from the trees on the west side of the trail! I serenaded the little owl for several minutes but could not see it. I decided against leaving the trail so as not to disturb it or any Long-eared Owls that might be roosting back there. It was a nice surprise for 9:30 in the morning!

This Northern Cardinal feeding on the ground thought so, too!

I returned to the car and drove out. As I was driving alongside the boardwalk a small accipiter flew out from the ditch. A juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk (also rare for eBird). It landed in the trees and was severely backlit by the morning Sun, and attempts to photograph it from inside the car were horrid due to convection currents leaving the car and mixing with the cold air.

It was identifiable by the small size, round head, yellow eyes, and short, square tail with minimal white terminal band.

Lake Erie Metropark, Rockwood US-MI 42.07522, -83.20136, Wayne, Michigan, US
Feb 12, 2026 8:58 AM - 9:55 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.421 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Pt cloudy, cold, 30F. Inland ponds frozen. Trails icy.
13 species

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  3
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)  1     Small brown accipiter w round head and square tail. Pics. Flying along boardwalk next to Cherry Trail. Note yellow eye and jutting small bill. Juvenile presumed.
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  2
Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)  1     On bike path next to junction w/ Cherry Trail. I was making Screech Owl tremolo calls hoping to bring in some chickadees/woodpeckers and got a screech owl calling back, instead. Serenaded each other but could not locate in the trees. I did not leave the bike trail. Surprised to hear one this late in the morning, though...
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  2     Pair singing along Cherry Trail. Pics.
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  6
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)  8
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S299738834

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

I'd head home for lunch, but then decided to drive back to Pt. Mouillee SGA to walk the Bad Creek Unit and hike into the marsh where the Nelson's Sparrow was found last November. The dike was snow-covered but walkable. The best part was that I could hike through the marsh and not worry about getting wet because the snow and frozen ground made walking through the cattail marsh easy. No Nelson's Sparrow but I did flush four Swamp Sparrows and hear a nearby Black-capped Chickadee. 

As I walked back to the car a pair of Bald Eagles were soaring overhead so I took a photo to mark the afternoon walk.

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US
Feb 12, 2026 12:39 PM - 1:19 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.458 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Pt clear, cold, 30F, breezy 5-10mph from S.
4 species

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  2
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  1
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S299787347

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

I came home and put on the television to watch the Olympics with Robin. While cuddling kitties we heard a loud crash from the back window and I immediately suspected a hawk hit the window. Sure enough, both Yara and Taige were at the back window looking down through the window,

I had to stand on the couch to see down below the window but there, on the ground and prostrate, was an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk with its dark red, buggy eyes, round head, gray cap and nape, and square tail without a white terminal band! Another rarity for eBird!

I grabbed the camera and got photos of the Sharpie's head and tail since I was too close to get the whole bird.

And, in the next instant it took off like a bat outta hell. As it flew off I could see a male House Finch lying on the ground nearby. No sooner did I see it that an adult Cooper's Hawk (much larger than the Sharp-shinned Hawk) flew in, grabbed the sparrow, and flew off to the trees at the back of the field.. I could see the size difference between the larger Coop and the tiny Sharpie that flew to a tree nearby. That was a quick 1-minute drama!

Brownton Abbey, 26340 Higgins Way - 42.1338x-83.2941, Wayne, Michigan, US
Feb 12, 2026 4:05 PM - 4:08 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments:     Clear, calm, 32F. Window strike!
3 species

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)  1     Heard window strike (loud), so suspected hawk. Found an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk sprawled on snow below window. Got photo of its round head and square tail before it suddenly flew off moments before the adult Cooper's Hawk (much larger) flew in and snatched the House Finch lying on the snow. Note that windows have stickers.
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)  1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S299819456

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