Winter Biking at the Mou - 14 Feb 2026

Forecasts called for temps to hit 40's and 50's for the next few days. This morning skies were clear and the temperature was 32ºF so I grabbed the bike and headed to Pt. Mouillee to check on condition of the dikes. 

I arrived at Mouillee Creek parking lot at 7:45 am and found several inches of snow/ice on the Middle Causeway next to the parking lot. But, it had been driven on so biking was doable. Once I got as far as the Walpatich Unit the dike cleared and riding was smooth and easy. The ground was frozen. 

Things got a bit more treacherous as I approached the Pump House as a mix of snow, ice and the large gravel at the curve made biking treacherous. Once I reached the causeway next to the Humphries Unit the dike was relatively smooth again, but snow/ice began to build as I rode east toward the Vermet Unit. I had to stop when I put bins to the road and found massive snow/ice drifts the entire length of the Middle Causeway to the Banana Unit.

Backing up I rode to the dike separating Long Pond and Nelson Units and headed north toward the North Causeway. Here the dike was mostly free of ice and snow and riding was easy to the North Causeway. Only a few American Tree Sparrows were seen along the ride while a few Tundra Swans and Canada Geese were flying overhead,

The North Causeway was free of snow/ice until I reached the Vermet Unit when I started seeing large drifts east toward the Banana. I backed up and headed back south toward the Middle Causeway along the dike separating Long Pond and Vermet Unit; it was mostly free and easy riding.

Arriving at the Middle Causeway I was again able to verify that the path to the Banana Unit was not passable, So I turned around, headed back to the North Causeway and west to the Nelson / Long Pond path. I rode it back toward the Middle Causeway but saw that the dike around the Walpatich Unit was clear. It remained clear until I hit that last ½ mile along the west side of the Walpatich Unit; all snow pack. Riding through it juggled my arms so badly that I had to stop several times before I dislocated something. But, I made it back to the car and loaded up.

I then drove down Roberts Road to the South Causeway to check it out. There was some snow/ice but the path was open to the Banana Unit where I turned south and rode along the Lake Erie shoreline. The dike was mostly free of snow and the ride was enjoyable. At the junction of Cells 3 and 4 the path through the construction area was snow-covered but enough tracks were present to get through without issue.

I rode the west side of the Banana north past the Middle Causeway toward Cell 5 but stopped about half-way when I started seeing drifts again. I turned around and took a few photos of the Vermet Unit to show the extent of ice cover on the ponds.

I was expecting the west side of Cells 3 - 1 to be as clear as the east side, but I was wrong. The ride back to the South Causeway was treacherous with soft ground, snow and ice and lots of ruts. But, noone fell and I reached the causeway without incident, God, I love this bike! I stopped to get some pics of the hundreds of Tundra and Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Mallard, and Black Duck roosting on the ice next to the only open water in the region.

As I rode toward the car I stopped when I spotted a solitary swan next to the causeway. Trumpeter Swan!

The thin neck, stained head, and black bill without yellow teardrop were diagnostic, but not how the bill just continues along the line of the forehead. The V-shape across the face was not readily visible, but on the Tundra Swans the bill tends to curve outward from the forehead (more forward-facing).

I got back to the car tired but happy to have ridden the 11 miles before the ground thawed. I'll come back in a week or two when all of the snow has gone. 

And note: Red-winged Blackbirds have started staging and singing in the Walpatich Unit!

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US

Feb 14, 2026 7:45 AM - 9:49 AM
Protocol: Traveling
11.818 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Mostly sunny, calm, 32F, Lake and inland ponds frozen.
15 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  320
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  120
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)  1     South Causeway in open puddle. V-shaped black bill w red lips, thin stained dark neck, no yellow teardrop. Pics.
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)  270
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)  16
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  60
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)  40
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon))  1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  2
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1     Rheaume Rd in tree. Brown w bright yellow undertail.
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) (Colaptes auratus auratus/luteus)  1     Rheaume Rd in snag. Bright yellow undertail and red cap/nape on brown body.
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)  24
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  6     Starting to stage and sing

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S300392794

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