A Good Morning for Migrants - 08 May 2026

Apparently radar blew up last night with over 500,000,000 birds recorded migrating through the Midwest and Great Lakes Region. I was happy since I'd be birding local patches this morning. Skies were clear and the temperature was hovering around 42ºF.

Since we were both up early I got out of the house at 6:30 am and headed to Elizabeth Park to look for a Prairie Warbler that was reported yesterday. Luckily, Bobby Irwin found it about 5 minutes before I arrived so I had time to look for it along the south end of the park.

Light was still low at 7 am but the Sony a1 II handled this American Robin quite nicely in the shade; it had a beak full of worms. 

A Northern Cardinal was posing in the early morning light, as well, so I obliged.

Black-throated Green Warblers and Nashville Warblers were singing from high in the canopy as I walked the trails so there was nothing to chase with the camera. It was only after I reached the east side of the woodlot that a Peacock showed himself and allowed some nice portraits in open sunlight. Sony's Precapture capability came in handy since the bird was moving and always seem to duck into shade or obstructions just as I was pressing the shutter release. But the Precapture had already recorded 10 frames before I fired.

A pair of Black-throated Green Warblers finally appeared low enough to be visible and I managed a couple pics high overhead. 

Higher up I spotted a Cape May Warbler, Nashville Warbler, and got brief glimpses of a dull Golden-winged Warbler that disappeared into other trees.

Meanwhile, a pair of Wood Ducks appeared in snags at the north end of park. 

I tried to find a Wood Thrush that was belting out its song just a few feet away; I never saw it. I also heard a Red-headed Woodpecker as I was walking back to the car.

Getting back into the car I drove to the south side of the park where Bobby's pin was reported (on Discord) and quickly heard the insect-like ascending buzz of the Prairie Warbler. Finding it was another story, however, as I walked for a quarter mile in all directions trying to locate the bird. During my trek I'd find a singing Pine Warbler and hear a singing Norther Parula.

I was finally able to locate the Prairie Warbler near where I parked (Area A Shelter). It was high in an oak and foraging / singing but photographing it was a challenge. What was more interesting, however, was that Merlin never picked up the call - I suspected because it is considered rare in this part of Michigan that the Merlin list for Trenton, MI does not include the call of the Prairie Warbler. Still, I was able to get recordings as well as diagnostic photos.

Elizabeth Park (Trenton), Wayne, Michigan, US
May 8, 2026 6:58 AM - 8:01 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.038 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Clear, calm 44F.
43 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  7
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  1
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Eastern) (Dryobates pubescens pubescens/medianus)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)  2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  16
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  1
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  1
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  2
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  8
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  2
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  2
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  1
Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera)  1
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  1
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)  2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  1
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)  1
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)  1
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)  2
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)  1
Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  2
Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor)  1     Continues next to Area A Shelter. Calling loudly but Merlin did not recognize call. Pics.
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  4
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S334462000

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

Having accomplished my task of finding the Prairie Warbler I drove south to the Humbug Marsh Unit of the DRIWR. A pair of Field Sparrows greeted me as I drove into the refuge but did not provide very good photo opps.

Parking at the Visitor Center I was greeted by several Northern Rough-winged Swallows foraging in the grass, and possibly nesting in the vents over the rest rooms of the building. 

Walking the short loop trail I was surprised to see so many White-throated Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows foraging high in the trees. 

Northern Yellow Warblers were expected.

 

A Carolina Wren appeared in the open and sang its little head off just 30' in off the trail.

Nearby I picked up the calls of an Orange-crowned Warbler and a Blackburnian Wabler but was unable to locate them. I then ran into a Lincoln's Sparrow at the edge of the trail but it never reappeared from the thicket it had flown into.

I did find a Black-and-White Warbler that was a bit more cooperative, albeit a bit high in the trees.

A pair of Baltimore Orioles flew across the path ahead of me and landed at ground level for some nice mid-morning pics.

I'd then head back to the car to check out Roberts Road at Pt. Mouillee SGA.

Detroit River IWR--Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Wayne, Michigan, US
May 8, 2026 8:14 AM - 8:52 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.733 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Clear, calm, 48F
49 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  1
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)  2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  4
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  4
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  1
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  1
Eastern Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  1
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)  2
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  2
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)  2
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)  2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  8
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1
Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)  1
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  3
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  6
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  1
Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata)  1
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)  2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  1
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)  1
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  2
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  2
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S334501174

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

I wanted to check out Rheaume Road to see if Tom Mulcrone's Blue Grosbeak was still hanging around. As I turned onto Rheaume Rd. from Roberts Road a Solitary Sandpiper flushed from a roadside fluddle and landed on the road in front of the car. Nice find!

While waiting to see if the Blue Grosbeak would appear I spent some time trying to photograph the Northern Rough-winged Swallows that were zipping past me while foraging next to the quarry. 

Three Red-tailed Hawks were soaring over the quarry but too far to photograph. Across the road a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Northern Yellow Warbler appeared and sang for awhile. 

I then continued south on Roberts Road to the woods next to the old grain silo and looked/listened for warblers. A Northern Waterthrush was a nice find, as well as a nesting Eastern Phoebe. Poor spider...

Overhead Northern Yellow Warblers were singing, as were Eastern Warbling Vireos 

and Yellow-rumped Warblers. What caught my attention, though, was a gorgeous Blackburnian Warbler foraging high overhead. I spent about 15 minutes chasing and trying to get some decent photos of it as it disappeared in and out of the tree leaves. 

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US
May 8, 2026 9:15 AM - 10:03 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.483 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Clear, calm, 50F
43 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  1
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)  1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  1
Eastern Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  4
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  1
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)  6
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  5
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  4
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)  1
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)  1
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)  1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  2
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  4
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  2
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)  1
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  1
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)  1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  1
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)  1
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)  7
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  4
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  3
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  2
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S334546000

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