Five Glossy Ibis - 11 Jun 2026

The ride this morning at Pt. Mouillee was not a lot to write home about. Skies were cloudy and it was windy (SW 15 mph) with possible showers this morning and storms expected this afternoon. Humidity and ~90ºF temps would be fueling the weather. 

I parked at Mouillee Creek and rode out along the Middle Causeway to the Pumphouse, then turned south to check out the Bad Creek Unit. Only one Black-necked Stilt was seen on the mudflat among a couple dozen Canada Geese.

As I returned to the Middle Causeway and headed east toward the Banana an Osprey was being chased by a Red-winged Blackbird. That Carp could've fed the blackbird for 6 months...

I continued on toward Cell 3 as the winds picked up. I had to pack away the hat, even. Arriving at the footpath cut into the ditch and field adjacent to Cell 3 I spotted some Grass Pinks growing next to the trail. Delicate and cute!

As I bushwacked through the bull thistle and phragmites growing chest-high (now) I got to the edge of the open water when 5 Glossy Ibis lifted off from the middle of the Cell and flew to the SE. 

As they disappeared from view a Black-necked Stilt lifted off from the mudflats in front of me and "LOUDLY" admonished my presence. While it circled me and landed on the mudflats and continue to badger me I quickly scanned for small terns. None. The Arctic Tern was not to be found. A couple dozen American White Pelicans, a dozen Mallard, and a small number of Semipalmated Sandpipers and Dunlin remained, so I decided to back away and let the stilt have its territory back.

I would ride south down to the path separating Cells 1 - 2 and come upon a Common Snapping Turtle. As I took a few fuzzy photos I heard a Least Bittern "Cu-cu-cu"-ing from somewhere along the north edge of Cell 1. A few feet further a Killdeer was quietly sitting on eggs. I left it be.

Another Osprey would be seen along Lake Erie as I rode the shoreline back north to Cell 4. Otherwise there would be little to see and even less to stop for. So I headed the North Causeway and rode west back toward the Nelson Unit and back south to Walpatich Unit where a pair of Bald Eagles were the only highlights. 

I'd return to the car by 9:30 am and head home. Fish flies are starting to hatch so I had to evict a half-dozen of the little guys wanting to hitch a ride home inside the car. 

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US
Jun 11, 2026 7:31 AM - 9:27 AM
Protocol: Traveling
10.538 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Cloudy, windy, 76F, 15mph from SW. Heat advisory and strong storms expected this afternoon. Humid.
50 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  60
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  2
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  1
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  14
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  2
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  1
American Coot (Fulica americana)  1
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)  4     3 in Cell 3 and 1 in Humphries Unit s of Pumphouse.
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  6     On nest next to path between Cells 1 - 2
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  1
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  6
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  8
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  8
American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus)  2
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  10
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)  2
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)  1
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  5
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)  5     Cell 3. Continuing dark ibis w thin, cyan facial skin. Flew off to SE. Pics.
Least Bittern (Botaurus exilis)  1     Calling north end of Cell 1. Not seen.
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)  1
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)  1
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  6
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  2
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)  23
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  3
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  2
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)  3
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  2
Eastern Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  2
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  2
Purple Martin (Progne subis)  2
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  4
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)  2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  12
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  8
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  45
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  2
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  2
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)  6
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  1
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S355782581

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