American Avocet in Cell 3 - 20 Jul 2026

After photographing the Curlew Sandpiper in the NE corner of the Vermet Unit, I packed up and rode south to Cell 3 for some path-maintenance and a survey of shorebirds. 

The path was growing over so I took hedge-clippers and widened the path so that it would be easier to navigate. When I got to the west end of the pond a flock of 30 American White Pelicans lifted off from the water near the east shoreline. 

In front of me along the near shore an American Avocet was foraging next to an adult Black-necked Stilt. 

The north end of the pond was drying, but there was a nice mix of Lesser Yellowlegs, Stilt Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitcher, and Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers. The sky was growing more overcast and the haze from wildfires was growing so I concentrated my efforts on photographing the American Avocet that was as close as I was going to find.

I then packed up the scope and headed back to the dike. I was tempted to ride back to the North Causeway to see the Curlew Sandpiper again, but decided to head back west along the Middle Causeway to the car. 

I very nice afternoon!

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US
Jul 20, 2026 3:31 PM - 6:31 PM
Protocol: Traveling
12.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Overcast, hazy, windy, 80F
33 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  24
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  1
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  36
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  4
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  8
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)  1     Cell 3
American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)  1     Cell 3 continuing
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  26
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  20
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  2
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  28
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)  1     Found by Stuart Cibulka in the NE corner of Vermet Unit next to North Causeway.  Breeding plumage. Brick red chest, head and neck, white undertail. Decurved bill similar but thinner to Dunlin. Pics.
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)  18     Cell 3
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  7
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)  1
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  12
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  22
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  24
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  6
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  4
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  7
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)  30
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  1
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)  4
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  8
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  16
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  1
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)  1
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S374499572

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