Fall Shorebird Migration and a Storm - 03 Jul 2026

This morning an American Avocet, and several Short-billed Dowitchers and Lesser Yellowlegs were reported in Cell 3 at Pt. Mouillee. I was anxious to get down there but waited until late this afternoon when lighting would be better to view the cell from the west. Temperature was 94ºF and storms were a possibility this evening.

I left the house around 5 pm and drove past the Antenna Farm to look and listen for Dickcissels. I would hear 3, see one and get long-distance photos in the heat/haze. A flock of Barn Swallows and Tree Swallows were about the only other birds occupying the fence line.

At the foot of Haggerman Rd and US Turnpike the Osprey nest was active with one adult and 2 (possibly a third) chicks (note their orange eyes).

Antenna Farm, Monroe, Michigan, US
Jul 3, 2026 5:11 PM - 5:16 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.903 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Mostly clear, 94F, humid, storms expected.
4 species

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  3     Ad and 2 juv at US Turnpike and
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  8
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  7
Dickcissel (Spiza americana)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S367179533

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

I then headed north and parked at the Mouillee Creek parking lot. I was the only car in the lot so I knew I had the place to myself. I unloaded the bike and headed along the Middle Causeway straight to the Banana Unit and Cell 3. As I rode I could see storm clouds and rain far to the west and presumed that I might get wet before the evening was over.

I arrived at Cell 3 and found the small cutout in the phragmites that would give me a foot-path to water's edge in Cell 3. I took a moment to ID the surrounding plants since the tall yellow weeds looked much like Wild Parsnip

and a few nearby white-clustered weeds looked similar to Giant Hogweed or Cow Parsnip, 

Cow Parsnip Distribution

all of which are poisonous and cause severe blistering and sun-sensitivity. Luckily, the tall yellow plants I was looking at were Black Mustard (which can be dangerous if you ingest or aspirate large quantities of seeds)

and Sand Willow (not dangerous).

I believe that there are scattered Cow Parsnip plants in Cell 3 but couldn't find any this evening. 

I waded through the vegetation to Cell 3 and stopped just long enough for quick photo of a nearby Song Sparrow.

The Black-necked Stilts are actively nesting nearby and my presence alerted one of the adults to take flight and announce it's displeasure. I'd scope four adults and see 3 chicks along the far shoreline.

I found a nice mix of shorebirds that included Semipalmated Sandpipers and Least Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers,

several Lesser Yellowlegs,

and the reported American Avocet.

A pair of Black Terns were present, as well, but a bit too far out for my (photo) liking.

I removed the scope from the tripod once I had surveyed the area and mounted the Sony a1 II + 600/4 + 1.4TC to get some long-distance photos. One of the adult Black-necked Stilts along the eastern shoreline was standing guard while 3 hatchlings were foraging inside the vegetation (not shown).

Justin Labadie reported a Little Gull yesterday but today only a pair of Bonaparte's Gulls could be seen in Cell 3.

I spent some time tracking the Black Terns as they looped the Cell and foraged over the water. Focusing was difficult as they tended to dart and dive quickly, causing the camera to focus on the background. But, I managed a few keepers.

As I tracked one Black Tern as it flew to the south I spotted the resident Beaver lumbering into the open to feed. These things are massive-looking!

A Lesser Yellowlegs flew into the near-shore mudflat and provided a quick pic. 

As did a Black-necked Stilt.

I was wondering, however, why they appeared underexposed? I checked the camera and it was metering just fine. I then got a phone call from Robin telling me to "Get your butt home! There's a massive storm here in Brownstown and it just knocked out power". I turned around and told her that I'd be staying put...

To the south and west behind me the sky was dark and ominous, and I knew I had no chance of getting back to the car without getting drenched.

My only option was to hunker down into the phragmites behind me and wait for the storm to blow over. I had just enough time to break down the tripod and scope and squat into the vegetation behind when the first winds slammed into Cell 3. I was pleasantly surprised at how dry I was staying despite being lashed by phragmites and thistle (ouch!) plants. I decided to grab a video with the phone.

For the next 30 minutes I sat on my knees and watched the wind, then rain pound Cell 3. All of the shorebirds and gulls disappeared while the Mallard flock flew into the middle of the pond and hunkered down. A flock of European Starlings flew in and took cover in the phragmites nearby, as did several Bank Swallows. 

When it finally blew over the storm left a large mudflat at the north end of Cell 3 exposed while the south half was flooded. I crawled out of the vegetation (still surprisingly dry) but had to "climb" over the phragmites to get back to the bike; the wind had knocked down all of the vegetation so there was no path visible to walk.

I eventually made it back to the road and found the bike blown into the ditch. I then rode back to the car through enough wind and rain that I had to remove the hat so it wouldn't blow away. But I got everything packed away and headed for home.

Metro Airport reported gusts as high as 65 mph and lots of downed limbs were seen as I drove home. Lights were out everywhere and we would be without power for the next 24 hours. But, by Saturday night the power was back on, and we would only lose a small amount of food from the refrigerator.

Justin would report a pair of Wilson's Phalaropes and a pair of Stilt Sandpipers in Cell 3 on Sunday morning but I'd be unable to get back there until Monday evening at the earliest.

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US
Jul 3, 2026 5:21 PM - 7:38 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.031 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Pt to mostly cloudy, then strong storm hit from west. 30 mph winds, pushed water out of Cell 3. Hunkered down in phragmites and stayed surprisingly dry. Shorebirds left. Ducks huddled in middle of pond.
43 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  26
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  2
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  36
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  18
Redhead (Aythya americana)  2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)  9     1 in Humphries Unit along Middle Causeway, 1 in Vermet Unit by Pelican Island, 4 adults and 3 hatchlings in Cell 3.
American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)  1     Found this morning, continuing this evening but disappeared after storm.
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  20
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  8
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  4
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  8
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  1
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  4
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  6
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  2
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  18
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  2
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)  2
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)  2
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  2
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  8
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  2
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  2
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  1
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)  26
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  16
Purple Martin (Progne subis)  2
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  8
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)  2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  9
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  6
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  45
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  2
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)  1
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S367218024

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