Shorebird Numbers Picking Up - 13 Jul 2026

 

Skies were clear this afternoon and temperatures were pushing 90ºF with elevated humidity. With forecasts of high-90's the next 3 days I figured I'd get out to Pt. Mouillee SGA for an evening ride to check for shorebirds. 

I arrived at Mouillee Creek just as Justin Labadie was getting ready to head out, so I quickly grabbed the bike and joined him. We would ride the Middle Causeway to the Banana and check out Cell 3. Winds were low so it was nice to ride w/o having to remove the hat. 

We stopped at the Pump House and scanned the Humphries Unit near the Island of Dead Trees; a single Black-necked Stilt was the only shorebird among a half-dozen Great Egrets.

A stop west of the Banana had us scanning Pelican Island for shorebirds. We'd spot three Black-necked Stilts among the dozens of Mallard and half-dozen Lesser Yellowlegs. A family of Coyotes (ad + 2 pups) were being harassed by one of the stilts. 

As we reached the Banana we stopped to scan Cell 4. A female scaup on the island gave vibes of a Greater Scaup. Elsewhere only 3 Redhead were seen along the east side of the Cell. 

We then rode to Cell 3 where we were greeted by 3 Black-necked Stilts flying overhead and voicing their disapproval. I pointed out a stand of Poison Hemlock to Justin and make a PSA for all to avoid the poisonous plant; it is growing immediately to the right of the path to Cell 3 from the Banana dike (west side). 

We arrived at water's edge just as a flock of shorebirds lifted up and circled over the water. I managed to get the camera on a group of 6-8 Stilt Sandpipers. We'd count 18 total this evening.

They then put down a bit closer to us and began to forage.

As we began to scope and count the shorebird numbers, which have really picked up in the past few days, this Black-necked Stilt flew in and gave me the stare. Four juveniles had just taken off and flew to the east side of the Cell.

The American Avocet continues to be seen.

A lone Bonaparte's Gull was swimming near shore. 

With birds moving around the American Avocet appeared a bit closer and provided a few photos at ~1270mm EFL (600mm + 1.4TC + APS-C mode - 1.5x).

Among the 77 Lesser Yellowlegs counted this evening 

a single Greater Yellowlegs in breeding plumage was a nice find.

I counted 67 Short-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus griseus hendersonii).

A Stilt Sandpiper (left) and Short-billed Dowitcher (right) for comparison.

An adult Least Sandpiper flew in and landed just across from the beaver canal and gave me some nice pics. The bib was giving vibes of a Baird's Sandpiper but the legs are yellow.

Another Black-necked Stilt flew in and circled overhead, so I could not resist a few photos.

One Short-billed Dowitcher circled the mudflats in front of me a couple times and finally provided a fly-by shot as it landed in the vegetation at water's edge.

Justin made his leave and I packed up a bit later. I would ride north to the North Causeway and west toward the Bloody Run Unit and on to the Walpatich Unit where I flushed 7 more Short-billed Dowitchers. They circled me several times and were a challenge to photograph as they were too fast and too close for the 600/4 lens. Backlighting did not help, either.

I decided to make a quick run to the Pump House and check out the Bad Creek Unit. A single Black-necked Stilt was seen in the grassy pond among a Stilt Sandpiper and 5 more Lesser Yellowlegs. Tree Swallows were roosting by the hundreds in the dead trees nearby. 

I'd then ride back to the car and head home.

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US
Jul 13, 2026 5:30 PM - 7:54 PM
Protocol: Traveling
8.026 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Clear, hot, humid, 91F
46 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  18
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  4
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  1
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  2
American Wigeon (Mareca americana)  1
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  36
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  8
Redhead (Aythya americana)  3
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)  1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)  1
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)  12     4 ad 4 juv in Cell 3; 3 ad in Vermet; 1 in Bad Creek s of Pump House.
American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)  1     Cell 3 continuing. Still showing red on neck. Pics.
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  11
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  74     All but 7 in Cell 3. 7 in Walpatich
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  83
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  2
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)  19     Cell 3 exact count; 1 in Bad Creek s of Pump House
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  2
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  22
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  24
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  24
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  41
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)  8
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)  4
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  4
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  1
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  14
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  4
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)  2
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  2
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)  8
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  159
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  12
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)  2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  8
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  3
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  30
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  3
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  4
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)  1
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S371820329

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