And The Phalaropes are Gone - 14 Aug 2026

Last evening Justin Labadie reported 3 Wilson's Phalaropes swimming in a puddle next to the South Causeway. He then later reported 13 Wilson's Phalaropes in Cell 3! I decided to look for them this morning.

I arrived at Mouillee Creek at 8 am under overcast skies and humid conditions (70ºF), and rode out to the North Causeway via the Walpatich Unit and Nelson Unit routes. Nothing to report along the way..,.

The North Causeway was also quiet until I hit a mud spit along the Huron River shoreline. There I found a half-dozen juvenile Least Sandpipers

and a Semipalmated Sandpiper that I hoped was a Baird's Sandpiper.

What I believe is a juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper is based on subtle characteristics: cap is dark and not finely-streaked as in Baird's juveniles. The buffy chest bib ends "above" the wing, and in the image below the semipalmated web can be seen in the foot.

The bill is long and slightly drooped as expected in Baird's but wing projection (although appears long) does not extend beyond the tail. And overall the color is a warmer brown with hints of orange whereas a juvenile Baird's would appear more black-and-white w/ a bib that extends to the bend in the wings. See below,

and compare w/ my bird:

So close!

I'd continue to the Banana and head south along the east shoreline of the Vermet. Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons are roosting by the hundreds but I didn't bother to scope for any possible Snowy Egrets. Instead I continued looking for shorebirds; I'd find a pair of Black-necked Stilts

and another small group of Least Sandpipers.

I'd find another Semipalmated Sandpiper among them and again look for a possible Baird's Sandpiper out of it. This bird appears to be more of a classic Semipalmated Sandpiper juvenile with a stubbier bill, short wing projection, and thin bib ending above the wing. Warmer tones present, as well,

I headed down to Cell 3 and found the path growing over and vegetation high enough that much of the pond is now obscured. But I did see several Black-necked Stilts, Stilt Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Lesser Yellowlegs, Green-winged Teal and the usual Caspian Tern / Ring-billed Gull roost.

The phalaropes were not seen. 

I continued south to the South Causeway and scanned the SW corner of the Humprhries where I found a small group of shorebirds that included a half-dozen Black-necked Stilts (3 adults / 3 juveniles),

and several Stilt Sandpipers.

These birds would be better seen in the evening when the Sun is not so backlight-y. 

I'd also see several Short-billed Dowitchers and Lesser Yellowlegs, as well. No phalaropes here, neither. But, this area will be checked again!

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US
Aug 14, 2026 8:27 AM - 10:19 AM
Protocol: Traveling
8.203 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Overcast, calm, humid, 75F.
45 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  24
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  2
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  24
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  8
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)  1
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)  14     2 ad and 4 juv in Cell 3, 3ad and 3 juv along South Causeway, and adult pair in Vermet. Pics
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  4
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)  2
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  12
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  2
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  12
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  6
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)  8
Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii)  2
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  12
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)  1
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  10
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  36
American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus)  2
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  35
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  1
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  2
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)  2
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  150
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  120
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  2
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  2
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  2
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  140
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  1
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)  1
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S383251278

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