Pt. Mouillee Is A Wrap! - 31 Aug 2026

Having returned from Erie Marsh Preserve Robin and I headed out for lunch at the Maverick. I was tired from the morning hike, but determined to make one last visit to Pt. Mouillee SGA this afternoon before forecasted rains arrive later in the afternoon. 

I arrived shortly before 1:30 pm and headed out onto the Middle Causeway from the Mouillee Creek parking lot. It was overcast, hot and humid at 81ºF but the winds were relatively calm. 

I looped around the south end of the Walpatich Unit and scattered a few Common Gallinules swimming in the shallow waters. Otherwise the south end of the unit was quiet except for the distant calls of a Lesser Yellowlegs. I'd continue to the east side of the unit, head north to the middle dike, then back west toward the west side. There I found a few Pectoral Sandpipers foraging close to shore and worthy of attention. 

Nearby a pair of Semipalmated Sandpipers were foraging close to shore, as well. 

A Greater Yellowlegs eyed me suspiciously as I rode past but did not flush. 

A nearby Lesser Yellowlegs was equally unimpressed with my presence and went about its foraging activities just a few feet away.

I continued north along the dike past the Lautenschlager Unit and made a stop by the south end of the Nelson Unit to scope the plowed field for the Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Though I'd spot several Killdeer the Buff-breasted Sandpiper was nowhere to be found. Rather than continue north to the North Causeway I doubled-back and headed to the Middle Causeway to look for the Hudsonian Whimbrel I had seen on Saturday.

Riding east along the Middle Causeway, between the Vermet and Humphries Unit, I spotted a Lesser Yellowlegs perched on a small mud island near the north shore of the Humphries Unit.

Just beyond it I spotted the Hudsonian Whimbrel perched on its own mud island. It posed nicely in the afternoon light before flying off and circling back past me.

I was able to get a burst of photos as it flew past me, then it continued farther south deeper into the Humphries Unit.

Before leaving the area I'd grab a quick pic of a pair of Pied-billed Grebes splashing in the shallow waters near shore.

Reaching the Banana I headed north to check the east shoreline of the Vermet Unit for one last time. There was no activity except for a single Lesser Scaup relaxing on a rock next to shore. I rode past it without disturbing it.

I continued to the North Causeway and then looped around Cell 5 to check the Lake Erie shoreline. A pair of American White Pelicans were the only birds on the lake.

The dike between Cells 4 and 5 gave me binocular views of Redhead and Lesser Scaup. The construction field in the SW corner of Cell 5 was empty; I'd been hoping to see a Buff-breasted Sandpiper but there weren't even Killdeer present. So I continued back south to Cell 3.

As I arrived I saw a pair of bikes on the road and hiked in to find Geoff Malosh and Ross Green scoping shorebirds at pond's edge. Shout out, BTW, to Mark and Andy Dettling, Justin Labadie and Ross Green for building the bridge across the beaver strait to get to the edge of the mudflats. Wow! What a difference in viewing conditions.

Geoff and Ross had their scopes on the Western Sandpiper, but a pair of Wilson's Phalarope were foraging just a few feet away so I had to turn the camera on them first thing!

Several hundred photos later I turned my scope and attention to the Western Sandpiper that was foraging on the mudflat close enough to photograph. It stood out from the nearby Semipalmated Sandpipers by appearing longer-legged, slightly thinner in appearance, and having the long, decurved bill lacking in the Semipalms. Closer inspection revealed the rufous scapulars that stood out despite the graying head, back and sides. A bright white supercillium and less of a distinct collar made it appear lighter and more contrasty relative to the Semipalmated Sandpipers.

Geoff and Ross had been commenting that the above bird appeared different from the one they saw last Friday, and sure enough re-found their original bird preening at water's edge; the rufous scapulars were less-defined and the bird appeared slightly more worn and gray, and bulkier in appearance. When it finally showed its head we could see the bill length!

For comparison I made sure to photograph the Semipalmated Sandpipers. I will have a more-detailed writeup comparing the two species, but for now note the grayer-black coloration of the Semipalmated Sandpiper, short wing-projection, and short, straight stubby bill. 

Some of the Semipalmated Sandpipers showed evidence of rufous scapulars and bright supercillium but the stubby bill and short wing-projection precludes Western Sandpiper.

For the only time this season I'd finally have a chance to photograph the Long-billed Dowitchers hanging out along the SE shoreline of Cell 3. Despite the distance (still) I managed a couple pics.

We'd then turn scopes on a pair of Dunlin still hanging around. An adult showing some black still on the belly, but more importantly a couple of juvenile Dunlin that are not normally seen during migration. I couldn't get photos.

Andy and Mark Dettling would arrive a few minutes later and join the fun photographing the Western Sandpipers and Wilson's Phalaropes. I'd pack up and bid farewell for the season. It was time to hit the Lake Erie shoreline before heading down to the South Causeway.

Geoff had reported a pair of Ruddy Turnstones on the beach opposite of Cell 3, and I managed to find one as I rode south along the east side of Cell 3.

Continuing on to the South Causeway I stopped to photograph a Short-billed Dowitcher next to a Killdeer, spot a Black-bellied Plover along the west shoreline of the Humphries, and see my last(?) Black-necked Stilt of the season here.

It was time to head back to the car via Roberts Road and call the summer shorebird season at Point Mouillee a success!

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US
Aug 31, 2026 1:29 PM - 4:12 PM
Protocol: Traveling
11.209 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Overcast, hot, humid, 81F
46 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  36
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  5
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  32
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  120
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  2
Redhead (Aythya americana)  4
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  5
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Sora (Porzana carolina)  2
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)  9
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)  2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  8
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)  7
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  12
Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)  10     Cell 3 continuing
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)  1
Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)  3     Cell 3 continue. Pics.
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  1
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  24
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  6
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)  1
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)  6
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  3
White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis)  2
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  6
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)  8
Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)  2     Cell 3. Black legs, black bill longer and slightly decurved. Pics.
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  18
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  2
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  4
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  2
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  2
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  8
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  5
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  3
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)  2
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  2
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  300
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  3
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  120

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S388695976

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