Racing The Storm - 22 Aug 2026

This morning Justin Labadie reported 3 Red-necked Pharopes and 10 Wilson's Phalaropes in Cell 3 to go along w/ an American Avocet. I decided to go chase them this afternoon but had to tend with an incoming storm. When I left the house at 11:30 am the front was over Ann Arbor and moving toward western Wayne County; I was hoping to avoid it by heading south to Monroe and Pt. Mouillee. 

I arrived just before noon and headed out onto the Middle Causeway from the Mouillee Creek parking lot. Skies were dark to the west but light to the north and east (and south). I wanted to check out the Walpatich Unit first so I headed along the south dike to the east looking for shorebirds.

A flock of shorebirds took off that included Lesser Yellowlegs, Killdeer and Short-billed Dowitchers. They settled down along the middle dike but a few landed close enough to photograph, including this Spotted Sandpiper,

Lesser Yellowlegs, 

and Solitary Sandpiper.

A Greater Yellowlegs from the near-shore and "blasted" back and forth in front of me. I spent the time trying to get the 600/4 on it as it zipped and circled in front of me, but only managed one frame as it flew by. 

Luckily, it landed in the mud just a few feet out so I was able to get some pics that showed it to be a juvenile. Note the bill is slightly upturned and ~1.5X the width of the head.

As I was photographing it a Lesser Yellowlegs flew in (right, below).

The Greater Yellowlegs spooked, but only for a moment.

I then headed north along the east shoreline then took the middle dike back to the west. A Short-billed Dowitcher (juvenile) was foraging about 20' away and allowed a few portrait shots as it moved across my left.

Another Lesser Yellowlegs flew in and foraged next to a Stilt Sandpiper.

Juvenile Stilt Sandpiper.

I then headed to the North Causeway and rode east to the Banana Unit. I stopped in the NE corner and had to take a photo of the incoming storm front (see Top image).

I headed south along the east bank of the Vermet Unit and came upon a Lesser Scaup sitting quietly next to the bank. 

I managed to get a few pics and continue on without spooking the duck. I did not see any shorebirds in sight, and when this Peregrine Falcon flushed from the rocks in front of me I understood why. I managed to get some photos as it flew to the south, circled, flew back overhead, then circled again to the south,

I'd manage to see a Black-necked Stilt and another Lesser Yellowlegs along the shoreline but nothing else.

When I reached the Humphries Unit on the way to Cell 3 I stopped to get a photo of the American Lotus beds in the Humphries. The dark skies to the west helped illuminate the flowering lotus.

I reached Cell 3 just as the first rumbles of thunder originated from the west. I quickly headed to the pond's edge and saw a Red-necked Phalarope swimming near shore. I managed a few photos as it swam by but was obstructed by the high vegetation in front of me. 

I then set up the scope and quickly surveyed the far shore. I found several Black-necked Stilts, several Wilson's Phalaropes, a couple Stilt Sandpipers, and groups of Green-winged Teal

and Short-billed Dowitchers and Long-billed Dowitchers (the gray birds).

With nothing left to see I quickly packed up and headed back to the bike. I wanted to hit the South Causeway before heading back to the car so I continued south as the first lightning strikes could be seen. 

A Black-bellied Plover was in the SW corner of the Humphries along with several Black-necked Stilts, Short-billed Dowitchers, and Lesser Yellowlegs. I had no real photo opps so I quickly headed to Roberts Road past the parking lot and back north toward Mouillee Creek.

I got as far as the temporary bridge and the cement road blocks when the rain started coming down. I rode to the silo area with the intention of taking cover next to or inside it but a large poison ivy patch between me and the silo forced me to take cover next to a large tree. I poured, but I managed to get only wet (not soaked).

As soon as rain began to lighten up I headed back to the bike and rode to the car. The rain stopped and I was able to get back to the car and packed up before heading home. 

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US
Aug 22, 2026 11:56 AM - 1:36 PM
Protocol: Traveling
9.304 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Dark, storms hit in last half-hour. 78 to 70F. Heavy rain.
44 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  24
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  6
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  4
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  26
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  4
Redhead (Aythya americana)  2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  6
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)  2
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)  8     Continuing Cell 3 and Vermet Unit.
American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)  1     Continuing in Cell 3. Adult starting to molt into basic plumage. Back feathers starting to gray and orange along the neck and head fading to white.
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)  1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  52
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)  2
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  24
Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)  14     Gray adults in Cell 3
Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)  5     10 reported in Cell 3 this morning. Only saw 5 under obscured cover. Pale white phalaropes.
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)  1     Cell 3. Phalarope w eye patch and large orange-fringed feathers on back.
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  2
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)  2
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  16
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  6
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)  8
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  2
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)  5
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  2
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  13
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  2
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  9
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  24
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  6
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  1
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)  1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  1
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)  4
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  4
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  4
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  65
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  32
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S385858138

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