Common Eiders and an Eastern Fox Snake - 24 Sep 2026

Strong ESE winds today made for tough conditions at the Detroit River Hawk Watch this afternoon. Winds were blowing (15 mph) Turkey Vultures to the north along the Canadian shoreline so few birds were crossing in the vicinity of the count site (Boat Launch at Lake Erie Metropark). 

Andrew (Sturgess) got a text message from Paul Cypher that 7 Common Eiders were spotted flying north from Metzger's Marsh in NW Ohio, then reported passing by Sterling State Park in Monroe by Geoff Malosh and heading our way. I decided to take a run to Cover Point at the Metropark to see if maybe they'd make a showing. 

I drove to Cove Point and found Justin Labadie scoping Lake Erie to the south. Winds were blowing strong and there was a chop on the water that made visibility tough. Hundreds of Double-crested Cormorants and Ring-billed Gulls did not help, either. He was there only 15 minutes or so (lunch break) so I stayed a few minutes longer.

As he was heading back to the car I spotted 7 brownish-gray, goose-sized birds flying south along the shoreline and disappearing around the corner near Pt. Mouillee HQ. I caught up w/ Justin and told him, "I think I may have just seen the Common Eiders." I would head to PMSGA HQ to look for them.

Meanwhile, he returned from the truck to check out an Eastern Fox Snake that was in the parking lot at the Cove Point Marina. The not-so-little guy was in a mood. Coiled up and rattling its (plain) tail the rufous-headed snake was hissing and snapping at him while he tried to pick it up. 

Not wanting to get bit I told him I'd get it off the parking lot and he could get back to work. I managed to nudge it toward the grass, but it kept wanting to fight. But, we both made it uninjured.

Michigan State University has a nice writeup on Eastern Fox Snakes in the State of Michigan

I drove down to Pt Mouillee HQ and spent some time scoping the Huron River mouth but did not see any eiders. I'd check Discord and find that several others saw the Common Eiders at the same time I did, so my visual must've been correct. Brendan Klick got a photo of the birds I saw flying the other way!

Common Eiders at Cove Point, image courtesy of Brendan Klick

Cove Point, Lake Erie Metropark, Wayne, Michigan, US
Sep 24, 2026 3:05 PM - 3:30 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments:     Common Eiders reported flying north from Sterling State Park under strong ESE winds. Scoping the lake from Cove Point. Clear, windy, cool, 70F
5 species

Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)  7     First reported flying north from Metzger's Marsh in NW OH the 7 large brown ducks were seen by Geoff Malosh flying north past Sterling State Park. I saw 7 large brown "goose-like" birds flying south along the shoreline and disappearing near Pt. Mouillee. Andrew Simon and Brendan Klick would report 7 eiders flying south past Cove Point at the same time. No pics.
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  15
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  80
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  4
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  170

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S396079414

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