Rusty Blackbirds and Dwindling Shorebirds - 02 Nov 2026

I drove down to Lake Erie Metropark and Cove Point to look for a lingering Stilt Sandpiper that was one of three hanging around for the past several days. Skies were cloudy and it was breezy, but mild. Unfortunately, when I arrived at 8:30 am the marsh just north of the Cove Point parking lot was hosting only 3 Lesser Yellowlegs (and 120 Green-winged Teal).

I decided I would then drive into the park and look for a pair of Hudsonian Godwits still lingering, as well. A drive to the Wave Pool and a walk to the service road failed to produce any such birds. A dozen Killdeer still occupy the mudflats where the HUGOs were last seen.

I took solace in a flock of 120 Rusty Blackbirds in the dead trees to the west. Despite the dark skies I managed a few keepers.

I then walked the road to Cove Point to the south and scoped the marsh to the west of the road. A dozen Lesser Yellowlegs and a pair of Greater Yellowlegs were foraging in the distance, but again, no STSP nor HUGO.

Lake Erie Metropark, Wayne, Michigan, US
Nov 2, 2026 8:31 AM - 9:21 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.773 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Cloudy, mild, breezy, 57mph,
26 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  32
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  14
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  18
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)  1
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  120
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  6
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)  4
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  26     21 in marsh south of service road, and rest at Cove Point.
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  13     3 at Cove Point, 10 in marsh west of road to Cove Point.
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  2
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  1
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  2
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  12
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  5
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  6
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)  120
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  6
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S407506774

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

I still had some time so I drove south to Roberts Road to walk the Bad Creek Unit dike to the South Causeway to look for shorebirds. Only a pair of Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser Yellowlegs were seen in the shallow waters. Otherwise it was drab, blustery, lonely-feeling November morning. 

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 31), Monroe, Michigan, US

Nov 2, 2026 9:30 AM - 10:14 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.302 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Cloudy, 57F, winds 11mph from S
14 species
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  1
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  2     South Causeway. Bill 1x width of head.
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  2     South Causeway on mudflat. Bill 1.5x width of head.
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  7
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  1
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  20
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  14
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  1
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  36
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  4
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S407520405

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

It appears that shorebirding may be winding down for the migration season. I'll still keep looking, though.