Link to Golden Eagle Web Cam

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I thought some might enjoy this link to Oregon; there aren't many for Golden Eagles.

http://www.goldeneaglecam.com

Mike VanderStelt
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Common or Forster's?

This tern was at White Lake on Saturday, 4/23, but I'm undecided if it's a Common or a Forster's. The tail does extend past the wingtips but the underparts don't look exactly white. Any ideas, thoughts, or opinions? Thanks.

Mike Boston

Ospreys (After) the Fieldtrip

I shot these Osprey while moving in traffic across the Lake in Croton yesterday. There were three cars behind me and I had no place to pull over. When I turned around to get a better shot, they were gone.

Mike VanderStelt

White Lake

Friday Aprril 22, Indeed there is a pair of White Pelicans on White Lake.

 Also saw several Common Loons and lots of different ducks

 And a pair of Mute Swans acting more like Valentine's day than Easter

Also, Thanks to everyone at the Nature Club meeting last night, that enjoyed the slideshow, and thanks Mike for putting it together...

back yard shots

A Female Red-winged Blackbird, and Female Brown-headed Cowbird sit together watching, as the Males chase each other all over creation.

Female Downey Wooodpecker


Male Red-winged Blackbird "strutting his stuff"

Chipmunk shot -- for it's "next-of-kin" if it decides to dig a hole in my yard :)

Mike VanderStelt

Muskegon lakewatch and other birds, April 8-13

With the possibility of a government shutdown, I headed back home to Michigan for a brief respite. During that time, I conducted a few more waterbird counts and did some miscellaneous birding. Here are some highlights. Sorry for the late post, but as it turned out, I had to return to a busy work schedule out west.

Compared to the lake watch results from last winter and spring, the numbers of Long-tailed Ducks and Red-breasted Mergansers have been lower in Lake Michigan. Common Goldeneye and Common Mergansers have been more numerous.

Wood Duck 3 on April 9 at Lake Michigan

American Wigeon 3 on April 8 at Lake Michigan

Northern Pintail 6 on April 13 at Lake Michigan

Green-winged Teal 11 on April 13 at Lake Michigan

Greater Scaup 9 on April 8 at Lake Michigan

White-winged Scoter 3 on April 9 at Lake Michigan

Long-tailed Duck 18 on April 13 at Lake Michigan

Bufflehead 485 on April 12 at Muskegon Wastewater

Common Goldeneye 4 on April 12 at Lake Michigan

Red-breasted Merganser 30 on April 8 at Lake Michigan

Ruddy Duck 827 on April 12 at Muskegon Wastewater

Common Loon 15 on April 8 at Lake Michigan

Horned Grebe 1 on April 8 at Lake Michigan

Double-crested Cormorant 32 on April 12 at Lake Michigan

Osprey 1 on April 12 at Lake Michigan

Red-shouldered Hawk 1 on April 8 at Muskegon State Park

Rough-legged Hawk 1 on April 12 at Lanes Landing

Sora 1 on April 9 at Lanes Landing

Sandhill Crane 21 on April 12 at Lake Michigan

Bonaparte's Gull 76 on April 12 at Muskegon Wastewater

Caspian Tern 1 on April 12 at Lake Michigan

Forster's Tern 2 on April 8 at Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve (personal earliest)

Barred Owl 2 on April 9 at Muskegon State Game Area

Red-headed Woodpecker 1 on April 8 at Muskegon State Park

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 on April 8 at Muskegon State Park

Barn Swallow 2 on April 8 at Lake Michigan (personal earliest)

Golden-crowned Kinglet 3 on April 13 at Hoffmaster

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 on April 12 at Muskegon State Park

Hermit Thrush 2 on April 8 at Muskegon State Park

Eastern Towhee 1 on April 8 at Muskegon State Park

Chipping Sparrow 2 on April 12 at Muskegon State Park

Vesper Sparrow 2 on April 12 at Muskegon Wastewater

Lapland Longspur 31 on April 8 at Lake Michigan

Rusty Blackbird 1 on April 12 at Lanes Landing

Painted Turtle 127 on April 12 along the Maple River by the MSGA headquarters

Yellow-rumped Warbler

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Bruce Delamarter sends this photo taken yesterday of a Yellow-rumped Warbler.
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Bonaparte's Gull

This Bonaparte's Gull and several others were in the rapid filtration cell area at the Wastewater on Sunday, 4/17. Mike Boston

White Pelicans on White Lake Saturday

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"A couple of American White Pelicans were on White Lake Saturday afternoon (4/16) between 3:00 and 5:15.  The birds were on the NE end of the lake, easily viewable from Lake St., moving about from just north of White Lake Drive north to the White Lake Eagles Club.  Good Birding!"

- Jill Henemyer
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Short-eared's and Kingfishers at Wastewater

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I was fortunate enough to see 3 Short-eared Owls hunting along the ditch on Laketon east of Swanson yesterday (April 14).  I also saw several Belted Kingfishers along the ditches north of Apple Avenue at the Wastewater.

Rick Hamlin

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Lotsa New Arrivals Thursday!

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I had the good fortune to go birding this morning with Mike Resch, an excellent ABA birder from Massachusetts.  We birded the Lane's Landing marsh, State Game Area headquarters along the Maple River, and the Wastewater properties.  Feller DeWitt joined us along the way.
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The eBird list below speaks for itself, but have you ever seen American Tree Sparrow and Northern Parula at the same location on the same day?  
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- Ric
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Location:    Greater State Game and Wastewater Areas
Observation date:    4/14/11
Number of species:    73

Canada Goose - Branta canadensis    36
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor    1
Wood Duck - Aix sponsa    4
Gadwall - Anas strepera    2
American Wigeon - Anas americana    2    On west U-Pond, Lane's Landing marsh.
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos    8
Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors    2
Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata    60
Northern Pintail - Anas acuta    1    On the "snipe field" west of State Game Area headquarters.
Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca    5
Ring-necked Duck - Aythya collaris    1
Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis    3
Bufflehead - Bucephala albeola    36
Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus    24    2 at Lane's Landing Marsh, 22 on Clay Pond, Swanson south of Laketon.
Common Merganser - Mergus merganser    1    On Clay Pond, Swanson south of Laketon.
Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis    36
Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo    15
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias    2
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura    1
Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus    1
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis    2
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius    2
Virginia Rail - Rallus limicola    2    Vocalizing in mini-marsh east of Swanson south of Laketon.
Sora - Porzana carolina    1    Vocalizing on Lane's Landing marsh.
American Coot - Fulica americana    1    On the Clay Pond, Swanson south of Laketon.
Sandhill Crane - Grus canadensis    3
Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus    2
Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca    2    In the dry NE rapid filtration lagoon south of White Road.
Lesser Yellowlegs - Tringa flavipes    2    Lane's Landing marsh.
Upland Sandpiper - Bartramia longicauda    1    On the field SW of Laketon-Swanson intersection.
Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis    10
gull sp. - Larinae sp.    500    On the center dike.
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura    6
Barred Owl - Strix varia    1    Vocalizing north of the Maple River west of State Game Area headquarters.
Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon    1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus    1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Sphyrapicus varius    2    1 east of State Game Area headquarters, 1 at mini-marsh on Swanson south of Laketon.
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens    2
Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus    6
Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus    1
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe    2
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata    4
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos    4
Horned Lark - Eremophila alpestris    12
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor    24
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica    3
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus    8
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor    1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula    7
Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis    3
American Robin - Turdus migratorius    18
Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum    1    East of the State Game Area headquarters buildings.
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris    70
Northern Parula - Parula americana    1    Above the footbridge over the Maple River north of the State Game Area headquarters.
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) - Dendroica coronata coronata    4
Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas    1    Vocalizing on mini-marsh east of Swanson south of Laketon.
Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus    1    East of State Game Area headquarters.
American Tree Sparrow - Spizella arborea    8
Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina    2
Field Sparrow - Spizella pusilla    4
Vesper Sparrow - Pooecetes gramineus    5    Along Seba Road both north and south of Laketon on the south Wastewater properties.
Fox Sparrow - Passerella iliaca    1
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia    18
Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana    4
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) - Junco hyemalis hyemalis/carolinensis    8
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis    6
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus    36
Eastern Meadowlark - Sturnella magna    5
Rusty Blackbird - Euphagus carolinus    12    12 positively ID'd, but probably many more among the mixed blackbirds flying NE over Lane's Landing marsh toward the Maple River.
Brewer's Blackbird - Euphagus cyanocephalus    12    In the dry NE rapid filtration lagoon south of White Road.
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula    6
Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater    18
blackbird sp. - Icteridae sp.    100    Many flocks flying NE over Lane's Landing marsh toward the Maple River.
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus    2
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis    2
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus    2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2  (http://ebird.org)
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Brewer's Blackbirds at Wastewater Wednesday

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There were two Brewer's Blackbirds at the Wastewater today in the northeast rapid filtration pond that is located north of the dump station just off White Road.

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Feller DeWitt

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Ken & Ric - 26 Species at Coolbough

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Ken Sherburn and I did a "dry run" today in anticipation of his M.C.N.C. field trip later this month.  We walked the Coolbough Natural Area northeast of Newaygo from 9:00 until 1:00 enjoying a beautiful cool morning and seeing the birds reported to eBird below.
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- Ric
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Location:    Coolbough Natural Area
Observation date:    4/12/11
Number of species:    26

Wood Duck - Aix sponsa    2
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos    2
Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo    1
Sandhill Crane - Grus canadensis    3
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura    3
Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon    1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus    1
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens    3
Hairy Woodpecker - Picoides villosus    1
Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus    2
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata    4
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos    2
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor    8
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus    15
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor    2
Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis    1
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis    4
Brown Creeper - Certhia americana    3
Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis    2
Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus    4
American Robin - Turdus migratorius    14
Pine Warbler - Dendroica pinus    2
American Tree Sparrow - Spizella arborea    4
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis    1
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus    2
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis    2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2 (http://ebird.org)
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Kathryn's Tuesday Birds !

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Kathryn Mork went to the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve today (4/12/11) where she saw Fox Sparrow, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Yellow-rumped Warbler.  Then when she got home, she had a Carolina Wren at her feeder and birdbath.  She's at 99 Michigan species for the year and says, "I think I'm going to faint!"
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Towhee Monday

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Kathryn Mork reports an Eastern Towhee in her yard today (April 11).
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Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers Sunday

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Bruce Delamarter photographed this pair of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers on Sunday, April 10.
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Hermit Thrushes Monday

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Today (11-04-11) I had 4 Hermit Thrush at Ellis Road.

Charlie DeWitt

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Caspian Tern

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Bruce Delamarter sends these photos of a Caspian Tern near Snug Harbor today.
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Birds at Lanes, SGA and WW This Morning

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After birding the Lane's Landing marsh and the State Game Area headquarters areas (eBird lists below) I spent a half hour at Wastewater seeing these new species for the morning:  Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck (6), Turkey Vulture, Rough-legged Hawk (1 light morph), Ring-billed Gull, Horned Lark, European Starling, American Tree Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark and Common Grackle.
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Ric
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Location:    Muskegon SGA--Lane's Landing
Observation date:    4/9/11
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Notes:    I heard wing-flapping as of a swan at exact location where Trumpeter Swan has resided for last several years.
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Number of species:    18

Canada Goose - Branta canadensis    5
Wood Duck - Aix sponsa    4
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos    8
Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata    1
Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus    1
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis    1
American Coot - Fulica americana    1
Sandhill Crane - Grus canadensis    2
gull sp. - Larinae sp.    5
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura    2
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens    1
Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus    1
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata    1
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos    1
American Robin - Turdus migratorius    12
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia    10
Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana    3
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis    1
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus    20

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
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Location:    Muskegon SGA--Headquarters
Observation date:    4/9/11
Number of species:    24

Wood Duck - Aix sponsa    2
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos    5
Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo    12
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias    1
Sandhill Crane - Grus canadensis    1
gull sp. - Larinae sp.    1
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura    1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus    2
Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus    1
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe    1
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata    2
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos    1
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus    4
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor    1
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis    4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula    1
American Robin - Turdus migratorius    10
Field Sparrow - Spizella pusilla    1
Fox Sparrow - Passerella iliaca    1
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia    12
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis    2
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus  60 male 5 female
Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater    2
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis    1
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus    10

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
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Pied-billed Grebe and Fox Sparrow

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Birding at Muskegon Lake this morning, along Lake Shore Drive near the Lake Harbor Marina and we saw three Pied-billed Grebes.  It was foggy so the photo is not perfect.  I got a very nice photo of a Fox Sparrow this afternoon as well. Rick Hamlin . .

A Very Good Hour at Pere Marquette

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I had an hour or so this afternoon so I went out to Pere Marquette and saw lots of Red-breasted Mergansers and White-winged Scoters, two Common Loon fly-bys and two sitting on the water, two Greater Scaup, two Blue-winged Teal, several Long-tailed Ducks, two Black Scoters, three Horned Grebes, four Barn Swallows, one American Coot and one female Harlequin Duck, plus Herring Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls.

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I sprained my writing hand putting all these birds on my list and had to go home and drink coffee.

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Feller DeWitt

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Orange Variant House Finch

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Saturday (April 2) I had this  "Orange Variant" male House Finch at my feeders. This was a first for me.

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Susie Hughes

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Heron Rookery

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I was invited to some private property to view a Great Blue Heron Rookery. It is the first rookery that I have seen and it was incredible to watch the herons building nests. Here's a photo.
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Rick Hamlin
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Some Saturday Birds

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I got the photos of the Northern Flicker and the Common Grackle in our backyard yesterday (April 2). The Bald Eagles were on Mona Lake.

Rick Hamlin
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Wood Ducks Thursday

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