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