Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Of Harriers, Loons and Grebes

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At the Muskegon Channel shortly before 10:00 this morning two Northern Harriers soared high overhead northbound occasionally interacting.  Then one went into a 45-degree power-stoop toward a small bird north of the Channel.  The bird evaded it.  The Harrier then tail-chased the bird down to the treetops before rejoining its companion high above Muskegon State Park.  It seemed like unusual behavior for a Harrier.  (Later during the hawkwatch, one juvenile Harrier migrated over.)
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Moments later a Horned Grebe appeared right beside the McLane.  Looking almost directly down on him, I was able to follow two of his dives into the water until he was perhaps ten feet down.  You know how they sort of arch up before they dive, and then head down fast.  Well, during this one's first few feet below the surface, it really wasn't going that fast until its legs (which seem to be attached almost as far back as its tail) started to propel it, but then it zoomed down into the depths!
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After its third dive it popped up next to the Silversides with a friend.  After they dove, three popped up! A minute later I saw another Horned Grebe on the other side of the Channel.  Didn't know if it was one of the original three, but seconds later three popped up again next to the Silversides, so there were at least four Horned Grebes in the Channel this morning.
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I also watched a Common Loon fly out the Channel from Muskegon Lake toward Lake Michigan.  (See Feller DeWitt's paragraph below regarding the same time period.)
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- Ric

This morning from 10:00-11:00 a.m.. I was on the south breakwall at Pere Marquette Park and saw several Common and Ted-throated Loons fly past.  There were a lot of ducks moving south, but they were so far out I could not I.D. them.  Two Horned Grebes were outside the breakwall and two more were inside.

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