Birding Muskegon County Tuesday

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Tuesday Emails:
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Ric, I spent two hours looking for the Harris's Sparrow (March 13) at the State Game Area HQ, no luck.  I did see an Eastern Phoebe by the Yellow Gate at the SGA HQ, #100, not that it matters.
- Charlie DeWitt
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Amazing views of Long-tailed Ducks at Pere Marquette Park today. Pairs
floating twenty feet away from us. First of season Common Loon and 60+ WW. Scoters out there as well.

Wastewater: Lots of Shovelers and my FOY American Pipit. One Snowy Owl
still hanging out.

A gorgeous day in Muskegon County!
- Kirby Adams.

After Organismal Biology class Monday afternoon I set off on a target-orientated yearbirding spree.  I stopped by the Lautenbach's spot on the Musketawa Trail, the Wastewater, and Lane's Landing.

There were only a few Canada Geese and Mallard left at the Musketawa-Swanson intersection.  My car got extremely filthy, and I missed the Ross's Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese, and Snow Geese (but they're all on my monthlist anyway).  At Swanson Avenue, I bumped into this guy  (photo below).
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(http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S10159647):

Short-eared Owl was yearbird #86.  I spent 30 minutes looking for a Shrike on Swanson/Laketon, because that would also be a yearbird, but had no success.  Waterfowl on the wastewater seemed quite limited, but I did pick out Canvasback (#87), Green-winged Teal (#88), American Wigeon (#89), and Northern Pintail (#90), mostly all in the southwest corner of both lagoons.  I continued on to be disappointed by 14 Trumpeter Swans, since I would have liked them to be Tundra Swans (nemesis yearbird).  Meadowlark (#91) was an easy grab throughout the WW as well.  Chipping Sparrow (#92) rounded off the perching birds.

At Lane's Landing in Muskegon SGA, I found some of those really hard to get Muskegon County birds, like Cooper's Hawk.  I also found a Northern Shrike (#93--wow!) chasing a Downy Woodpecker.  I stood around waiting for Rusty Blackbird, Snipe, and Woodcock, and in the meantime picked up Wood Duck (#94).  After sunset, I despondently headed back to the Wastewater, having missed both Woodcock and Snipe.  I found 2 Short-eared Owls prowling the prairies at the Model Airport, and then proceeded to find 2 Cackling Geese (#95) in with a thousand or so Canada Geese on the easat side of Swanson in the flooded field.  As I headed home on Apple Avenue, 2 American Woodcock (#96) flew directly overhead between Swanson and Maple Island.  I felt pretty good now.

So, if Charlie (or any of you) can get 11 yearbirds in 3 hours, I'll pay him a buck!!  4 more for me to go before #100, and I'm still missing some basics.

Splendid Birding,

Zachary DeBruine

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