Opinions About This Hummingbird Requested

I ran across this hummingbird this morning and after several hours of waiting to take its picture, I gave up and just set up for video.  Click here for the YouTube link.  Excuse my slightly missed focus as I (don't laugh) forgot to take my camera off manual focus for the video.  In any event, it's good enough to get some opinions of the "strange" white streak on the back of its head.  Please post your comments.

Mike VanderStelt

Marbled Godwit at Wastewater Today

May 25 Email:

I spotted a Marbled Godwit at the Wastewater this morning.  It was near some geese and Mallards by a flooded area in the field just south of Apple and east of Swanson.

Jill Henemyer

Cormorant at Wastewater

Dan Lockard sends this portrait of a Double-crested Cormorant at the Wastewater yesterday.

Red-necked Phalarope at Wastewater

 Red-necked Phalarope

photo by Carol DeWitt

 Red-necked Phalarope flying

Rainy day American Coots

Thanks to Ken Sapkowski, Carol and I were able to find the Red-necked Phalarope at Muskegon County Wastewater.  We had to wait for the phalarope to show itself.  Then we got rained out.

Charlie DeWitt

Shorebirds at Wastewater; Pileated on Feeder

Ken Sapkowski reports Wilson's Phalarope, Red-necked Phalarope, Black-bellied Plover and Semipalmated Plover at the Wastewater today.  Dan Lockard sends this photo of a Ruddy Turnstone also at the Wastewater today.  Meanwhile Kathryn Mork had a Pileated Woodpecker on her suet feeder.

Warm Weather Snow Goose

This Snow Goose was at my pond today.  Maybe it wanted some ice cream to cool off!

Don Neumann

Don's ice cream shop is on Russell Road at the US-31 interchange north of North Muskegon. - Ric

125 Species on Big Day Saturday

On our club's annual Big Day Count yesterday (5/18/13) from four to ten birders tallied 125 bird species.  Click here for details, photos and our list.

- Ric

Sunday Email:  Attached is a picture of a Wilson's Phalarope taken Friday 5/17 in the aeration pond to the right of the shed.  Sorry I couldn't hold him there for the group on Saturday. The top part of the photo isn't a gray sky, it's a wave.   - Ken Sapkowski  P.S.:  I threw in a side view too.
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Black-billed Cuckoo

I saw this Black-billed Cuckoo at Patterson Park in Ravenna on Sunday morning, 5/19/13

Mike Boston

Black Terns at Muskegon County Wastewater

There were 6 Black Terns at the Muskegon County Wastewater today.  Thank you, Felix, they were in the East Lagoon.  In RI Cell D6 there were 7 Dowitchers.  I also had 7 Ruddy Turnstones in one of the aeration cells.

Charlie DeWitt

Western Meadowlark

Sunday Morning Email:

Hi Ric,

I found (and got on video) a singing Western Meadowlark in White River Township around 7:00 last evening.  The bird was both on a utility wire and in the field near the large communication tower southwest of the intersection of Eilers and Chase Roads.  Several Eastern Meadowlarks were present and singing as well.

Jill Henemyer

Yellow-breasted Chat and Cattle Egret

Back from ten days birding Southeast Arizona with Andy (recording 178 species, but who's counting?) I've found these two items of local interest both emailed on May 1.

- Ric

Yellow-breasted Chat, Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, 7:00 p.m., May 1.  Bonnie (Kot) and I both called the bird.  We were on the boardwalk along the creek near the "bridge".  Also 2 Yellow Warblers, 2 Nashville Warblers, 1 Palm Warbler.

Dave Herdegen

- - -

Hi Ric,

Spotted this Cattle Egret out at the Muskegon Wastewater area earlier this evening and Rick Hamlin told me the Muskegon Nature Club would be interested in the sighting.  I have never seen a Cattle Egret in Michigan before.

Randy Wegener

Rick is right, we are interested!  It's been quite a few years since I've heard of one of these in our county.  - Ric

Red-necked Grebe at the Wastewater

Red-necked Grebe

At Muskegon County Wastewater in the northeast corner of the west lagoon near the center dike.

 Blue Racer Lane's Landing

Blue-winged Warbler

North side of the Maple River west of the Muskegon State Game Area Headquarters building

The Prothonotary Warbler is back at Lane's Landing.

Charlie DeWitt

ID Help, Please

Bruce Delamarter sent these photos that he took in Laketon Township.  Looks to be some type of pheasant.  Any help to ID the bird would be great.

Don Neumann

Muskegon County Wastewater

 Savannah Sparrow

Horned Grebe

photo by Carol DeWitt

At Muskegon County Wastewater today I found a Grasshopper Sparrow in Rapid Infiltration Cell A3.  In cell D6 I had 4 Pectoral Sandpipers and 10 Least Sandpipers.

Charlie DeWitt

American Redstart

I saw this American Redstart at the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve on Friday evening, May 3rd.

Mike Boston

Yellow-breasted Chat at Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve

On Wednesday May 1, Dave Herdegen and Bonnnie Kott saw a Yellow-breasted Chat at the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve.  It was on the east side of the preserve where the boardwalk follows the small channel.
On Thursday May 2 Feller DeWitt and I looked for the Chat but we could not locate it,  it could still be in the area!  So keep your eyes open, you might be the next one to see it.

Charlie DeWitt

Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve

 American Goldfinch

 Blue-winged Warbler

Blackpoll Warbler

I spent some time Thursday morning birding the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, finding 39 species of birds.  The warblers were Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler and Blackpoll Warbler.  I also had my first-of-the-year White-crowned Sparrow.

Charlie DeWitt

Good Day of Birding Muskegon County

 Ruffed Grouse, Lane's Landing

 Yellow Warbler,  Lane's Landing

 Common Yellowthroat,  Lane's Landing

 Northern Waterthrush south side of Maple River, Muskegon State Game Area.
(Later we went to Patterson Park and found the Louisiana Waterthrush.)

Upland Sandpiper Muskegon County Wastewater

Birded Lane's Landing, Muskegon State Game Area Headquarters, Muskegon County Wastewater, Patterson Park and Black Lake Park.  Found 80 species of birds.

Charlie DeWitt