Eider and Scoters in the Channel Today

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 Common Eider

 White-winged Scoter

 Black Scoter

Greater Scaup

I spent some time at the Muskegon Channel this afternoon and found some good birds.  The Common Eider and White-winged Scoter were by the USS Silversides.  The Black Scoter and Greater Scaup were located from the Channel Drive parking lot.

  

- Charlie DeWitt

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Ravens and Snipes and Lark and Eagle

Terra Berry sends these recent photos taken on the Wastewater properties:  Common Ravens and Wilson Snipes on Saturday February 21, Horned Lark and Bald Eagle on Sunday February 15.

Caught With Its Mouth Open

Sherri Lockard sends this photo from yesterday of a Bald Eagle on the Wastewater properties eating its lunch.

Eider at Channel and Shrike at Wastewater

At 1:00 p.m. to Mich-listers:

[ Common Eider ] seen just now by the lighthouse on the south inner breakwater.  An hour earlier it had been seen at the east end of the breakwater, so it is moving around. 

Dan Fox
Sent from my iPhone

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Meanwhile on the gray and gloomy Wastewater properties this morning, the Northern Shrike was back, perched atop a tree south of the elbow on Laketon 1/4 mile west of Swanson.  The Penny's from Grand Rapids Audubon reported 13 Bald Eagles by the Landfill.  I saw 8 of those plus two Red-tailed Hawks, an accipiter (Cooper's Hawk probably) and four light-morph Rough-legged Hawks.

Forty acrobatic American Tree Sparrows provided entertainment south of the model airplane field.  Foraging mostly on the snow, they would occasionally fly up to the tops of the grasses for seeds, sometimes riding the stems back down to the snow.

- Ric

Muskegon Channel Eider Update and Photo

To Mich-chat Feb. 18 at 6:47 p.m.:

After comparing the December common eider and the current common eider in Muskegon (see Marc Miedema's Feb. 17 post below), I'm not convinced they are the same bird.  However, I don't know how much the head pattern can change in a matter of six weeks through wear or molt.  The head pattern on these two birds is definitely different.  The Muskegon bird also seems darker brown, but that might just be the lighting conditions. I don't think I am supposed to attach photos in Mich-chat, so if you want to see the photos of both birds, send me an email and I'll send them to you.  Please respond with your thoughts after you view the photos.

- Chip Francke

This is Chip's photo from yesterday of the Muskegon eider.

Hawk Watching Our Bird Feeders This Morning

Carol just noticed this Red-shouldered Hawk watching ours and our neighbor's bird feeders.  I was able to take a blurry snapshot through the window before it departed.

- Ric

Eider in Muskegon Channel Today

February 17 to Mich-Listers:

Birders,

There is an Eider in the Muskegon Channel currently (4:55, 2/17/15).   I don't have any field guides with me, but I think it's a Common Eider.  I managed a grainy digiscope pic with my phone. 

http://flic.kr/p/rcqGYf

Regards,
Marc Miedema

Christmas Count Participants over the Years

February 13 conclusion of an email from Brian Johnson:

... I also spent some time cleaning up my version of the Muskegon CBC database, specifically some of my north zone notes. I took a little detour and looked at participants over the years.

There have been 254 observers. Of those:

140 have only assisted once.

66 have helped 2-5 times.

25 have helped 6-10 times.

15 have helped 11-20 times.

8 have participated on more than 20 counts.

George Wickstrom was present on 56.

Two February Oddities

Yesterday afternoon while walking a nearby path, I chanced upon the animal circled in the first photo.  It lay on its back atop the snow in mint condition, though dead.  At anytime of year this would seem odd, but especially in mid-winter.  You may guess what it is before viewing the fifth photo.

Meanwhile the other three photos show a Hermit Thrush that's been feeding (and even singing) at a residence in Norton Shores the last few days.  This is also an odd species to see around here in mid-winter.  When Brian Johnson saw one on December 20 at Muskegon State Park, it was the first ever on a Muskegon Christmas Bird Count.

- Ric

( Star-nosed Mole, Condylura cristata )

Snipe and Larks at Wastewater Friday

February 9 Email:

Good Morning,

Shawn and I took a trip to Muskegon Wastewater this past Friday.
We saw 3 Wilson's Snipes.  We got 2 of them flying and 1 taking a break.  We also saw around 100 Horned Larks.  Thanks!

Terra Berry

Newaygo Banded Bald Eagle

February 9 Email:

Hi Ric, 

I was going to comment on your banded eagle post (see Bruce Delamarter's photo posted January 23 below) but was unable to add the picture of the banded eagle Shawn and I saw the same day (1-23) in Newaygo County north of White Cloud.  I am sending you a few photos of the one we saw.  Unfortunately we did not notice the band until we looked at the photos, so we did not get a close up of the band to be able to read it.

Have a great birding day,
Terra Berry

Terra, thanks for the report and photos.  I don't know which local Bald Eagle nests (if any) are still having their babies banded, but this time of year there are plenty of them down here from further north as well.  Based on the "saw-toothed" look of the flight feathers on the back edge of the wings (longer ones are juvenile first-year feathers still retained in second year), I'm guessing this bird was born and banded in 2013.  The banded eagle that Bruce photographed on that same day posted below is a juvenile born in 2014.  - Ric

Peanut Butter Rabbit

February 2 Email:

I put out peanut butter on different branches for the birds and squirrels at the nature preserve.  Who knew rabbits like it too?  Not the greatest picture, but I did capture the rabbit eating it off the branch.

- Carol Cooper