Saturday, September 26, 2015

Hawk and Blue Jay Watching Saturday


Several raptors migrated past Muskegon State Park between 9:00 and 11:00 this morning: 4 Northern Harriers, 44 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 Cooper's, 2 Broad-winged's, 1 Red-tailed and 3 American Kestrels.  

Blurry but well-fed Northern Harrier

One of the migrating kestrels was holding lunch in its talons and occasionally taking bites as it flew.  Two other kestrels, another redtail and this Merlin did not appear to be migrating.


Long ago at the Hoffmaster Dune Climb Stairway I watched several Sharp-shinned Hawks chasing Blue Jays over the treetops.  The jays would fly over the blow-out below the dune, the sharpies would give chase, and the jays would dive into the trees.  With the sharpies still flying around the area, the jays would again fly over that blow-out!  It sounds crazy, but it looked like an intentional behavior by the jays as if they wanted to be chased.

Today I watched a group of about ten Blue Jays fly out from the treetops north of "Jeff's Dune" despite the fact that this male American Kestrel was circling overhead.


The kestrel dove at them, and the jays dove back to the trees. The kestrel soared up, the jays flew out again, the kestrel dropped toward them, and the jays rushed back to the trees. The jays flew out again, the kestrel chased again, this time getting within a few feet of the last retreating jay before it reached the trees.  Why would Blue Jays do this?

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Hawks Migrating at "Jeff's Dune" Today


Today Jeff Johnson and I spent 4+ hours (9:00-1:15) hawkwatching from "Jeff's Dune" north of the Muskegon Channel at Muskegon State Park.  We observed 151 raptors and recorded 147 migrating including 138 Sharp-shinned Hawks.

Osprey

 Red-tailed Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Other raptors included 2 Cooper's Hawks, 2 Northern Harriers, 2 Broad-winged Hawks, 1 Osprey, 1 Merlin (perched in a tree near the bath house on the lakeshore), 1 American Kestrel (flying north of us, did not appear to be migrating), and 3 Red-tailed Hawks (only 1 of which flew past us and continued south).  Scores of Blue Jays migrated by and many others flew around the area.  There were also plenty of Northern Flickers and American Crows today.

- Ric

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Whip-poor-will and Merlin on Field Trip


The rain stopped before our monthly field trip began.  Seven of us walked the protected trails of the Kitchell-Lindquist Dunes Preserve and the windy north side of the Grand Haven Channel this morning recording 30 species of birds.


In the woods of the preserve we saw Swainson's Thrush, Blue-headed Vireo, a female Scarlet Tanager and some warblers including Yellow-rumped.  Sharp-shinned Hawk, Northern Harrier and Red-tailed Hawk migrated overhead.

The highlight was a sleeping Eastern Whip-Poor-Will brought to our attention by a mobbing group of chickadees and nuthatches that must have mistaken it for a raptor.


A Merlin greeted us at the north pier parking lot and seven Sanderling fought the strong winds while foraging along the Lake Michigan shoreline north of the pier.


Friday, September 18, 2015

Monarch and Bird House Bee Hive


Just a couple of interesting pictures. Monarch Butterfly preparing for migration and a bird house/ bee hive.

- Don Neumann



Black-bellied Plover



I saw this Black-bellied Plover in the northeast corner of the west lagoon at the Wastewater today, 9/18/2015.

- Mike Boston

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Quiet North and South of Grand Haven Today


Runners and bicyclists on Harbor Island out-numbered the 23 birds (10 species) in thirty minutes this morning, so I drove down to Hofma Preserve where it was also quiet (30 birds, 16 species).  An Osprey flew over the marsh, a Wren (I presume juvenile Sedge) begged for food on the boardwalk, and this Viceroy butterfly wanted its picture taken.  ;-)  - Ric




Friday, September 11, 2015

Odd Goose at the Wastewater Today


September 11 Email:

I spent some time at the Wastewater this morning and found this odd goose.  The American Goldfinch wanted to have its picture taken. ;-)  - Charlie DeWitt




Thanks for the pictures, Charlie.  Assuming that your goose is a Canada x ??? hybrid, does anyone have an idea what the "???" is?  That's a beautiful goldfinch portrait!  - Ric

Birds and People at the Nature Preserve


We observed 17 species of birds at the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve this morning including Belted Kingfisher, Warbling Vireo, American Redstart, Nashville Warbler, Ovenbird and Swainson's Thrush.  From 10:00-11:30 Brian Johnson presented his bird-banding operation to some residents from The Village at Park Terrace .

Carol Cooper & Stacey Wilde watch Brian display a catbird.

Brian holds a male redstart.
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Swainson's Thrush
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Grasshopper on Brian's car.

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

American White Pelican at Fremont


Terra Berry sends cell phone photo from this weekend by Fremont Schools of an American White Pelican.


Thursday, September 3, 2015

Nighthawks Wednesday Evening


September 2 Email:

Common Nighthawk from my back yard tonight.  There were 20+. - Dan Lockard