Red-shouldered Hawk on W.W. C.B.C.

December 31 Email:

Ken Sapkowski sends these photos of a Red-shouldered Hawk taken Dec. 21 on the Wastewater Christmas Bird Count along Maple Island Road south of the Muskegon River.

Rough-legged Hawk on Christmas Day

December 25 Email:

After a drop off at the airport I drove through the Wastewater briefly.  Very peaceful (of people and animals).  Did get a couple pictures.  I was watching this Rough-legged Hawk in a tree when I guess he decided he needed a closer look at what I was doing and got too close for my camera!

Merry Christmas!

- Torsten Pawlowski

Sapsucker and Ravens on WW CBC Yesterday

Jim Zervos and I counted 375 birds of 21 species yesterday morning while birding the northeast quadrant of the Muskegon County Wastewater Christmas Bird Count.

Highlights included two Pileated Woodpeckers miles apart just flying over open fields, a Great Blue Heron east of Bridgeton, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (!) south of Bridgeton, and a pair of Common Ravens back on the Wastewater properties outside our sector.

Our most common species were Mourning Dove (102), European Starling (89), Rock Pigeon (all 36 on one barn roof), Blue Jay (33), Dark-eyed Junco (24) and American Crow (22).  

We missed two target birds (Northern Shrike and Snowy Owl). 

- Ric

Feeding Ken's Nuthatch

Ken Sapkowski's Red-breasted Nuthatch  "Up Close and Personal":

Please Remove Bird Feeders from Hemlocks

December 8 Email:

Ric,

The DNR has just issued a request of all Visitor Centers and offices in the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid hotspots here along the Lake Michigan shoreline to remove all bird feeders from areas adjacent to or near Hemlock trees in an effort to control the spread.  It might be a good idea to let your members know that it is recommended to remove bird feeders from home yards with Eastern Hemlock in an effort to protect those trees from the spread of Hemlock Wooly Adelgid.  It is a known fact that birds carry the crawlers and spread the infection.

Thanks for spreading the word.  Happy Holidays.

- Elizabeth Brockwell-Tillman, 

  Hoffmaster State Park

Great Black-backed Gulls at Grand Haven

Great Black-backed Gull, adult

Great Black-backed Gull, Juvenile

Herring Gull and Great Black-backed Gull

I had three Great Black-backed Gulls at Grand Haven State Park this morning around 10:00 a.m.

- Charlie DeWitt