Fox Sparrow February 26

Add Fox Sparrow to the Early Bird List.  Kathryn Mork saw one at her feeder on Sunday.

Red-shouldered Hawks

Our Red-shouldered Hawks again screamed around our neighborhood for awhile this morning.  This one (I think the male) perched in a tree out back long enough to be photographed.

- Ric

Snow Geese at Grand Haven Sunday

These are ten of the fifteen Snow Geese (7 blue and 8 white) that were on Harbor Island this afternoon.

- Charlie DeWitt

Starling Feeding Frenzy?

Yesterday a flock of European Starlings invaded our backyard.  Most remained on the ground, but several climbed all over our seed feeder, and some even flew to the peanut feeder at our kitchen window.



They were in a frenzy, squawking and jostling, hanging to the feeder and flopping on the windowsill.  At one point there were five on the peanut feeder at the same time!  I never saw one pull a peanut, nor do I know if a starling can even eat a peanut.  What was that about?

Comments most welcome!

- Ric

Hello Waxwings, Good-bye Berries

Today this Cedar Waxwing and a flock of its friends invaded the holly outside our corner bedroom window and ate most of the berries in a short amount of time!

- Ric

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Problem

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid has now been confirmed at Hoffmaster State Park!  This is bad news.  If you live in the West Michigan area, you might remove any bird feeders from their proximity to Hemlock trees.  For information about a training session next month for volunteers to help monitor hemlocks, see today's post on our homepage.

Woodcock/s Back in My Neighborhood

I heard four "peents" from at least one American Woodcock just before dark this evening on their field near the blueberry patch.  Three calls from north were within a minute; one from south was three minutes later.  All could have been from the same bird.  I didn't see or hear any flights, but nearby traffic noise and a very dark sky made hearing and viewing difficult.

This is two weeks earlier in the season than I've ever heard them before -- thanks to Charlie DeWitt for suggesting I give "my field" a listen!

- Ric

Fish Dinner

February 23 Email:

Saw this Bald Eagle yesterday afternoon by the helicopter on Sea-
way Drive.  (Vietnam Memorial Park, east end of Mona Lake).  

It had a kill up on the branch.

Larry Houseman

Georgia on My Mind

Spending the winter in Georgia.  Had large numbers of robins and bluebirds pass through over the past couple weeks, plus finches, and a few warblers seem to be coming now.

Pictured: Eastern Bluebird, Carolina Wren, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Pine Warbler and Red-headed Woodpecker. 

- Don Neumann

Today's Field Trip

Thirteen of us found 30 bird species on our February field trip in Ottawa County today; details on the homepage.

Kingfisher Along White Road

Larry Houseman photographed this male Belted Kingfisher along White Road near the Administration driveway on Tuesday.

Snow Geese Friday at the Wastewater

Larry Houseman emailed these photos that he took of Snow Geese at the Wastewater on Friday, February 11.

Pileated Woodpecker Visiting the Neighbors

Larry Houseman sends this photo of a Pileated Woodpecker in his neighbor's tree.

Nothing Unusual at the Wastewater

After renewing my pass and seeing Anita Friend about some club business, I drove around the Wastewater properties this morning.  I found nothing unusual: this male Common Goldeneye, a few hundred Canada Geese, several dozen Mallards, a few Gadwall, plus the usual crows, gulls and starlings.

- Ric

Common Winter Birds at the Preserve Today

After snapping some site-photos at Muskegon State Park this morning, I drove back to the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, threw seed on the pavilion feeders, and watched the usual suspects come in for breakfast.   

 American Tree Sparrows

Blue Jays

Black-capped Chickadee (one of Brian's)

Tree Sparrows out-numbered all others, and there were plenty of chickadees, cardinals and jays plus some doves, nuthatches, juncos, titmice and House Sparrows.

- Ric

Red-shouldered Hawk

I saw this Red-shouldered Hawk while I was driving on Moorland Road.

- Charlie DeWitt

Thursday Morning at the Wastewater

 Gadwall

Ross's Goose

Greater White-fronted Geese

 Red Fox

In the middle of the East Lagoon

 

 Lapland Longspur mixed in with 100 Snow Buntings

 Mourning Dove

American Tree Sparrow

- Charlie DeWitt

Another Golden Eagle and Good Geese

Yesterday (Feb. 1) Ken Sapkowski saw an immature Golden Eagle flying east to west above the pines north of the Wastewater entrance road.  White markings on its wings and tail indicated this was not the Golden Eagle reported by Myles McNally (see Jan. 17 post below).  

Ken also mentioned a report of Greater White-fronted Geese in Rapid Filtration Cell E5 yesterday and a white-morph Snow Goose in the same general area.