Loon Yesterday, Grand Haven Birds Today

Last evening Mary Poort emailed that there was a Common Loon in the retention pond south of Penney's at the Lakes Mall concerned that it perhaps could not get out.  I went over there, watched the loon as it dove for food (coming up successfully once, though I don't know with what) and heard it give its lonesome wail at 8:35.  That was great to hear again for the first time in many years!  I assumed the bird was healthy and so did George Wickstrom when I described this to him last night.  The loon was still there this morning when I headed for Grand Haven, but was gone when I returned.

This morning I didn't spend as much time at Harbor Island as I'd planned due to electrical construction on the north side and too much truck noise.  During my 90 minutes I did find 22 bird species including Red-breasted Merganser, American Coot, Northern Flicker, Peregrine Falcon, Barn Swallow, Cedar Waxwing ...

... Yellow-rumped Warbler, Swamp Sparrow and Song Sparrow:

I headed to Hofma Preserve for the rest of the morning finding 24 species including Wood Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Red-shouldered Hawk, Sora, Sandhill Crane, Tree Swallow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Chipping Sparrow and Swamp Sparrow.  No wrens.

- Ric