Great Black-backed Gulls at Grand Haven

Great Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls

I went to the Grand Haven north pier to check for ducks.  Nothing new.  What I did find was 15 Great Black-backed Gulls, 12 adult and 3 immature.  This is the most I have seen at one time on the pier.  The picture has 7 adult and 1 immature, plus some Herring Gulls.

- Charlie DeWitt

Winter Birds and HAPPY NEW YEAR !

December 30 Email:

Hi Ric:

I just thought I would pass along some bird pics from the Wastewater from the end of this week.  They are Snow Buntings bathing (and drying), Common Redpolls, and a Gadwall.    

Happy New Year!

- Kevin Feenstra 

Thanks for the photos, Kevin.  I was out there Saturday morning with my son and grandson looking unsuccessfully for an owl.  We did see a large flock of Common Redpolls and two Snow Geese among hundreds of Canada Geese.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !

- Ric

Golden Eagle and MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Judy Fleener had Brian Bialik send me these excellent pictures of a Golden Eagle he photographed last Wednesday at the Wastewater.  - Ric

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Video of Redpolls Last Wednesday

Carol Cooper sent this iPhone video of Common Redpolls along the center dike December 19, the day of the Wastewater Christmas Bird Count.  I finally figured how to post it.  - Ric

An Interesting Local Sighting

Yesterday one of the groups conducting the Muskegon Wastewater Christmas Bird Count reported a Eurasian Collared-Dove west of Ravenna along Heights-Ravenna Road.

- Ric

Monday at the Wastewater

 Bald Eagle

 Snow Geese

Red-tailed Hawk 

I had a chance to visit the Muskegon County Wastewater on Monday.  Not a lot going on bird wise, but it was a nice day to be birding.

- Charlie DeWitt

Wisdom Lays Another Egg at 68

December 9 Email from Ken Cook (who presented our October program) with information intended for some of our club members.  - Ric

I was thinking that some folks in your club may find the attached of interest.  Feel free to pass on as appropriate.  I had the privilege of taking this photo of Wisdom when I was at Midway Island a few years ago.

While it is not ultimately known for sure how long any Laysan Albatross lives, this particular documented one is now at least 68 years old.  As of 2018, it is claimed to be the oldest known banded bird released into the wild.

I can tell you that when I was there, all of the biologists knew where this bird was, and always kept an eye on it.  It was a continuing topic of conversation.

The attached (click here to read) appeared in recent news releases to indicate the egg-laying a couple of weeks ago.  To me these type of surprises are what makes taking photos such as this so interesting and enjoyable.

Thanks!

- Ken Cook

Short-eared Owl Friday in Ottawa County

Thanks to Ken Sapkowski for informing us that Carl and Judi Manning watched a Short-eared Owl late yesterday morning (!) on a field east of 128th Street south of Bingham (a couple miles southeast of Hemlock Crossing park in Ottawa County).  Even if you don't try to see the bird, click here to see Judi's many beautiful photographs!

- Ric