Summer Tanager Was in Norton Shores!

A female Summer Tanager appeared daily at a backyard feeder in Norton Shores from Thanksgiving until last Thursday (Jan. 24, '19).  We didn't know it was a tanager until the day before our January field trip, and the homeowners graciously invited those of us on the trip to view it from inside their house that Saturday morning.

"Goldie" was only viewable from the homeowners' back window in a private neighborhood near the Norton Branch Library.  Sorry, but that made it "unchaseable".  We didn't post it or report it to eBird until today.

At eBird the only other Summer Tanager report for January in Michigan was at Grand Rapids in 2012!

- Ric

Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs

 Horned Lark

Lapland Longspurs

There was a mixed flock of Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs on Swanson Road south of White Road on the Wastewater properties.

- Charlie DeWitt

Backyard Redpolls !

Saturday (posted below) I couldn't find any redpolls, so today they find me.  Carol looked up from her puzzle by our back window and asked, "What are those birds under the feeder?"  Go figure!

1 of 4 Common Redpolls under our feeder this morning.

- Ric

Year Birds

Hoping to see one of Charlie's black-backed gulls (see Tuesday below), I drove down to Grand Haven this morning.  Nothing.  So I went out to the Wastewater where I got distant views and blurry photos of a Rough-legged Hawk and a Snowy Owl (#38 and #39 for the year if I were counting).  

There were also some Snow Buntings, but I couldn't find the redpolls.  :-(

- Ric

Piping Plover News

January 9 Email:

This is one of Bahama Mama’s chicks from 2018.  He was sighted at Three Rooker Preserve State Park, Dunedin, Florida, last week along with three others born in the Great Lakes Region.  The others were from Canada.

- Carol Cooper

Tuesday Birding

On Tuesday I went to the Grand Haven north pier to pick up my Long-tailed Duck for the year.  The Great Black-backed Gulls were still there, seven in all.  After the pier I stopped at the Ottawa Sands County Park and picked up my First-Of-Year Red-headed Woodpecker.

- Charlie DeWitt

 Long-tailed Ducks

 Great Black-backed Gull

Red-headed Woodpecker

Beginning Our 2019 Bird Lists

As usual, Charlie and Feller DeWitt and I spent New Years morning beginning our year lists.  Susan Herrick joined us this year.

Pere Marquette Park provided my first 11 species, none of them unusual.  "Winnetaska Lake" on the Nugent Sand property added 9 more including Gadwall, Redhead, Greater Scaup, Common and Red-breasted Merganser and Double-crested Cormorant.

The Wastewater provided 11 new species including three woodpeckers (Downy, Hairy and Red-bellied), Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Snow Bunting and Snow Goose (probably the same two as Saturday among the Canada Geese).

That would be 31 species on opening day for anyone who was counting.

- Ric