Grosbeak, Oriole, Loon, Magnolia & Palms

I birded Black Lake Park for two hours this morning, then East Grand River Park in Grand Haven for an hour.  My year list grew by seven.

The 32 species at Black Lake Park included Common Loon, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Gray Catbird, Field Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Magnolia Warbler, Palm Warbler and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Returning north on the path over the creek I watched a male grosbeak.  A Palm Warbler hunted the grass of the trail, followed by a male Magnolia Warbler flitting along the branches above the water, then a gang of three chickadees and two kinglets swarmed around my head within arm's length (why?), and back at the culvert a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher popped onto the branches.  An unforgettable few minutes!

East End and the Flahive Boat Launch looked like a water park this morning.  Among the 18 species were Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, and my 84th Year Bird, Baltimore Oriole.

- Ric