Two Ibises at Lane's Landing This Afternoon

May 21 Explanation and Email:

Phil Chu needed Pine Siskin for his Muskegon County Life List so was at my house this afternoon.  The siskins were cooperative, but Phil had an even better day after he left:

"After leaving your house, I *did* go to Lane’s Landing, where I *did* see two Plegadis ibises.  Alas, I saw them only in flight – for about 10 minutes, but, still, during those 10 minutes they were always in the air – and only with binoculars.  So I’m unsure as to which species they belong, Glossy or White-faced; heck, I guess one of both is possible!

"As you know from having been out there recently, when you park and then walk the dike out toward the Prothonotary woods, the last fourth or fifth of the dike – the fourth or fifth closest to the Prothonotary woods – is now largely open, with a lot of mud and shallow water.  That’s where the ibises flew up from, on the right (E) side of that last fourth or fifth as you walk northward away from your car.  I don’t know what got them up, except that it wasn’t me – it wasn’t possible for them to see me, given where I was when they took off. 

"After the ibises took off I watched them fly around for, as I say, about 10 minutes; then I put my binoculars down for a few seconds – wanted to rest my arms – and lost sight of them.  At that point I walked back to my car, got my scope out, and walked back out to the area where the ibises had flown up from.  I guess I was hoping they would have dropped back in – dropped back in without me noticing – but, alas, no luck on that score.

"Thanks again for a pleasant hour sitting in your back yard!"

- Phil 

"By the way, I talked to Adam Byrne tonight, and he said that someone else reported them this evening – suggesting that they must have come back after I left."