Black Lake Park Saturday

I walked around Black Lake Park this cool sunny morning finding 28 bird species and several flying insects.  Most of the activity was on the meadow, including this Baltimore Oriole and Monarch butterfly.

The lake itself was birdless except for two Mute Swans on the far side, and there were no bluebirds anywhere.  Birds present included Sandhill Crane, Great Blue Heron, Red-shouldered Hawk, Great Crested Flycatcher, House Wren, Eastern Towhee, American Redstart and Indigo Bunting.

- Ric

Thursday Birds and Saturday Caterpillar

I drove and walked some Wastewater fields this morning.  Things were generally quiet birdwise.  I had hoped for more sparrows.  All I found were Song, Chipping and Field.

Overall the 33 species included 65 Sandhill Cranes (along Swanson near Laketon), Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, American Kestrel, Willow Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Common Raven (on a pylon north of the East Lagoon) ... 

... Tree, Barn and Cliff Swallows, Cedar Waxwing, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Yellowthroat, Indigo Bunting and Dickcissel:

Last Saturday at the Allegan State Game Area someone found this caterpillar.  Does anyone know what it is?

- Ric

July 16 Email:

I thought I would share a few pictures of river birds:

Eastern Kingbird harassing an Osprey

Cedar Waxwing chasing a small Beatis Mayfly

Great Egret eating small prey

- Kevin Feenstra

Birding the Nature Preserve Saturday Morning

All of the walkways and trails at the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve were walkable this morning.  The preserve looked less like a city park since my last visit, thanks in part to the growth of ground plants in the open areas.

Facing north at the bat house, fencing around the

water between the bike trail and the entrance road.

I found 21 bird species including Great Blue Heron (10 in one flock soaring low over the river south of the preserve), Great Egret (flying overhead), Green Heron, Marsh Wren, Indigo Bunting, and dozens of Barn Swallows and Red-winged Blackbirds.

Barn Swallow gathering nesting material from the mud.

Great Blue Heron striking an Audubon-like pose.

- Ric

Snug Harbor Saturday Morning

I found 32 bird species on a walk at Snug Harbor this morning including Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-shouldered Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, Barn and Tree Swallows, Marsh Wren and Indigo Bunting.

- Ric

Red-eyed Vireo

Molting Indigo Bunting male high atop tree

Common Yellowthroat male, "I'm outa here!"

Porcupine and Raccoons Last Night

Mike VanderStelt's game camera captured this image at his place last night of a Porcupine being watched by two Raccoons.  Mike says the behavior of the coons in the video indicated they didn't want to be around the big intruder.  Go figure.