Thursday, September 29, 2022

Surf Scoters at Pere Marquette Park

Looking for waterbirds from the south lighthouse at Pere Marquette Park this morning Charlie DeWitt, Chip Francke and I saw four Surf Scoters fly from Lake Michigan to the Muskegon Channel.  (Charlie's photo.)

Ruby-crowned Kinglets, White-crowned Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Juncos were the identifiable small birds on the rocks along the pier (presumably having found themselves over the big lake at first light).

Chip and I then sat near the east end of the channel for a little over an hour.  We saw only one raptor (Red-tailed Hawk), a few small birds and woodpeckers, and about 650 migrating Blue Jays.

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Hudsonian Godwits at Resource Recovery Center

September 27 Email:

I located 6 Hudsonian godwits in cell D10 at the Muskegon Wastewater yesterday (9/26).  They are still being seen as of today (Tuesday).  They have moved to D12 last I heard.  In addition to the godwits, I found dowitcher sp., greater and lesser yellowlegs, willet (continuing in E2), Baird's, least, and pectoral sandpipers and killdeer, semi-palmated, Am. golden and black-bellied plovers.  All these birds were seen in either D10 or E2.  

- Chip Francke

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Cranes at the Resource Recovery Center Today

September 22 Email:

I swung through the Wastewater today.  Sandhill Cranes all through the basins.

- Don Neumann

Thanks for the info. and picture, Don.  Seems as if they're using it as a staging area on their migration south.  (See Dayle's Sept. 2 post below).

- Ric

Saturday, September 17, 2022

Birding Grand Haven

I birded Grand Haven this morning finding several birds but nothing remarkable.

At East Grand River Park I found 19 species, none out-of-the-ordinary.  

At Harbor Island I saw 22 species including three Wood Ducks, three Great Egrets, a Belted Kingfisher and a Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Wood Ducks


Most of the woodland habitat there was overgrown with White Snake Root, particularly the fringes along the walkways.

Friday, September 2, 2022

Cranes Staging Thursday at MCRRC ?

Dayle Vanderwier counted 151 Sandhill Cranes at 8:00 p.m. yesterday (Sept. 1) on the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center properties.