I have two pair of Eastern Bluebirds coming to my heated birdbath every morning.  They come early, today it was 7:51am. They only stay 2 or 3 minutes, just long enough to have a drink.

Chalie DeWitt

Ferrysburg

Do You Know About These Cards?

Don Neumann emailed these two photo with a message titled "Arm and Hammer":

"Hi Ric, picked up about 60 of these at an estate sale. Had never seen them before and was surprised to learn they had been available for 90 years, starting in the 1880’s. Was wondering if anyone from the club may know about or collected them.

Looks like they originally came in (on? the box and later you had to send in box tops to get the current set.   I had never heard of or seen these and thought someone may have some history with them."

I wrote Don that I'd never seen these myself but that there might be some people in the club who knew about them.  If you do, please contact me.  Thanks!  - Ric

Golden Eagle on Monday

Kevin Feenstra sends this photo of a juvenile Golden Eagle he saw soaring over the Muskegon River near Mill Iron Rod on Monday.

Saturday Morning at the Nature Preserve

 

I found 25 bird species on a short walk around the colorful fall-like Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve this morning.  This Green Heron fished west of the entrance bridge.

A pair of Red-shouldered Hawks flew around and screamed overhead.  Other species included Wood Duck ...

... Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Warbling Vireo, Cedar Waxwing and Common Yellowthroat.

Another Rambi ?

A couple years ago we chronicled the adventures of Rambi, a Mourning Dove that Mike VanderStelt reared from a fledgling to an adult.  Yesterday Mike found another abandoned fledgling, this Cedar Waxwing. 

If its parents don’t tend to it, Mike will try to keep it alive as he did with Rambi.  We’ll keep you posted.

Wednesday Birds at the Recovery Center

Thanks to Dan Lockard for these photos of a Great Egret, Sandhill Cranes and a juvenile Bald Eagle.  He took them on Wednesday the 16th at the Recovery Center (Wastewater) properties.

Hofma Preserve

I birded Hofma Preserve this morning.  The marsh was unfortunately beautiful with huge patches of purple loosestrife.

I found 17 bird species including Wood Duck, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron,

Cedar Waxwing, Swamp Sparrow and Yellow Warbler.

Muskegon Peregrines Update

Below I've summarized many recent email and Discord (birding app) posts regarding Peregrine Falcons in downtown Muskegon.  Here's a photo from Wildside Rehab of one of the juveniles that was "rescued" and is now in rehab prior to release.

As some of you may recall, peregrines successfully fledged numerous youngsters for several years using the nest boxes on what used to be the tallest object in Muskegon County, the smokestack of the B.C. Cobb plant.

Those boxes were moved to the roof of the Shoreline Inn before destruction of the smokestack.  Although the boxes were never used as nest sites, peregrines were sometimes seen on that roof killing pigeons and rearing young.

Unlike the old Cobb Plant properties, ground level in downtown Muskegon is no place for a fledgling falcon.  Three juveniles, one last year, two this year, were recovered from the ground near the Huntington Bank Building and it's been confirmed that peregrines are using that rooftop ledge for nesting.

Although there's nothing definite yet, it's possible that the Shoreline Inn boxes might be moved to the Huntington Bank building with future youngsters perhaps being banded as were the Cobb Plant young. 

Black Lake Today; Oak Savanna Last Week

I walked around the southern areas of Black Lake Park this beautiful morning finding 30 species of birds.  Nothing remarkable.  Great Crested Flycatcher, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, American Redstart, Sandhill Crane:

Last Saturday Beth Miller and I accompanied a Great Lakes Audubon group as they birded Lane's Landing and an oak savanna being created (actually, re-created) by the Michigan DNR.  It's not finished yet; more controlled burns necessary, etc., but well worth visiting now, and open to the public.  

From the Maple Island bridge, drive 3.5 miles east on South River Drive.  Park on the right where the road meets the power lines and walk the trail south through the woods to the savanna opening (the J-shaped light green area circled on the map below).  Ferns still live where the grasses will be.  Red-headed Woodpeckers and Field Sparrows have already found the property to their liking.

June 3 Allegan Field Trip Report

Nine adults and four juveniles birded two sections of the Allegan State Game Area this morning.  All told we found 59 bird species along the way.  (Photos below by Carol DeWitt.)

We began with stops along the fields and woodlots of the farm unit.  Notable species included many Dickcissels; Willow, Least and Great-crested Flycatcher; Bobolink; Ring-necked Pheasant; Green Heron; Brown Thrasher; Vesper, Field and Grasshopper Sparrow; Bobolink; Eastern Meadowlark; Red-tailed Hawk; Eastern Towhee; Orchard Oriole; Cedar Waxwing and American Redstart.

Then we drove a few miles east of Fennville to bird the huge tract of woods in the eastern SGA.  Bird species included Eastern Wood-Pewee; Ovenbird; Hooded, Cerulean and Blue-winged Warbler; Yellow-billed Cuckoo; Veery; Scarlet Tanager; Pileated Woodpecker; Acadian and Least Flycatcher; and Yellow-throated Vireo.

Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak with food for her family. 

We stopped birding around 12:30.  Most of us then enjoyed a late lunch at the Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant west of Fennville before returning home.

June 3 Field Trip to Allegan County

Our monthly field trip is scheduled for this Saturday, June 3.  We will bird the Allegan State Game Area in the morning and enjoy lunch at the Crane’s Pie Pantry Restaurant west of Fennville at midday.

Allow about an hour of travel time from Muskegon to the US-31 / M-89 interchange south of Holland.  We will meet at 8:30 in the parking lot of the Shell gas station a half mile east of the interchange where M-89 crosses the Blue Star Highway.  From there we will drive to various places on the nearby farm properties of the Allegan State Game Area to look for whatever birds we can find.  Having a walkie-talkie in your vehicle tuned to Channel 11, Subchannel 0 can be helpful, but is not necessary.

Around noon we’ll drive to the Crane’s Orchard Pie Pantry Restaurant, 6054 124th Ave. (M-89), Fennville, MI. for lunch.  Some of us may return to Muskegon with a stop at New Richmond Bridge Park along the north side of the Kalamazoo River .  

This trip is open to the public.  Hope to see you there.

Big Day Report

On Saturday our Big Day group found 121 bird species.  Click here for more details.

Chat on Lost Lake Trail

May 16 Email:

I saw this Yellow-breasted Chat on the Lost Lake Trail on Tuesday afternoon.  In the open stretch between the woods, about midway between the 2nd and 3rd bridges.

- Mike Boston

Black Lake Park Monday Morning

I walked the south side of Black Lake Park this cool May morning.  Among the 29 bird species were four warblers: Yellow, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart and Black-throated Green.  Others included Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Towhee, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole and Sandhill Crane.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

American Redstart

Year Birds Saturday

Two first-of-the-year species arrived in our back yard during pre-breakfast coffee this morning: Baltimore Oriole and Great Crested Flycatcher.  

Later I birded East Grand River (Flahive) Park in Grand Haven.  The bird radar last night had me hopeful that trees would be filled with warblers, but that was only true for Yellow-rumped's.  They were everywhere.  But two Palms and one Yellow were the only other warblers.  My only other Year Bird was Warbling Vireo.

I stopped briefly at Black Lake Park on my way home and found this first-for-my-year Rose-breasted Grosbeak singing atop a tree southwest of where Wood Road crosses the creek.

Black Lake Park Friday

Small flocks of White-throated Sparrows foraged around Black Lake Park this morning.

Many other local and migrating birds also graced the park today.  Notable among the 40 species I found were Bufflehead, Sandhill Crane, Killdeer, Least Flycatcher, Blue-headed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, House, Winter and Sedge Wrens, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Towhee and Yellow Warbler.

Spring Birds at Lane's Landing

Glen Miller took these beautiful pictures of a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Yellow Warbler at Lane's Landing on Sunday.

Hofma Preserve Saturday

Walking the woods and boardwalk at Hofma Preserve south of Grand Haven this morning I found 21 bird species.  Three were Year Birds: Trumpeter Swan (at least 1, probably 2, northeast of the boardwalk), Swamp Sparrow (several sprinkled around the marsh) and Sora (giving its whinny call).  Noteworthy were the many Sandhill Cranes, Wood Ducks, and dead bluegills.

Black Lake Park Friday

I walked Black Lake Park again this morning.  It was quite cool, but the birds were out like spring.  I found 33 species including two Year Birds: Winter Wren and Ring-necked Duck. 

Two of the Four Ring-necked Ducks

Others of note included Wood Duck, Gadwall, Ruddy Duck, Sandhill Crane, Killdeer, Belted Kingfisher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Thrasher, Hermit Thrush, Field Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Eastern Towhee and Pine Warbler.  Still no catbird yet this year.

Purple Finch (Female or Immature)

We had this Purple Finch on our back feeder early this afternoon.  As usual, it's here during migration season and it's not a raspberry-colored adult male.

- Ric

Black Lake Park

Pine Warbler

I birded Black Lake Park this morning.  I got there at 6:15 hoping to hear an owl, but no luck.  I just birded the parking lot until 8:00 picking up 18 species.  This Pine Warbler was my best find!

- Charlie DeWitt

(The club's monthly field trip was here the next day.  See a report on our home page.)

Northern Lights

March 24 Email:

Shot from my yard last night around 11:00 p.m.

- Don Neumann

Wow!  Thanks, Don!

Spring Animals on the Muskegon River, Etc.

March 7 Email:

Hi Ric:

I hope you have had a good winter so far.  It is a beautiful day and I am about to hit the river.  I just thought I would share some recent river pics: Eastern Bluebird, Red-shouldered Hawk, mink, and Belted Kingfisher.

I hope that you are well! 

Best,

- Kevin Feenstra

Kevin, thanks for more great pictures!  Yes, I'm doing well and it's been a good winter so far.  Birds in my neighborhood are numerous and seem to think that it's spring already.  Robins and blackbirds are singing everywhere, and the neighborhood bluebirds and red-shouldered's have been here for weeks already.  

- Ric

41 Eagles and a Kingfisher at Mona Lake Sunday

March 6 Email:

I counted 41 Bald Eagles at the east end of Mona Lake Sunday morning. The first photo shows 13 of the 41. The Belted Kingfisher made a visit also.

- Don Neumann

Young Bald Eagle

Bruce Delamarter photographed this distinctly-plumaged immature Bald Eagle near Mona Lake on Sunday.

Red-shouldered Hawk

February 15 Email:

I came home this afternoon and saw this Red-shouldered Hawk in my back yard woods.

- Mike Boston

Northern Harrier at MCRRC

February 14 Email:

This Northern Harrier was good enough to do a slow fly-by for me today out at the Resource Recovery Center.

- Mike Boston

Golden and Bald Eagles Interacting

February 4 Email:

There were two immature Bald Eagles playing with, maybe harassing, a Golden Eagle along White Road at the Resource Recovery Center on Saturday.  The Golden Eagle was intent on carrying pine branches for some reason.   - Mike Boston