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