Western Grebe Still at Grand Haven Monday

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To Mich-Listers, Monday, January 3:

One of the Western Grebes was present just west of the Grand Haven Coast Guard station at 1:00 this afternoon.

- James Fox

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Harlequin Duck in White Lake Channel Sunday

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A quick trip to the White Lake Channel was well rewarded yesterday (Jan. 2) -- around 4:00 I spotted an adult male Harlequin Duck swimming near the docks on the east end of the channel.  White-winged Scoter and Long-tailed Duck were also present in the channel.
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- Jill Henemyer

1 Western Grebe - Grand Haven

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One of the Western Grebes was in the Grand Haven Channel viewed from the "Riverview" platform at the end of Lafayette Street (east of the Coast Guard station) at 11:10 this morning.

- Ric

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Northern Pintail

This Northern Pintail was in the flooded field south of White Rd at the Wastewater today (January 1st) along with many Mallard, Gadwall, and American Black Duck. I also saw the Western Grebe pair in the Grand Haven Channel this morning.

Mike Boston

Western Grebes - New Years Day

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Three reliable reports of the Western Grebes still in the Grand Haven Channel today.
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A Very Happy New Year (So Far)

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The sky kept getting darker, the snow kept getting thicker, the wind was howling, and other than a Mike Boston, I wasn't seeing much of anything other than a Northern Shrike and an American Kestrel (that would not cooperate).

All of a sudden right over the top of my windshield, at a very fast pace, two rays of "golden" (Eagle) sunshine appeared, chasing each other and anything else that crossed their path!

Yes, you know what happened next, I proceeded to break every speed limit on the property.  These "bad boys" weren't getting away from me again today!  After about three miles worth of chasing/shooting/chasing, these photos (in this weather) were the best I could get, but consdering how many times I've been at the W.W. just for this pair of raptors, I wouldn't trade them for the Mona Lisa! :)

Ahh, it's going to be a great year!

- Mike VanderStelt

P.S.  All the speckles in the wings are from the heavy snow.

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Mich-Listers Western Grebe Update - Caleb

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All-

Adam Byrne just called to report that he and Phil Chu are looking at a pair of Western Grebes, apparently a male and a female, near the Coast Guard station on the south side of the Grand River channel in Grand Haven, Ottawa Co. (31 Dec 2010, 11:30 a.m.). The station is located near the intersection of Sherman Ave and S. Harbor Dr., or at about these coordinates which can be used with Google Maps 43.060244,-86.238996 . Another way of saying it is that the station (and the birds) are about 0.7 mi inland from Lake Michigan, or about a half of a mile downstream of Chinook Pier, in the Grand River.

Pretty amazing back to back years for this species in Michigan!

Good Birding,
Caleb Putnam
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Western Grebe Still at Grand Haven Thursday

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December 30, 2010 to Mich-Listers:

I saw and photographed a Western Grebe at 10am today in the Grand Haven Channel.

Good birding,

Dave Slager
Columbus, Ohio
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Results of Two Christmas Bird Counts

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Thanks to Feller DeWitt and Brian Johnson for sending us the results of our two Christmas Bird Counts (City of Muskegon CBC and Wastewater area CBC).  I've just posted the basic numbers on our homepage.  Anyone wishing the actual documents (Feller's is a Word file, Brian's an Excel file), please contact me.

- Ric (oakridge35@yahoo.com)
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Western Grebe on Friday - Don

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These photos of the Western Grebe at Grand Haven were taken last Friday (Dec. 24) and are a little different look: enjoying lunch and stretching a leg.

- Don Neumann
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Western Grebes & Harlequin Duck - Charlie

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I spent two hours at the Grand Haven south pier this morning.  The pair of Western Grebes were there on the north side of the channel by the old Coast Guard boat house. I also spent some time scoping the south side of the south pier and found one Harlequin Duck feeding right next to the pier near the center light tower.

- Charlie DeWitt

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2 Western Grebes at Grand Haven

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Sunday, Dec 26, 12:30 pm:

Two Western Grebe, 1 Long-tailed Duck and 1 Scoter species in the Grand Haven Channel seen from north pier; also 1 Horned Grebe at Chinook Pier.

- Dave Herdegen and Bonnie Kot

No Grebe at G.H. but Golden Eagle at W.W.

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I searched for the Western Grebe at Grand Haven on Dec. 24 without luck.  There was a lone Long-tailed Duck and Black Scoter in the channel among other more common species.  There were several thousand long-tails on the horizon.  I would appreciate any new news of the grebe's presence in Ottawa County.
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At the Wastewater I was able to locate one Golden Eagle at what I believe is the northern end of the facility.  During a futile look for the big guys last week, I wasn't aware that the facility went that far north, nor that the goldies are often seen there.  Rick Brigham set me straight on the location.  Good to finally get that lifer on my list and off my back; a beautiful bird! 

Mike Overway

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Red-capped Woodpecker Arrives at Usual Time

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Thanks to Mike Vanderstelt for this photo-card.

Merry Christmas !

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Long-tailed Duck in Channel

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This morning (Dec. 23) at approximately 11:30 a.m. Scott Hula, Scott Stephens (both of Rockford) and I identified a first year female Long-Tailed Duck.  It was in the Muskegon Channel between Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake at the Fulton/Bluff St parking area.

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- Ross Parker

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