Thursday, July 28, 2011

Shorebirds, Sparrow, and Falcon Under Attack

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Carol and I took a ride to the Muskegon County Wastewater today.  Not much in the line of shorebirds.  I am pretty sure that the first picture below shows a Lesser Yellowlegs on the left and a Stilt Sandpiper on the right.  The shorebirds were in the cell that has been drawn down.
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The Grasshopper Sparrow was just there.
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The American Kestrel was minding its own business, eating grasshoppers. Then he decided to land in the wrong neighborhood and the neighborhood bullies were on him like a flash.  The pictures are displayed in the order of the action. 
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Charlie DeWitt
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(The "bullies" are a gutsy pair of Red-winged Blackbirds.)
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Wastewater Shorebird Report - July 23

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The report below is from the July 23 Wastewater Shorebird Survey.  August should be a good time to see shorebirds at the Muskegon Wastewater System. Note that observers need to check any crude covered surface areas on aerators as the peeps and other small shorebirds are feeding on such.
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- Carolyn Weng
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Muskegon Wastewater System, Muskegon, US-MI
Jul 23, 2011 4:35 PM - 9:00 PM
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Comments:     temp 86-78 degrees F; 10%-50%-5% cloud cover; WSW 8 mph - calm; Aerator 2 still drawn down with muddy and shallow water shoreline; Aerator 3 with 1/8th surface covered with consolidated floating crude used for feeding by birds; Aerator 5 half full with some muddy shoreline; flooded field with a narrow strip of water in lowest area; only one infiltration basin with shallow flooding; most mowed; shorebirds very skittish but in aerators and lagoons usually returned to area where they were after flushing. Observers - Carolyn Weng and Brian Johnson
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12 species

Killdeer  37     Aer5/6 Aer3/5 Aer2/3 EL/7 Center DikeE/2 Center DikeW/3 Swanson N/2 White Rd/2 FloodedField/6 Clay Pond/1
Spotted Sandpiper  92     EL/62 WL/6 Center DikeE/12 Center DikeW/12
Solitary Sandpiper  2     Aer2/2
Greater Yellowlegs  2     Aer3/2
Lesser Yellowlegs  93     Aer3/24 Aer2/20 Center DikeE/35 Center DikeW/1 EL/5 WL/2 FF/6
Upland Sandpiper  4     Swanson N/1 White Rd/3 (in cut alfalfa field on SW corner of White and Swanson N Rds)
Sanderling  1     Aer3/1
Semipalmated Sandpiper  9     Aer3/9
Least Sandpiper  65     Aer3/57 Aer2/7 EL/1
Pectoral Sandpiper  12     Aer2/12
Stilt Sandpiper  2     Aer2/2 adults
Short-billed Dowitcher  1     Aer2/1 seen; bird vocalized confirming ID

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2.
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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Gotta Go !

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Just thought I'd post this Tufted Titmouse as he jumped off a branch.  Granted, it's not the greatest shot, as my shutter was too slow, but I like the "movement".

Mike VanderStelt
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Sunday, July 24, 2011

Snapped This (Wet) Guy in the Yard

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A Brown Thrasher just after the Saturday morning rain.

Mike VanderStelt
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Thanks, Mike!  Once again, a photo we should click and click again to appreciate every droplet and feather!  - Ric
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Saturday, July 23, 2011

Greg Swanson Article in Jack Pine Warbler

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We just spotted an excellent article about dragonflies and butterflies in the most recent Jack Pine Warbler by our own Greg Swanson (who led our June 13 fieldtrip, etc.).  - Ric and Carol Pedler
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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Beating the Heat

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This guy was just keeping cool or trying to avoid me.
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Bruce Delamarter
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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Fishing Sequence

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Bruce Delamarter took this sequence of a Belted Kingfisher today.
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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

When Ya Gotta Itch -- Ya Gotta Itch!

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I caught this Green Heron early this morning.
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Also, apparently, the birds seem to like their new "staging area"(see July 6 post below) as everything that landed on it for the ten minutes that I watched looked from top to bottom and side to side; some even flitted around for a second before landing, but all-in-all, they seemed to approve.
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Mike VanderStelt
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Good Fishing

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Today was a good day for fishing and photos: Great Blue Heron.
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Bruce Delamarter
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Monday, July 11, 2011

Shorebird Trifecta: Who Can ID These?

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I found these shorebirds in the drawn down cell at the Wastewater on Sunday, July 10th. Since Ric is fond of ID quizzes, let's make it one.

Mike Boston

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Grasshopper Sparrow update, Solitary Sandpiper, July 10

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Now that I am back in the Muskegon area, I have been again banding Grasshopper Sparrows at the Muskegon Wastewater fields south of Apple Avenue. This is the fourth consecutive year of the project. Today (July 10) was too hot and humid to safely band, so I birded the State Game Area instead. I had a good day, but probably the most interesting find was a Solitary Sandpiper in the dug-out pool in the Lanes Landing east field (accessible from the South Maple River Trail that extends west from the end of Messinger Road). While the species is regular in the county later in July, this sighting was one the earliest "fall" records.




As far as Grasshopper Sparrows, I have captured 42 males (my principal targets), 1 female, and 1 juvenile so far this year. (The adult male pictured above is likely the brownest individual that I have ever banded.) Twelve of the males were banded during past years (one from 2008). While there are a few more males that I have yet to capture, it appears that the population is substantially down from past years. Return rates have also dropped, the weights of the males are significantly less, and territory distribution is spottier. Almost doubtlessly, habitat disruption is the culprit. A poorly executed scheme to encourage prairie grasses and forbs has actually resulted in a major outburst of Spotted Knapweed - an aggressive, exotic weed. Over 80% of about 300 acres formerly suitable for Grasshopper Sparrows and other grassland birds has been converted to a near monoculture of extraordinarily thick and tall knapweed. Just walking thru this stuff is tough - like dragging heavy anchors with both feet.

Small pockets of grass still exist and the parcel immediately surrounding the model airfield has fortunately not been treated. The remaining Grasshopper Sparrows are concentrated in such areas. Since much of the grassy remnants lie immediately adjacent to the roads, birders that stay near their vehicles may actually think that Grasshopper Sparrows and other grassland birds are actually more numerous this year. That is not the case, but fortunately Grasshopper Sparrows still remain remarkably common and are breeding. Plus, despite my concerns to the contrary, I even found one Brewer's Blackbird nest.



Dickcissels, unlike everything else, seem to thrive among the knapweed. I have not made a precise count yet, but there are at least 15 males south of Apple Avenue. Two have blundered into my nets.


This year (as in all odd-numbered years) I am placing standard aluminum bands on the right leg. While bands this small are extremely difficult to read in the field, observers can get an idea of when the bird was first captured by the band's location and luster.
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Brian Johnson
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Phil Chu Birds Muskegon

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Some of you may know Phil Chu, an excellent birder originally from Michigan now living in Minnesota.  A couple weeks ago he emailed a few West Michigan people regarding some bird species he'd like to find while visiting relatives near Grand Rapids.  After returning to Minnesota he sent us the following email which contains many tidbits of interest for anyone who birds around Muskegon:
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Having now returned to MN from West MI, I thought I’d let you know that I added seven species to my Muskegon Co. list.

Black-billed Cuckoo
On 3 July Adam Byrne and I “called one in” at that patch of trees along Seba Rd. about half a mile north of Laketon Ave.

Great Horned Owl
Early in the morning on 3 July, while driving to Lane’s Landing to try for Whip-poor-will, Adam and I found a Great Horned eating something on the shoulder of Maple Island Rd.  This was a new Muskegon Co. bird for me, even though I hadn’t mentioned it in any of my request-for-information messages.

Whip-poor-will
On 3 July we “struck out” at Lane’s Landing, but then, based on some info from Brian Johnson, we ran over to the Wastewater and heard a bird calling from the west end of Laketon Ave.

Alder Flycatcher
On 3 July at Lane’s Landing we found three individuals – a pair plus another single.

Sedge Wren
Brian Johnson showed me several on 2 July at the south end of Wood Rd.  (Wood Rd. runs south from the Giles Rd. just a few yards east of where Giles intersects with M-120.)  If you go to the south end of Wood, you’ll see directly in front of you a rank field, to the west of the field a dike, and then to the west of the dike another rank field.  Walk down onto the dike and you’ll find Sedge Wrens in both fields; the ones in the western field are closer to the dike, and so are easier to hear and see.

Hermit Thrush
On 2 July Brian took me to some ORV trails in the pine-and-oak woods at the end of Sweeter Rd, and there one can easily find Hermit Thrushes.  The thrush, like the Great Horned Owl, was a county bird for me, but one that I hadn’t asked about; I hadn’t asked because I hadn’t thought it was possible in the county during the summer!  Shows you what I know....

Canada Warbler
On 3 July Adam and I parked at the west end of the Snug Harbor parking lot, walked a few yards westward into the woods to intersection A, then turned left (south) as if heading to intersection B.  Maybe 50 yards later we stopped and tried playback, and a male Canada came in.  This is, I believe, the area that you called “the fringe” of the woods near the pavilion.

Other things of note are as follows.  First, Brian and I on 2 July, and then Adam and I on 3 July, were unsuccessful in our attempts for Northern Waterthrush in the Prothonotary Warbler area at Lane’s Landing.  Second, on both 2 and 3 July we were unsuccessful trying for Yellow-bellied Sapsucker on Holton Duck Lake Rd. about half a mile shy of its south end (according to Brian, a place where sapsuckers nest).  Third, on both 2 and 3 July we were unsuccessful trying for Blue-headed Vireo in the Hermit Thrush area (earlier in the summer Brian had found a Blue-headed there).  And fourth, on both 2 and 3 July we were unsuccessful at finding LouisianaWaterthrush at Patterson County Park; for whatever it’s worth, when Adam and I arrived at Patterson around noon on the 3rd we found that Rio Grande Creek had just experienced a flash flood – the occasional patches of long grass at the creek edges had been knocked down, so that the grass was laying flat on the mud, and there was debris (kind of like at a high-tide line) about two-and-a-half feet above the then-current water level.

Well, I think that summarizes things.  I’m pleased with what I was able to see, and what I was able to see was significantly improved by the advice that you gave me.  Thanks much!

Phil

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Saturday, July 9, 2011

Meow?

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Got this Gray Catbird in the yard this afternoon.
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Mike VanderStelt
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Friday, July 8, 2011

Hello !

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A friendly Raccoon waving at Bruce Delamarter today.
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Sandhill Cranes Family Behavior

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I took an evening ride to the Wastewater last night (July 7) and found a pair of Sandhill Cranes with a chick.  They were very near the intersection of White and Swanson Roads on Swanson just south of the maintenance building.  When I first found them, I saw a pair of cranes in the middle of the road.  One crane went one way and the other bird went the other way.  I drove up to where the birds were and the one bird started acting injured.  I took a couple of photos of this bird and then looked across the road from where the bird was and found the chick lying in the grass right beside the road.  The other adult was on the other side of the ditch by this time.  The bird that was acting injured flew across the road toward the chick, and she led the chick away into the grass. Here are some photos.
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Rick Hamlin
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Green Heron

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July 7 Email:  "I happened to get a nice picture of this Green Heron in flight to share." - Bruce Delamarter
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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

A Hook with "More Options"

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I made this to hang my main feeders from -- kind of a "you're next in line" concept with multiple perches. Just thought I would show it to you guys (so the usual suspects can pick it apart). :)
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Mike VanderStelt
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Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Possible Mountain Bluebird in Ottawa County

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Email: July 5, 2011:
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Mr. Pedler,

Today I ran across a bird I felt worthy of a little publicity.  If you don't mind, could you post this to the Muskegon birding blog? ...

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Everybody,

Today (June 5) at 5:30 PM I saw what I believe was most likely a Mountain Bluebird in southern Ottawa County.  I did not have binoculars at the time, but am personally convinced that it was NOT an Indigo Bunting or Eastern Bluebird.  The bird was entirely blue, with a minor fork in the tail, and a slim thrush-like beak.  It appeared that the underside was lighter than the rest of the bird.  The bird was perched on a wire with the typical bluebird-style pose, not like an Indigo Bunting.  In flight, it was obvious by the flight pattern that it was a bluebird.  There was absolutely no orange or white anywhere on the bird.  I did not have a recording or binoculars at the time, and I was not able to bring it out by pishing.  I have experience with Mountain Bluebirds out west, where I have seen them very well, and I am currently quite convinced that this really was what I saw.

The precise location of the bird was at the latitude-longitude coordinates 42.815095,-86.157964.  There is a cell tower driveway which I pulled into.  The bird was on the wires above the driveway.  He flew into nearby trees and the sheep pasture across the road, which is where I believe he would be staying.  This location is about .2 miles north of James St. on 152nd Ave.

I will be able to try for the bird again on Thursday morning, and I will be sure to give notice if I confirm this sighting.  Until then, any comments or observations are welcome!

Good Birding,
Zachary DeBruine

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Monday, July 4, 2011

Four Yellowlegs at Wastewater Sunday

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I was at the Wastewater Sunday afternoon and saw four Yellowlegs in the northwest corner of the east lagoon; couldn't tell if they were Lesser or Greater. Not much else going on.
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Charlie DeWitt

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Sunday, July 3, 2011

Nine Upland Sandpipers at W.W. Saturday

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Matthew Cvetas of Evanston, IL, emails that his son and he had 9 Upland Sandpipers on the Wastewater properties yesterday: 2 at Swanson and White, 2 just south of Swanson and Apple, 2 at the model airplane field and 3 west of Laketon and Seba.
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Saturday, July 2, 2011

No Sedge Wrens but One Hooded Warbler

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As Chip Francke observed earlier this year, there are no Sedge Wrens anywhere.  This morning I was at Hofma Preserve south of Grand Haven, an automatic Sedge Wren site in other years, and found none.
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Hofma Preserve, Ottawa, US-MI
Jul 2, 2011 6:25 AM - 8:25 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
24 species

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  4
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  3
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  1
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)  1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  5
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)  4
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  5
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  3
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)  1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  12
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  3

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2 (http://ebird.org)

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However, I did find my Target Bird at Hoffmaster State Park: a Hooded Warbler northwest of the deer exclosure by the blowout west of the Homestead Trail south of the Gillette Nature Center.
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P. J. Hoffmaster SP--South (Ottawa Co.), Ottawa, US-MI
Jul 2, 2011 8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
17 species

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  1
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  3
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  3
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)  1
Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina)  1
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)  2
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  1
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  2
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  4

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2
(http://ebird.org)

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- Ric
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