Feller DeWitt led our monthly field trip today. At one time there were 32 people and 15 cars, certainly our most attended event in a long time!.
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Birding the Wastewater properties and the State Game Area headquarters further north, we tallied 61 bird species thanks in part to the beautiful summerlike weather.
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The eBird reports below reflect all species except the three that were not seen by me: American Wigeon (in the flooded field SE of Laketon/Swanson), Wood Duck (on the Clay Pond) and Common Raven (near SE corner of East Lagoon).*
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- Ric
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Muskegon Wastewater System, Muskegon, US-MI
Mar 17, 2012 8:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
Comments: Muskegon County Nature Club Monthly Field Trip
49 species
Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) 12
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) X
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) 15
Gadwall (Anas strepera) X
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) X
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 2
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) X
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 6
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 6
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) 1
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) X
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) X
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) X
Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) 1
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 2
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 2
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) 1
American Coot (Fulica americana) 2
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) 3
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) X
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) X
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 6
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) 1
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 3
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) X
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) 8
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 4
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 1
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 1
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) 4
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) X
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 4
American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) X
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 9
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) X
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) X
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) X
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 6
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 4
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) X
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Muskegon SGA--Headquarters, Muskegon, US-MI
Mar 17, 2012 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: Muskegon County Nature Club Monthly Field Trip
28 species
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 4
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 2
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 3
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) 2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 3
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) 1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) X
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) X
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) X
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) X
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 3
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) X
American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) 4
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) 3
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 6
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) X
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) X
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 2
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) 1
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 2
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* Even without these three, the 11 birds I got today raised my year's total to 84, perhaps noticeable in the rear view mirrors of Zachary, Charlie, Feller and Kathryn. (And who's counting anyway?)
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5 comments:
#111: Fox Sparrow.
The Red-shouldered Hawk at Lane's Landing looks fairly enticing, and spring break isn't over yet (1 week to go... :)
Zack,
If you want one, (Red-shouldered)there's usually one on Sweeter rd. (off M120) by the Blueberry fields, but, as-of-late, there has also been an (new to the neiborhood)Red-tailed frequenting the same area, and I don't know which would be the "dominant" of the two -- so it may not be there any more. But it's been a regular for the past 3-4 years.
Mike VanderStelt
For the record, we had two at SGA on Saturday and it's also an excellent place to look for them, perhaps explaining why the blue jays there do such excellent vocal impressions.
Hey thanks for the heads up, Mike! Typically I don't go out of my way for yearbirds, but maybe I'll try to get this one :D Otherwise when I head up for the MiBCI workshop I'll just swing by Houghton Flats/Nelsville Marsh to grab at least CORA, and perhaps WISN, the rails, etc....
Zack,
I'll keep an eye out for the next week or two, and let you know where/if it's frequenting the area. It's alot nicer to know (within a block) where exactly something might be perched than just driving around looking for ghosts. :)
Mike VanderStelt
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