Carolyn Weng and I conducted the first Muskegon Wastewater Shorebird Survey for 2012 on Tuesday, April 3. In the spring and fall, results are submitted three times each month as part of the International Shorebird Survey (ISS), administered by Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. We have been running essentially the same route since 2005, and prior to this effort, Jim Ponshair had been forwarding shorebird counts from Muskegon Wastewater to Manomet during most years from 1974 to 2002. As in past years, we will try to provide regular updates.
Correctly figuring that shorebird totals would be low today, we decided to go ahead and count every bird species. Naturally, this drastically increased the amount of time in the field. As far as shorebirds, we found only 20 Killdeer, but we also recorded 55 other species. Aside from 3 Eared Grebes and 1 Common Raven, we encountered no rarities. A seasonal first was Brewer's Blackbird. We found 10 at three locations. For a grassland species, Brewer's Blackbird nests are quite easy to find, and for the past few years I have been recording all the nest sites of the species at the Wastewater. After increasing dramatically in Michigan 50 years ago, their populations have long since peaked and have recently been declining, particularly in southern Michigan. Recent management missteps to control the invasive knapweed has compromised some of the Wastewater breeding localities, and the most productive site has been abandoned. Today's birds (8 males, 2 females) were close to last year's nesting sites.
While birding the Wastewater definitely has its rewards, I've always personally much preferred the Muskegon State Game Area. So, not yet having had enough, I decided to do an evening survey at Lanes Landing marsh. Not much has arrived since last check, but the marsh was active and enchanting as always at this time of day. During spring evenings, large numbers of blackbirds can be counted from the ditch trail as they fly westward to their roosts. Tonight was no exception, but the composition was quite surprising. Typically, Red-winged Blackbirds far outnumber the associated grackles, Rusty Blackbirds, cowbirds, starling, and robins. However, Rusty Blackbird counts can be quite interesting, for this species is experiencing a population decline greater than almost any other North American bird. A few other boreal associates are facing similar fates. This evening, I counted only 770 Red-winged Blackbirds, but the Rusty Blackbird count was remarkably high -- 5370 birds. Many more could have been counted, but at 8:10 pm, all the blackbirds (those that had already passed and hundreds more incoming) changed direction and decided to roost in the marsh east of the ditch. A lot of standing cattails (courtesy of the mild winter and scant snowfall) and removal of much of the shrubby willow (by the DNR) has made this part of the marsh more attractive to roosting birds. By 8:40 pm, all had descended deep into the cattails.
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- Brian Johnson
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- Brian Johnson
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1 comment:
On April 13, over a period of 40 minutes, I made another count of blackbirds heading to roost at Lanes Landing. While many had already passed before I arrived, I was able to get a good handle on those perched close to the ditch trail and those passing nearby. Amazingly, this flight was even larger and more pure. The ratio of Rusty Blackbirds to Red-winged Blackbirds (mostly females and immature males) was much higher than before. I selectively ignored many distant flocks, birds that never passed, and close flocks that were more evenly mixed, but I still achieved an incredible count of 13,560 Rusty Blackbirds.
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