Author Bob Tarte from the Lowell area birded the Wastewater properties and State Game Area headquarters with me this morning. We also met Josh Kamp of the Coopersville area along our way.
We were surprised to see Tree Swallows already at WW foraging over the ice of the East Lagoon. Rusty Blackbirds were our target species at SGA but were still a bit of a surprise as we'd already been down by the bridge and found none. But we meandered west along the north bank toward where a Red-shouldered Hawk was screaming and then heard the Rusties.
Bob "paid" me for leading our trek with an autographed copy of his Enslaved by Ducks! Thanks again, Bob. That was excellent compensation for absolutely no work!
Afterward I followed some directions Brian Johnson had given me for finding the Five Lakes Nature Preserve (subject of our April 18 program and our April 20 field trip). Years ago my son Andy and I had followed a little path off Laketon Ave. labeled "Five Lakes Sanctuary", but it seemed to go nowhere. Today I started at this sign behind Eagle Alloy on Evanston ...
... which has no trail near it. I walked into the woods a short distance so I could turn and snap this picturesque landscape from which I'd come ...
... then continued northward until I found a trail (well-worn by RV's, as Brian had promised) and then some surprisingly nice habitat: marsh (the southernmost of the Five Lakes), oak woods, a pine plantation "inhabited" by this "dwelling" ...
... and ultimately the other four lakes. Below is the view west toward where Laketon begins swerving (ultimately to become Carr Road); the path Andy and I had inspected is over there.
At any rate, I'm anxious to follow the Michigan Nature Association's leader on Saturday the 20th to see and hear more about this place which I knew absolutely nothing about before. Its eBird numbers below reflect more the bad time of day than its birding possibilities earlier in the day and later in the month.
- Ric
Muskegon Wastewater System, Muskegon, US-MI
Apr 4, 2013 9:30 AM - 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments: North and South of Apple Avenue with Bob Tarte
28 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) X
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) X
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) X
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) 3
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) X
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) X
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) X
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) 4
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 2
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) X
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) X
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) X
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 8
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) X
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) X
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) X
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) X
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) X
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) X
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) X
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) X
Muskegon SGA--Headquarters, Muskegon, US-MI
Apr 4, 2013 11:25 AM - 11:55 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.25 mile(s)
Comments: State Game Area Headquarters to Maple River with Bob Tarte
11 species
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 1
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) X
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 1
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) X
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) X
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) X
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) 8
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) X
Five Lakes Nature Preserve, Muskegon, US-MI
Apr 4, 2013 12:55 PM - 1:45 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments: Checking Out Brian's Directions for Five Lakes Nature Preserve
6 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) X
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) X
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 5
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) X
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) X
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) X
These reports were generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
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