Too Hot and Muggy for Birding

It was already so muggy at 7:00 on Harbor Island that condensed water coated my camera lens as I tried to photograph a Marsh Wren straddling two blades of grass.  It kept singing as it flew up to some phragmites, so I took its picture there after drying off the lens.

The mugginess continued as temperatures rose into the 80's.  I quit birding Grand Haven at 9:30 with nothing unusual to report.

- Ric

Pelicans Reported at Wastewater Wednesday

June 27 Email:

American White Pelicans at MCWS today reported by Jeff Kunitzer.  
- Ken Sapkowski

Ruddy Shelducks at Wastewater Friday

June 22 Email:

Ric,

In case you want this for the web site, there were 4 Ruddy Shelducks at the Wastewater in the large drawn-down cell this morning.  Although presumably not countable here, they are interesting nonetheless.

- Chip Francke

Thanks, Chip.  Yes, if it's a bird, I usually post it whether it's "countable" or not.  - Ric

Least Bitterns Tuesday at M.L.N.P.

June 19 Email:

I went to the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve this morning looking for anything interesting and these two Least Bitterns popped up.

- Mike Boston

More Good Saturday Birds

June 17 Email:

I was out birding yesterday with my wife and a fellow birder.  I was surprised to find a Northern Shoveler and her chicks (1st photo) as well as a female Wood Duck (2nd photo). These were firsts for me at the Wastewater ponds.  There were at least four male Dickcissels (3rd photo) and one Wilson's Pharalope (in the dry well).  The other species of note was a pair of Eared Grebes, though were were many other great birds to see.  

- Rich Schadle  

June 16 Field Trip Minority Report

I was at the Ferguson Farm by 8:00 a.m. as planned.  No one showed up until about 8:40 a.m. and then it was just long enough to say "It's raining.  I am going home."

You would think that if the club members would bird in weather like this (see picture above) that a little rain wouldn't be a big deal.  Granted, lightning can be a real game changer, but what are the odds?

So I decided to lead the field trip anyway.  At Ferguson Farm I had a Brown Thrasher, American Crow, Blue Jay and Indigo Bunting.  The rain let up some so I decided to check out the Walleye Pond.

On the way into the pond I had a Gray Catbird, Common Grackle, American Robin, Song Sparrow and Wood Duck.  The rain had stopped by the time I got to the parking lot, so I walked the south edge of the pond and picked up a Baltimore Oriole, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Mourning Dove, Hooded Merganser, Red-winged Blackbird, Northern Cardinal, American Goldfinch, Belted Kingfisher, Cedar Waxwing and Green Heron.  

On the way out, I stopped at the Cedar Creek Bridge and heard a Great Crested Flycatcher calling.  It was bird number 21 for the morning.  It was 10:00 a.m. and everyone on the field trip ( I ) wanted to go to the Muskegon County Wastewater and look for the Northern Mockingbird.  So I called the field trip over at 10:00 a.m.

Henslow's Sparrow

I found the Northern Mockingbird where it had been reported on Laketon by the maintenance building.

On June 12, Ken Sapkowski and Douglas Howerzyl reported on ebird that there was a Henslow's Sparrow west of the model airplane field in the thick grass on the north side of the road.  That is where I found it today too.

- Charlie DeWitt

Charlie, as one who went home, I salute you.  You found everyone on your field trip some excellent birds!  - Ric

Mocker Still There Thursday Morning

June 14 Email:

The Northern Mockingbird continues at the south Wastewater property.  I saw it this morning at the building on Laketon, first sitting on a wire and then on a car parked at the building.  It was on the door of the car looking at its own reflection in the car's outside mirror and appeared agitated by the sight.

- Mike Boston

Northern Mockingbird by Mike Boston

Have You Ever Seen an Oriole Do This?

June 11 Photos and Email:

Hi Ric,

I thought your readers might be interested in the behavior of a male Baltimore Oriole I saw in Holland, MI today. I took the pictures with my old iPhone 5s, but you can still see the behavior. 

I have a feeder out with 1/2 an orange and a small amount of grape jelly. He first flew into the feeder with a big fat spider in his mouth, grabbed some grape jelly and left with both.  He later returned with a caterpillar and a grub in his mouth, grabbed some grape jelly and left with all three in his mouth.

I asked the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology about this behavior and they thought he was probably gathering food to take back to the nest to feed his young. 

I have not noticed this behavior before and wondered if many of your readers have seen it. Can any of your readers identify the spider, caterpillar or grub?

Happy Birding!    

- John Strauss

John, thanks for the photos and description.  I've never seen our orioles mix anything with the jelly they take to their kids, and I don't do bugs.  Hopefully others have some answers?  - Ric

British Visitors, Mockingbird and Baby Plovers

Monday while the Pearl Mist was in Muskegon I was able to take two of its British passengers around some local birding areas.

They proved to be magic charms while at the Wastewater when we happened upon this Northern Mockingbird (on one of the yellow posts east of the driveway to the maintenance buildings along the south side of Laketon about a quarter mile west of Swanson).  The bird was repeatedly making a sound much like the song of a Warbling Vireo.

Meanwhile Carol Cooper reports that the Piping Plovers hatched on Sunday evening.  She also said that the DNR asked somebody who identified themselves as an Audubon member not to be in the protected area.  Please keep your distance if you go to see the plovers.  Thanks!

- Ric

Mississippi Kite at Muskegon River Today

June 5 Email:

I am a fishing guide and occasionally see really neat birds on the Muskegon River.   

Today I saw something I have never seen before.  There was a raptor flying over the river; I thought by its profile that it was a peregrine falcon.  I shot some images but never got very close.   

I was surprised when I looked at the images that it looked like a kite species; I believe a Mississippi Kite.  I have attached pics; could you confirm this ID?  The quality is not the greatest as I could not get real close. 

Thank you, 

- Kevin Feenstra

Kevin, I think you ID'd the bird correctly.  I've only seen kites a couple times in my life so have emailed others for their opinions.  I'll post their comments here and of course anyone is welcome to add their comments below.  The only other eBird sighting of a Mississippi Kite in West Michigan was down near Holland on May 12, 2014.  There's no need to apologize for the quality of these photos!  They've captured the bird wonderfully.  Thanks for sending them!  - Ric

Ibis Not Seen Friday; Nothing Unusual Today

I happened to see Roger Newell yesterday.  He had looked unsuccessfully for the ibis (reported below).

This morning I walked around Flahive Park (East Grand River Park) in Grand Haven for a half hour finding 19 species (the usual summer breeders).

Then I drove down to Hofma Preserve for a Sedge Wren (found two, Year Bird #166 if I were counting).  Other birds of note among the 24 species were a juvenile hawk (Red-tailed? Red-shouldered? squeak-crying from the woods near the parking lot), Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Veery. 

Male Red-winged Blackbird singing from the boardwalk.

Female Red-winged Blackbird listening to the music.

Willow Flycatcher "fitz-bewing" at the marsh.

- Ric