Beginning Our 2019 Bird Lists

As usual, Charlie and Feller DeWitt and I spent New Years morning beginning our year lists.  Susan Herrick joined us this year.

Pere Marquette Park provided my first 11 species, none of them unusual.  "Winnetaska Lake" on the Nugent Sand property added 9 more including Gadwall, Redhead, Greater Scaup, Common and Red-breasted Merganser and Double-crested Cormorant.

The Wastewater provided 11 new species including three woodpeckers (Downy, Hairy and Red-bellied), Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Snow Bunting and Snow Goose (probably the same two as Saturday among the Canada Geese).

That would be 31 species on opening day for anyone who was counting.

- Ric

Great Black-backed Gulls at Grand Haven

Great Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls

I went to the Grand Haven north pier to check for ducks.  Nothing new.  What I did find was 15 Great Black-backed Gulls, 12 adult and 3 immature.  This is the most I have seen at one time on the pier.  The picture has 7 adult and 1 immature, plus some Herring Gulls.

- Charlie DeWitt

Winter Birds and HAPPY NEW YEAR !

December 30 Email:

Hi Ric:

I just thought I would pass along some bird pics from the Wastewater from the end of this week.  They are Snow Buntings bathing (and drying), Common Redpolls, and a Gadwall.    

Happy New Year!

- Kevin Feenstra 

Thanks for the photos, Kevin.  I was out there Saturday morning with my son and grandson looking unsuccessfully for an owl.  We did see a large flock of Common Redpolls and two Snow Geese among hundreds of Canada Geese.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !

- Ric

Golden Eagle and MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Judy Fleener had Brian Bialik send me these excellent pictures of a Golden Eagle he photographed last Wednesday at the Wastewater.  - Ric

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Video of Redpolls Last Wednesday

Carol Cooper sent this iPhone video of Common Redpolls along the center dike December 19, the day of the Wastewater Christmas Bird Count.  I finally figured how to post it.  - Ric

An Interesting Local Sighting

Yesterday one of the groups conducting the Muskegon Wastewater Christmas Bird Count reported a Eurasian Collared-Dove west of Ravenna along Heights-Ravenna Road.

- Ric

Monday at the Wastewater

 Bald Eagle

 Snow Geese

Red-tailed Hawk 

I had a chance to visit the Muskegon County Wastewater on Monday.  Not a lot going on bird wise, but it was a nice day to be birding.

- Charlie DeWitt

Wisdom Lays Another Egg at 68

December 9 Email from Ken Cook (who presented our October program) with information intended for some of our club members.  - Ric

I was thinking that some folks in your club may find the attached of interest.  Feel free to pass on as appropriate.  I had the privilege of taking this photo of Wisdom when I was at Midway Island a few years ago.

While it is not ultimately known for sure how long any Laysan Albatross lives, this particular documented one is now at least 68 years old.  As of 2018, it is claimed to be the oldest known banded bird released into the wild.

I can tell you that when I was there, all of the biologists knew where this bird was, and always kept an eye on it.  It was a continuing topic of conversation.

The attached (click here to read) appeared in recent news releases to indicate the egg-laying a couple of weeks ago.  To me these type of surprises are what makes taking photos such as this so interesting and enjoyable.

Thanks!

- Ken Cook

Short-eared Owl Friday in Ottawa County

Thanks to Ken Sapkowski for informing us that Carl and Judi Manning watched a Short-eared Owl late yesterday morning (!) on a field east of 128th Street south of Bingham (a couple miles southeast of Hemlock Crossing park in Ottawa County).  Even if you don't try to see the bird, click here to see Judi's many beautiful photographs!

- Ric

Soft and Hard Birds at Pere Marquette Park

 Purple Sandpiper

 Long-tailed Duck

Carryliteus Plasticus 

On Tuesday I went to the Muskegon south pier looking for the Purple Sandpiper (posted below) and I found it!  That's #212 for the year.  There were also 3 Long-tailed Ducks.

On the way back to my truck I noticed a duck along the shore in some brush, just past the high water mark.  After a long slow approach, I was able to get close enough to grab it.  When I got it in my hand, it was very docile.   It must have been a captive at one time because there was a length of string on it.  Upon closer inspection, I found it to be a Carryliteus Plasticus.  When I turned it over, there was the unmistakable sound of BB's rattling inside.  So I thought the only humane thing to do was bring it home.

(Carryliteus Plasticus originates in Italy.  It comes in many colors and shapes and imitates most North American waterfowl.  It starts to be seen on lakes and ponds in the U.S. around mid-September until late November.  It can be seen in flocks as small as six and as large as dozens, oftentimes near boats.)

- Charlie DeWitt

Redpolls on Sunday

November 18 Email:

I saw 30-40 Common Redpolls along the north shore of the west lagoon at the Wastewater on Sunday.  Looks like this might be a good year for irruptive winter birds.

- Mike Boston

Purple Sandpiper and Long-tailed Ducks

At the south breakwall this morning looking for Mike Boston's Purple Sandpiper (posted below) I found Miles McNally, Jill Henemyer, Ken Sapkowski and Glenda Eikenberry who had already found the bird.  It was about three-quarters of the way from the breakwater elbow to the lighthouse on the left (lakeward) side.

On our walk back Ken, Glenda and I also saw this pair of Long-tailed Ducks just inside the elbow.

- Ric

Purple Sandpiper on Saturday

I found this Purple Sandpiper on the breakwall at Pere Marquette beach on Saturday afternoon. 

- Mike Boston

Thanks, Mike!  It's been awhile since we last had one at Muskegon.  - Ric

Pelican/s at White Lake

Earlier today Caleb Putnam posted this:

Taken from Mich-Listers Facebook page yesterday - seen at Goodrich Park on White Lake in Whitehall at an unknown time yesterday.  If anyone has a chance to check on this bird today, please do! Spots to check would be anywhere on the circumference of White Lake from Lake Michigan to Whitehall and potentially on the impoundments between the causeway and US-31.  Please update us all right away if you confirm the bird as a Brown Pelican.

Now it's noon.  Carol and I headed up there this morning.  We were unable to find a Brown Pelican.  However, on the Montague side from the Maple Grove Yacht Club parking lot we observed this American White Pelican flying and then landing along the shore a few hundred yards east of us.  We totally lucked out to be at the right place and the right time for Year Bird #169 (if I were counting).  We kept looking around White Lake but could not find another pelican.  - Ric

Late Report: Kinglets at Black Lake Park

On October 18 I counted 12 Ruby-crowned Kinglets at Black Lake Park.  Some were very tame and gave me a chance to photograph them up close.

- Charlie DeWitt