Hawk ID Help and More

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I saw this pair of Baltimore Orioles near the Wastewater Admin. building Sunday (5-8) morning.  Monday morning, 5-9, stopped at the MLNP to see the Common Moorhen. Notice what huge feet this bird has! (Charlie, your shots are nice , too!). I spotted the hawk on my way to Snug Harbor. Thought it to be a young Red-tailed Hawk though it was fairly small, more like a Sharp-shinned Hawk.  The last picture, I believe, is a Great Crested Flycatcher, though he doesn't seem very "crested".  Please help if I'm wrong.

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Don Neumann  

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Don, I think you're right about the Great Crested Flycatcher and the hawk looks like a young Red-shouldered Hawk to me, but we'll see what others say.

- Ric

You Are Invited to our NAMC Saturday May 14

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If you would like to participate in our club's North American Migration Count on May 14, click here for Brian Johnson's invitation and contact information on our homepage.
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Sunday Birds

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Carol and I took a Mother's Day walk around the Blanford Nature Center in Grand Rapids yesterday.  Foliage in that neighborhood was at least a week ahead of Muskegon.  Birds of note included Chestnut-sided and Nashville Warbler plus Great Crested and Least Flycatcher.  Afterward here in our yard we saw our first two Ruby-throated Hummingbirds of the year.
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- Ric
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Saturday Birds

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Saturday afternoon at the Wastewater I saw an Eared Grebe on the southeast side of the East Lagoon. There was one Wilson's Phalarope on the north side of the East Lagoon.
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- Kathryn Mork
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I got photos of a couple of birds that are new for me for this year.  American Pipit and Indigo Bunting.  I also got a couple of decent photos of a Wild Turkey showing off for the girls, an Upland Sandpiper and an Eastern Kingbird.

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- Rick Hamlin

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Black-and-white Warbler

I saw this Black-and-white Warbler on the White River Trail in Whitehall on Saturday afternoon, May 7th. I also saw the Common Moorhen in the same place as previously reported at the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve.

Mike Boston

Need Shorebird I.D. Please, Etc.

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Ric,

I found this bird wading at the Wastewater yesterday (May 5) and I am having trouble identifying it.  Can you help?  Thank you again,

Rick Hamlin

Rick,

I'll call it a shorebird and leave it to others for a real I.D. You're welcome!

- Ric

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 P.S.:  Kathryn Mork had an Orchard Oriole Thursday afternoon (May 5) in her yard "eating his cousin's orange", and also I had an Indigo Bunting.

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Moorhen on Thursday

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Got back from birding in Kansas at 1:00 Thursday (May 5), at Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve by 3:00, found Common Moorhen at 5:45.  Thanks Kathryn!

The moorhen was along the near shore just at the edge of the cattails.  From the parking lot, go over the wooden bridge, take the first bark path to the right, and walk slowly all along the edge.  Good luck.

- Charlie DeWitt

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MLNP Thursday Morning, Etc.

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I spent a couple early morning hours birding the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve today.  Complete list from eBird below.
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I couldn't find Kathryn's moorhen (previous posts) but enjoyed ten minutes of watching a Northern Waterthrush foraging and singing just south of the southernmost walkway dock on the east side of the preserve.  The woods were full of Zonotrichia sparrows (White-crowned and White-throated).
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- Ric
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PS:  Carol and I saw our first backyard Baltimore Orioles (2 males) on May 1 and our first backyard Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male) on May 3.
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PPS: Jerry Lang saw a Sora last night (May 4) in the cattails at the end of the pond near Bear Lake and two Eastern Kingbirds near the same location..
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Location:    Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve
Observation date:    5/5/11
Number of species:    35

Canada Goose - Branta canadensis    6
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor    4
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos    3
Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors    1
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus    3
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias    3
Cooper's Hawk - Accipiter cooperii    1
Sandhill Crane - Grus canadensis    1
gull sp. - Larinae sp.    6    Ring-billed or Herring
Rock Pigeon - Columba livia    6
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura    6
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens    1
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata    6
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos    1
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica    2
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus    1
House Wren - Troglodytes aedon    2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea    1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula    2
American Robin - Turdus migratorius    18
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis    3
Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum    1
Yellow Warbler (Northern) - Dendroica petechia [aestiva Group]    3
Northern Waterthrush - Parkesia noveboracensis    1    Singing while foraging.
Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas    3
Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus    1
Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina    2
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia    2
Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana    8
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis    12
White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys    8
sparrow sp. - Emberizidae sp. (sparrow sp.)    36    All Zonotrichia.
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis    8
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus    24
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula    2
Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater    6
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus    2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2 (http://ebird.org)
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East Muskegon Birds

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East Muskegon must be in the migration route this year.  This American Redstart and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher were seen May 3.

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Susie Hughes

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Common Moorhen at M.L.N.P.

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Kathryn Mork reports that she saw the Common Moorhen at the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve again this morning (see post below).
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Moorhen, Willet and Warblers - May 1 & 2

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Chip Francke on May 2 to Mich-listers:  This morning (Monday) there was a Willet on the Lake Michigan beach just north of the north pier in Grand Haven. To reach the north pier, take US 31 north from Grand Haven and take the Ferrysburg exit.  Turn left at the stop sign after you exit and travel to Northshore Drive.  Turn left (west) on Northshore and follow this road which will turn south along the Lake Michigan shoreline.  At the end, there is a fisherman’s parking lot at the base of the pier.

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Kathryn Mork on May 2:  I saw a Common Moorhen about 10:00 this morning from the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve.  It was behind the condominiums on the preserve side near the park bench.

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Susie Hughes on May 1:  Today I saw both a Yellow Warbler and I believe a Nashville Warbler in East Muskegon.  

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Wilson's Phalarope

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As promised: the Wilson's Phalarope and a Red-tailed Hawk

Don Neumann

Another Palm Warbler

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I took this photo of what I believe is a Palm Warbler, but it seems much brighter than one I see that Mike Boston posted today.  Are these in fact the same species? . Rick Hamlin .

Palm Warbler

I saw this Palm Warbler at the State Game Area right by the submerged Maple River bridge on Sunday, May 1st. Bring your waders if you plan to cross the bridge.

Mike Boston

Wilson's Phalarope at Wastewater

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Had a little time and went thru the Wastewater this morning. Spotted a couple Wilson's Phalarope on the north side of the east lagoon -- pictures at eleven!
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