June, July and August Field Trips

SUMMER SATURDAY FIELD TRIPS

JUNE 15, 2013
HOWARD CHRISTENSEN NATURE CENTER

Six of us birded from 8:45-11:30 recording 30 species of birds (plus 1 dead porcupine): Hooded Merganser, Green Heron, Mourning Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-pewee, Alder Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Veery, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird and American Goldfinch

JULY 20, 2013
HEMLOCK CROSSING PARK
(Ottawa County between Grand Haven and Holland)
Leader:  Charlie DeWitt

Meet 7:15-8:00 a.m. at either of two McDonald's restaurants, the one on Sternberg Road near Meijer or the one along US-31 in Grand Haven.  At 8:00 drive or car-pool south 9-10 miles on US-31 to West Olive.  Turn right on Crosswell Street just long enough to get over the railroad tracks and then immediately left (south) on West Olive Road about a half mile to the park's entrance.  Or meet us at the park at about 8:15.  Charlie will lead us around this beautiful area with its impressive nature center until about noon.  You should be back to your cars in Grand Haven or Muskegon by 1:00.

AUGUST 17, 2013
MUSKEGON COUNTY WASTEWATER PROPERTIES
Leader:  Feller DeWitt

Meet 7:15-8:00 a.m. at the McDonald's on Apple Ave. near US-31.  At 8:00 drive or car-pool to the Maple Island Road entrance to the Muskegon County Wastewater System properties.  Or meet us near that entrance at approximately 8:10 a.m.  Feller will lead us around the lagoon areas looking for migrating shorebirds and then around other areas for resident birds on the fields and in the woodlots until about 12:00.  You should be back to your cars at the McDonald's before 12:30.

THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME ON ALL OF OUR FIELD TRIPS.

125 Species on Big Day Count May 18, 2013

Four Die-hards (Charlie and Feller DeWitt, Travis Dewys and Ric Pedler) birded from 4:45 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. trying for as many bird species as possible.  During the course of the day there were as many as ten people involved in this pursuit, including Kathryn Mork before first light.  It may have been the mosquito-iest Muskegon Big Day Count of all time.  Thanks to Charlie for the pictures.

The morning was spent at Lane's Landing (LL) and State Game Area (SGA) headquarters along the Maple River.  Afternoon consisted of the Wastewater (WW) properties and Dayle and Nancy Vanderwier's feeders (where we got our targeted siskins).  After supper we walked the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve (MLNP) and Snug Harbor at Muskegon State Park.  We concluded our day on the north side of the Muskegon Channel where we added no new species but appreciated a beautiful sunset.  

Highlights included Alder and Willow Flycatchers calling within earshot of each other at Lane's Landing, a Philadelphia Vireo in the trees west of the single singing Prothonotary Warbler north of the marsh, Yellow-billed Cuckoo at the same location, 15 American White Pelicans flying over the SGA (and 6 more on the center dike at Wastewater), Horned & Eared Grebes and Black-bellied Plovers in the West Lagoon, Orchard Orioles on the northeast WW rather than southside this year, and a Common Night-hawk sleeping on a branch over the MLNP parking lot.

- - -

1	Robin, American	LL
2	Heron, Green	LL
3	Whip-poor-will	LL
4	Nighthawk, Common	LL
5	Sparrow, Swamp	LL
6	Yellowthroat, Common	LL
7	Warbler, Yellow	LL
8	Goose, Canada	LL
9	Blackbird, Red-winged	LL
10	Catbird, Gray	LL
11	Dove, Mourning	LL
12	Sparrow, Song	LL
13	Crane, Sandhill	LL
14	Merganser, Hooded	LL
15	Mallard	LL
16	Grackle, Common	LL
17	Teal, Blue-winged	LL
18	Owl, Barred	LL
19	Flycatcher, Alder	LL
20	Flycatcher, Willow	LL
21	Gull, Ring-billed	LL
22	Duck, Wood	LL
23	Rail, Virginia	LL
24	Heron, Great Blue	LL
25	Thrush, Wood	LL
26	Wren, Marsh	LL
27	Goldfinch, American	LL
28	Kingfisher, Belted	LL
29	Grebe, Pied-billed	LL
30	Swan, Mute	LL
31	Swallow, Barn	LL
32	Bunting, Indigo	LL
33	Warbler, Prothonotary	LL
34	Veery	LL
35	Grosbeak, Rose-breasted	LL
36	Redstart, American	LL
37	Vireo, Red-eyed	LL
38	Woodpecker, Red-bellied	LL
39	Pewee, Eastern Wood-	LL
40	Woodpecker, Downy	LL
41	Cuckoo, Yellow-billed	LL
42	Woodpecker, Pileated	LL
43	Nuthatch, White-breasted	LL
44	Swallow, Tree	LL
45	Jay, Blue	LL
46	Eagle, Bald	LL
47	Hawk, Red-tailed	LL
48	Vireo, Philadelphia	LL
49	Gnatcatcher, Blue Gray	LL
50	Tanager, Scarlet	LL
51	Cardinal, Northern	LL
52	Flycatcher, Great Crested	LL
53	Flycatcher, Least	LL
54	Vireo, Yellow-throated	LL
55	Cowbird, Brown-headed	LL
56	Vireo, Warbling	LL
57	Hummingbird, Ruby-throated	SGA
58	Vulture, Turkey	SGA
59	Hawk, Cooper's	SGA
60	Finch, House	SGA
61	Sparrow, House	SGA
62	Sparrow, Chipping	SGA
63	Starling, European	SGA
64	Bluebird, Eastern	SGA
65	Crow, American	SGA
66	Wren, House	SGA
67	Phoebe, Eastern	SGA
68	Pelican, American White	SGA
69	Swift, Chimney	SGA
70	Warbler, Cerulean	SGA
71	Sparrow, Savannah	SGA
72	Kingbird, Eastern	SGA
73	Titmouse, Tufted	SGA
74	Waxwing, Cedar	SGA
75	Ovenbird	SGA
76	Sparrow, Grasshopper	WW
77	Sandpiper, Spotted	WW
78	Swallow, Bank	WW
79	Swallow, Northern Rough-winged	WW
80	Dunlin	WW
81	Swallow, Cliff	WW
82	Sandpiper, Least	WW
83	Meadowlark, Eastern	WW
84	Sandpiper, Semipalmated	WW
85	Gull, Herring	WW
86	Killdeer	WW
87	Yellowlegs, Greater	WW
88	Yellowlegs, Lesser	WW
89	Lark, Horned	WW
90	Gadwall	WW
91	Shoveler, Northern	WW
92	Scaup, Lesser	WW
93	Duck, Ruddy	WW
94	Redhead	WW
95	Turnstone, Ruddy	WW
96	Grebe, Horned	WW
97	Grebe, Eared	WW
98	Coot, American	WW
99	Towhee, Eastern	WW
100	Plover, Black-bellied	WW
101	Tern, Black	WW
102	Canvasback	WW
103	Sandpiper, Upland	WW
104	Harrier, Northern	WW
105	Sparrow, Field	WW
106	Sparrow, Vesper	WW
107	Bobolink	WW
108	Sparrow, White-throated	WW
109	Turkey, Wild	WW
110	Oriole, Baltimore	WW
111	Oriole, Orchard	WW
112	Thrasher, Brown	WW
113	Siskin, Pine	Dayle's
114	Nuthatch, Red-breasted	Dayle's
115	Warbler, Yellow-rumped	MLNP
116	Warbler, Black-and-white	MLNP
117	Flicker, Northern	MLNP
118	Sparrow, White-crowned	MLNP
119	Cormorant, Double-crested	MLNP
120	Pigeon, Rock	MLNP
121	Falcon, Peregrine	MLNP
122	Kinglet, Ruby-crowned	MLNP
123	Martin, Purple	MLNP
124	Chickadee, Black-capped	Snug Harbor
125	Warbler, Black-throated Green	Snug Harbor

Two Cold Field Trips on Saturday April 20

From early to mid-morning Patricia Pennell of the Michigan Nature Association led a dozen MCNC members plus several others around the Five Lakes Nature Preserve in Egelston Township.  Though it was ridiculously cold for this time of year, the group counted 27 species of birds for the morning including a very vocal Pied-billed Grebe on Carr Lake.

Later in the morning until 1:00 p.m. a few people left Patricia's group to guide a dozen others around the Wastewater properties for Nik Kalejs and Karen Cleveland of the DNR.  How to bird the Wastewater rather than bird-watching was the focus of interest, though such species as American Kestrel, Barn Swallow and Northern Harrier were noted along with a "probable" Merlin.

March 23 Ottawa County Field Trip

Fifteen of us followed Feller DeWitt on our monthly field trip this morning.  Highlights included Peregrine Falcons and Wood Ducks seen from Chinook Pier in Grand Haven, a Red-throated Loon further west in the Grand River, and Great Black-backed Gulls and an Eared Grebe swimming in Lake Michigan offshore from the State Park.

At Pigeon lake we observed a Turkey Vulture and Belted Kingfisher.

Holland State Park produced Snow Buntings and several duck species including White-winged Scoters, Long-tailed's and a Ring-necked Duck.

Feeder birds at Hemlock Crossing upped our total species for the morning to 44.  (This is an amended number after Charlie DeWitt emailed that in checking his photographs from the field trip he found the image below of a Canvasback at Holland State Park.)

.

February 23 Field Trip to Allegan SGA

Fourteen of us braved the cold winds and followed Charlie DeWitt around the Allegan State Game area farm fields southwest of Fennville.  We recorded 21 bird species.  Highlights included Common Redpoll, Green-winged Teal and a Song Sparrow at the ditch east of the farm unit buildings on 118th Avenue and a light-morph Rough-legged Hawk hunting the fields west of 59th Street.  Most of us then enjoyed lunch at the Crane's Orchard Restaurant on M-89.

eBird Report:
Allegan SGA--Farm Unit, Allegan, US-MI
Feb 23, 2013 9:00 AM - 11:40 AM
Protocol: Traveling
6.0 mile(s)
Comments:    Muskegon County Nature Club February Field Trip
21 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  1000+  (too many to count)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  hundreds  (too many to count)
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  2
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)  1    light morph
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  3
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  6
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)  18
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  3
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  5
American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea)  15
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1   
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)  6
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  6
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  1
Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)  1    
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  1

Muskegon County #2 in Michigan for 2012

Brian Allen Email to Mich-Chat January 16, 2013:

Highest species total by county 2012 drawn from eBird:

 1.   Berrien 272
 2.  Muskegon 261
 3.   Allegan 256
       Monroe 256
 4.   Iosco 255
       Chippewa 255
 5.   Macomb 248
 6.   Washtenaw 247
 7.   Manistee 243
 8.   Wayne 241
       Delta 241
 9.   Kent 238
10.  Oakland 234

Christmas Bird Counts

Here are the numbers for our City of Muskegon Christmas Bird Count Dec. 15, 2012.  The five species with "0" totals are "Count Week" birds seen by members of our group in that CBC circle within three days of Dec. 15 but not on count day itself. (Numbers for the Wastewater CBC of Dec. 19 were posted December 30 by Brian Johnson on our Recent Sightings page.)

MIMU 2012 CBC	DECEMBER 15, 2012	Species Totals
Canada Goose	Branta canadensis	65
Trumpeter Swan	Cygnus buccinator	1
Mute Swan	Cygnus olor	246
American Black Duck	Anas rubripes	4
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	444
Northern Shoveler	Anas clypeata	4
Canvasback	Aythya valisineria	10
Redhead	Aythya americana	1100
Blue-winged Teal	Anas discors	4
Green-winged Teal	Anas crecca	4
Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris	401
Greater Scaup	Aythya marila	10
Lesser Scaup	Aythya affinis	420
Harlequin Duck	Histrianicus histrianicus	1
Surf Scoter	Melanitta perspicillata	1
White-winged Scoter	Melanitta fusca	13
Long-tailed Duck	Clangula hyemalis	6850
Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola	15
Common Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula	1833
Hooded Merganser	Lophodytes cucullatus	11
Common Merganser	Mergus merganser	17
Red-breasted Merganser	Mergus serrator	169
Duck	Species	24
Common Loon	Gavia immer	2
Wild Turkey	Meleagris gallopavo	11
Pied-billed Grebe	Podilymbus podiceps	1
Horned Grebe	Podiceps auritus	3
Western Grebe	Aechmophorus occidentalis	0
Double-crested Cormorant	Phalacrocorax auritus	1
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias	4
Bald Eagle	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	6
Cooper's Hawk	Accipiter cooperii	1
Red-shouldered Hawk	Buteo lineatus	0
Red-tailed Hawk	Buteo jamaicensis	1
American Kestrel	Falco sparverius	1
American Coot	Fulica americana	14
Purple Sandpiper	Calidris maritima	0
Ring-billed Gull	Larus delawarensis	262
Herring Gull	Larus argentatus	244
Glaucous Gull	Larus hyperboreus	0
Great Black-backed Gull	Larus marinus	0
Gull	Species	200
Rock Pigeon	Columbia livia	173
Mourning Dove	Zenaida macroura	52
Belted Kingfisher	Ceryle alcyon	1
Red-bellied Woodpecker	Melanerpes carolinus	8
Downy Woodpecker	Picoides pubescens	11
Hairy Woodpecker	Picoides villosus	2
Pileated Woodpecker	Dryocopus pileatus	2
Woodpecker	Species	1
Blue Jay	Cyanocitta cristata	64
American Crow	Corvus brachyrhynchos	75
Common Raven	Corvus corax	0
Black-capped Chickadee	Poecile atricapillus	100
Tufted Titmouse	Baeolophus bicolor	51
Red-breasted Nuthatch	Sitta canadensis	3
White-breasted Nuthatch	Sitta carolinensis	15
Carolina Wren	Thryothorus ludovicianus	2
Eastern Bluebird	Sialia Sialis	2
European Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	322
Cedar Waxwing	Bombycilla cedrorum	17
American Tree Sparrow	Spizella arborea	27
Dark-eyed Junco	Junco hyemalis	54
Northern Cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis	39
House Finch	Carpodacus mexicanus	13
White-winged Crossbill	Loxia leucoptera	11
Common Redpoll	Acanthis flammea	3
Pine Siskin	Spinus pinus	1
American Goldfinch	Carduelis tristis	32
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	461
Seventy-one Species	Individual Totals:	13940

Caleb's Presentation and a Great Field Trip

We had so many good birds (Carolina Wren, Red-necked Grebe, Common Redpoll, Red Crossbill) on our November 17 Field Trip that we posted the report and photos on our Recent Sightings page.

Regarding Caleb Putnam's November 15 program about night bird migration and how to build a recorder for $200, here is his follow-up email:

Hey Ric -

Here are the links we discussed:

http://www.oldbird.org/

CD-ROM:
http://www.oldbird.org/fcmbirds.htm

Mic (completely preassembled and with preamp):
http://www.oldbird.org/21c.htm

Sound capturing freeware (for recording birds via the mic and viewing the sonograms):
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

Raven (software for advanced sound analysis):
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp/raven/ravenoverview.html

NEXRAD radar live feed:
http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Conus/centgrtlakes_loop.php

2nd radar feed:
http://weather.rap.ucar.edu/radar/displayRad.php?icao=KUSA&prod=bref1&bkgr=black&endDate=20121120&endTime=-1&duration=0

Think that's it!

Caleb

15 People Find 29.5* Species on October Trip

Under Charlie DeWitt's leadership 15 of us dodged a few rain showers at the Kitchel-Lindquist Dune Preserve to observe 29.5 species of birds this morning (10/20/12). Highlights included many good views of Golden-crowned Kinglets and White-throated Sparrows.  We also observed migrating Blue Jays, American Crows, American Kestrel and Cooper's Hawk.  The local Peregrine Falcon was perched on the power plant smokestack and an * American Black Duck x Mallard hybrid slept in the boat harbor near a probably more wild Pied-billed Grebe.

- Ric Pedler

Kitchel-Lindquist Preserve, Ottawa, US-MI
Oct 20, 2012 8:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments:    MCNC Monthly Field Trip
29 species (+3 other taxa)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  3
* American Black Duck x Mallard hybrid (Anas rubripes x platyrhynchos)  1
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  1
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)  2
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  1
gull sp. (Larinae sp.)  10
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  1
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)  1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  1
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)  1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  3
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  60    Most in one loose flock flying high overhead southward.
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  12
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)  2
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)  2
Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)  2
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)  12
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)  3
kinglet sp. (Regulus sp.)  24
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  2
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  15
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  6
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)  1
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)  12
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  2

This report was generated automatically by eBird.

New Muskegon County Nature Club Brochure

Thanks to Ken Sapkowski for arranging this clickable link to our new Muskegon County Nature Club brochure.