Monday, December 24, 2012

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

Sunday, November 18, 2012

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:


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



Think that's it!

Caleb

Saturday, October 20, 2012

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.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Saturday, September 22, 2012

September 22 Field Trip Report


Twenty people spent this morning at the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve birding the trails and watching Brian Johnson band birds at the pavilion.




All told 51 bird species were observed (my eBird list below plus these by others: Great Horned Owl, Semipalmated Plover, Palm Warbler, House Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Red-eyed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Phoebe, Belted Kingfisher, Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Sandhill Crane, Mute Swan, Swainson's Thrush and Purple Finch.)

Species banded by Brian posted in purple.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  15
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)  1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  1
Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus/scolopaceus)  2
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  2
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)  1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  1
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  3
Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  20
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  5
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  2
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)  1
Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  5
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  3
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  40
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)  1
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)  1
Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla)  1
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  2
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  20
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)  2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2

- Ric Pedler

Sunday, May 20, 2012

116 Species on Our May 19 Big Day Count

.
Our club's annual Big Day Count May 19, 2012 could not have had a much better day weatherwise; still, there were too few warbler and shorebird species to make a serious run at our all-time 156 record.
. 
From mid-morning until early afternoon yesterday we had twelve peoplethree die-hards went from 4:50 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
.
The total for the day (Lane's Landing, State Game Area, Wastewater, Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, Snug Harbor and the Channel) was 116 species

- - -

Lane's Landing
May 19, 2012 4:50 AM - 9:50 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
68 total species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  X
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  X
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)  1
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  X
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  X
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  X
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)  X
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  X
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)  X
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  X
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  X
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)  1
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)  X
American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)  1
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  X
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)  X
Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)  2
Eastern Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferus)  1
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)  1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)  X
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  X
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  X
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  X
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  X
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)  X
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  X
Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum)  X
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)  X
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  X
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)  X
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  X
Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)  X
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  X
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  X
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  X
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  X
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  X
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  X
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  X
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  X
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  X
Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)  1
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)  X
Veery (Catharus fuscescens)  X
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)  X
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  X
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  X
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  X
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)  X
Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina)  1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  X
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  X
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  X
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)  X
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)  X
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  X
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  X
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  X
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)  X
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  X
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  X
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  X
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  X
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  X
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  X
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  X
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  X 

State Game Area
May 19, 2012 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
10 more species

Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)  1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  X
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  X
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  X
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)  X
Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera)  X
Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia)  1Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea)  1
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)  X
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  X 

Wastewater Properties
May 19, 2012 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
10.0 mile(s)
32 more species

Gadwall (Anas strepera)  X
Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)  X
Redhead (Aythya americana)  X
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  X
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  X
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)  X
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  X
American Coot (Fulica americana)  X
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)  X
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  X
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  X
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)  X
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  X
Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)  X
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  X
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  X
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  X
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  X
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)  X
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)  2
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)  X
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)  X
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)  X

Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)  X
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)  X
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)  X
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)  X
Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)  X
Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)  X
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)  X
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)  X 

Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve
May 19, 2012 5:30 PM - 7:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
2 more species

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)  1  (on roof of B.C. Cobb Plant)
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  1 

Snug Harbor
May 19, 2012 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
2 more species

Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  X
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  X 

Muskegon Channel
May 19, 2012 8:15 PM - 9:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
2 more species
.
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  X
Purple Martin (Progne subis)  X
.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Ponshair Wastewater Data Session

.
Tuesday evening January 31 Caleb Putnam conducted a training session at the Norton Shores Library for entering Jim Ponshair's many years of Wastewater bird data into computer templates which will ultimately send the information to eBird.
.
.


Friday, January 20, 2012

Feller Wins Award

.
At last night's meeting Charlie DeWitt presents brother Feller with his award for winning the 4-person 2011 "Most Species Seen in Michigan" contest.  Feller's 216 beat out Charlie, Kathryn Mork and Ric Pedler.



  
.