Sunday, May 19, 2013

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