June 21 Field Trip

Five people walked around the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve for 1-2 hours this warm and VERY windy morning.  Amazingly we found 25 bird species, none remarkable.  We also met a snapping turtle out on the boardwalk!

Big Day Produces 116 Species

Considering the cold, windy conditions on Saturday, May 17, and an abbreviated day (we quit early), our total of 116 Muskegon County bird species was very respectable.  At least ten people participated from 5:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. from Lane’s Landing to State Game Area Headquarters to the Wastewater to Hoffmaster to Black Lake Park.

Notable species included Trumpeter Swan, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, nighthawk, whip-poor-will, hummingbird, American and Least Bittern, Yellow-throated Vireo, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Veery, Cedar Waxwing, Orchard Oriole, Northern Waterthrush, Blue-winged, Black-and-White, Prothonotary, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Black-throated Blue and Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Scarlet Tanager.

We dipped on both nuthatches.  Go figure!

May Events

 

Thursday Evening, May 15, 2025

 Potluck Picnic Meeting & Bird Walk

    Our last meeting of the 2024-2025 season as usual will be combined with a potluck picnic at the Snug Harbor pavilion at Muskegon State Park.  Arrive by 6:00 p.m. with a dish-to-pass and whatever beverages, plasticware, napkins, etc. you will be using.  (The club will not be providing water, etc.)

    After the meal we'll hold a brief meeting which will include election of officers for the 2025-2026 season.  Then for those who want to stick around until dusk, we'll take a bird walk around the area.

Saturday, May 17, 2025

Big Day Count

(Bring a lawn chair for lunch.)

This is our annual all-day find-as-many-bird-species-in-the-county-as-we-can field trip.  A few die-hards will spend the entire day together, but most will join and leave the group as they wish.  Here is a list of where we'll be and approximately when:

Before 5:00 a.m.:  Meet Beth Miller and others at the outer gate of Lane's Landing.  This is the driveway off Maple Island Road about a mile north of the Wastewater (Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center) entrance at the bottom of the hill where Mosquito Creek goes under Maple Island Road.  Be careful here as traffic on Maple Island Road can be fast.

5:00 - 5:30 driving the mile to the inner Lane's Landing gate with a couple of stops along the way to listen for night birds.

5:30 until dawn, in the parking lot by the inner gate.

First half of the morning walking the trail up through the Lane's Landing Marsh and the "Prothonotary Woods" to the Muskegon River and back.

Second half of the morning on the Michigan Depatment of Natural Resources property (entrance about 1.3 mile north up Maple Island Road from Lane's Landing, 7600 Messinger Road) walking from the headquarters buildings along the Maple River west to the "Snipe Field" and back.

Lunch (brown bag) near the field office headquarters building.  The porch there no longer exists, so having a lawn or camp chair will be handy, but is not necessary.

First half of the afternoon on the Wastewater (MCRRC) properties, mostly by car.  A walkie-talkie tuned to Channel 11, subchannel 0 can be helpful, but is not necessary.

Second half of the afternoon, wherever we drive to find bird species not yet found.

Early evening supper at the McDonald's restaurant in North Muskegon north of the Veterans Memorial Causeway, followed by a walk around the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve.

A brief evening walk near the wesr end of the Snug Harbor parking lot at Muskegon State Park.

Finally, still at Muskegon State Park, a drive to the north side of the Muskegon Channel in hopes of adding a Lake Michigan species or two and likely finding some Purple Martins at the channel.

We hope you can join our group for some or all of this day!

April 19 Field Trip Report

Nine people met at the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve on a cold cloudy morning for this month’s field trip.  By the end of the trip before noon, skies were sunnier and temperatures were warmer.

We counted 46 species on a slow walk around the property.  Notable were Wood Duck, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Hooded and Red-breasted Merganser, Sandhill Crane, Greater Yellowlegs, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret (6!), Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker (at least 6), Eastern Phoebe, Tree and Barn Swallows, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Brown Thrasher, White-throated, Song and Swamp Sparrow, and Eastern Towhee.

April Events

 April 15 Program

Neotropical Migrants:

Birding in the Americas

Nahuel Medina

"The Americas are renowned for their abundant and breathtaking biodiversity, and I have been fortunate to visit several countries in the Western Hemisphere, including Costa Rica, Mexico, and Argentina.  Originally from Miami, Florida, I had Central and South America just a hop and skip away, which gave me plenty of opportunities to explore the region's natural beauty.  Even though I now reside in Michigan, this move has only fueled my ambitions to visit more countries in the tropics.
"In this presentation, I will share my experiences with Neotropical migrants during their stopover in Miami, as well as insights into the lives of local birds that thrive in tropical regions.  I invite you to join me as I discuss my travels, birdwatching, and wildlife photography throughout the Americas."

Nahuel Medina is an Ottawa County Parks Naturalist.

 

Our programs are in conjunction with the Owashtanog Islands Audubon Society at the Loutit Library in Grand Haven.  Social Time: 6:00-6:30, Program: 6:30-8:00.

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April 19 Field Trip

 Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve

Meet at 8:00 Saturday morning April 19, 2025, in the parking lot of the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve (2529 Lake Ave., North Muskegon, west of the traffic light at the north end of the Veteran's Memorial Causeway).

Being the bird migration season, we might find anything this morning.  Being Michigan, be sure to dress for the weather! 

This bird-watching walk around the preserve will end at about noon.  We hope to see you there. 

The George Wickstrom Trail

The George Wickstrom trail is now completed.  

We hope you can get out to the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center soon and walk around it (between the headquarters buildings and the rocket club launch area).   Our thanks to Anita Friends of the MCRRC for all of her help on this project.

Here are a few pictures she took to show the signage along the trail.  

March 15 Field Trip Report

Eight people met at the Snug Harbor parking lot at 9:00 on Saturday morning, March 15, to look for whatever birds were around.  By noon the main group had birded the woods and lake edge and walked the trail up to Lost Lake and back.

They counted 36 bird species, notable being Tundra Swan, Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, both scaup, Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers, Eastern Bluebird, Song Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird and Common Raven.

March Events

 

March 15 Field Trip

Snug Harbor and Lost Lake

Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the west end of the Snug Harbor parking lot in Muskegon State Park.  Be careful not to excceed the 30-mile-per-hour speed limit in North Muskegon which is strictly enforced.

We will bird the Snug Harbor area for awhile and then walk up the trail to Lost Lake and back.  Dress for the weather.

The trip is open to the public and will end around noon.  We hope to see you there!

March 18 Program

Storm Chasing & Birding Adventures

Isaac Polanski

    "Birds and weather share an important relationship with each other.  Weather influences migration routes and fallouts, brings in vagrants, and impacts habitat from year to year.  This program will review my Michigan big years of 2023 and 2024 as well as my storm chasing adventures of the same years.  The relationship between birds and the weather will be discussed and how the weather has helped me find multiple rare birds." 

    Isaac Polanski has been a birder since winter 2021.  He has been a storm chaser since 2015.  He has seen over 140 tornadoes across the United States.  Both 2023 and 2024 he had over 315 bird species in Michigan.  He is a graduate of Central Michigan University with a degree in Integrated Sciences for Secondary Education.  He works for the City of Royal Oak in the Water Maintenance Department. 

    Our programs are in conjunction with the Owashtanog Islands Audubon Society at the Loutit Library in Grand Haven.  Social Time: 6:00-6:30, Program: 6:30-8:00.

February Events

 February Field Trip

The February 15, 2025 field trip to Pere Marquette Park and the 

Muskegon Channel was canceled due to the bad weather forecast.

February 18 Program

Natural Features of Ottawa County

Bill Martinus, Botanist

    In tonight’s program Bill will discuss:

    1 - What a Natural Features Inventory is, and the process and methods of creating an NFI.

    2- Which Natural Features occur in Ottawa County Parks:

        Flora and fauna of special concern,

        Threatened and endangered species,

        Habitats, unique features, etc.

    3- Data, interpretation, and practical uses of NFI information to Ottawa County Parks, the community, and science.

    William Martinus and his wife Shirley have lived in western Ottawa County for over 50 years, wandering through natural areas (especially Ottawa County’s parks) recording plants and birds.  After teaching for thirty years, Bill’s focus narrowed to conducting inventories of what specifically occurs within the 7,400 acres of Ottawa County’s Parks and 50+ properties.

    His official inventories over 20 years include those completed in Upper Macatawa, Stearns Creek, North Ottawa Dunes, Ottawa Sands, Rosy Mound, Port Sheldon Natural Area, Hiawatha Forest, Crockery Creek, Eastmanville Bayou, Grand Ravines, and Grose parks.

    In the process he has documented with specimens to the University of Michigan Herbarium, over 450 plant species new to Ottawa County, and nearly 30 entirely new to the State of Michigan, as well as a native slug species new to the state!

    Tuesday, February 18, 2025, Loutit District Library, 407 Columbus Ave., Grand Haven.  Visiting time: 6:00-6:30 p.m.  Program: 6:30-8:00 p.m.

 The January 21 Program at Loutit Has Been Canceled Due to the Bad Weather !

January 18 Field Trip Report

Six of us (one with the Grand Rapids group) birded the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center properties this morning finding 21 bird species.

Notable birds included Gadwall, American Black Duck, Redhead, Ruddy Duck, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Common Raven, American Robin, Snow Bunting and American Tree Sparrow.  No one saw any owls, but the Grand Rapids group reported a Golden Eagle.

The raven flew over the trees northwest of the headquarters building.  The robins (a flock of more than 40!) occupied the trees in that area.  The eagles were on the West Lagoon, the hawks north of White Road (a pair by the granery), the kestrel hovered over the rapid filtration cells, and the buntings and tree sparrows flew in small flocks at various locations around the property.

January 2025 Events

Muskegon County Nature Club

January 2025

Homepage: http://muskegoncountynatureclub.blogspot.com

Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/mkgbirding

January 18 Field Trip

    Meet at 9:00 a.m. inside the Maple Island Road entrance to the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center (formerly "the Wastewater").  We will drive from there to various locations* on the property looking for whatever birds are present.  Having a walkie-talkie tuned to Channel 11, Subchannel 00 will be helpful for car-to-car communication, but is not necesssary.  We will often step out of the cars for a better views of  birds, so be sure to dress for the weather.  

    This trip will end around noon.  We hope to see you there.

    At the time of this writing the weather forecast looks fine.  However, as with all our field trips, if there is a cancellation, it will be posted on our homepage (above) as soon as possible.

* Driving only on roadways that have been plowed and leaving room for other vehicles to pass whenever we park to step outside, we will scan the rapid filtration lagoons, check the headquarters’ bird feeders, drive up to the aeration lagoons, check one or both of the big lagoons, scan the landfill, and drive to the granary on Swanson north of White.  Besides the usual suspects, winter bird possibilities at the Wastewater include Snowy and Short-eared Owls, Golden Eagle, Northern Shrike, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, Common Raven, Lapland Longspur, Common Redpoll, Snow Bunting, plus unusual waterfowl and gulls.

January 21 Program

CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER !

No January Meeting

    We have not scheduled a midwinter club meeting for this month because nothing seems to have changed in terms of club business since our last meeting on September 17, 2024.  If you feel that there is a need for a winter meeting, please let Beth know and we'll schedule one in February.