February Field Trip Report

Eight people found 19 bird species on our February field trip to Pere Marquette Park and the Muskegon Channel.  Nothing unusual, but one highlight was the many Long-tailed Ducks in the channel, some of them occasionally giving their “oldsquaw” call.

February Events

February 17 Program

Rails at Different Scales

Ecological & Evolutionary Drivers of Vocal Behavior in Rallidae

Daniel Goldberg, Biology Department, Grand Valley State University

Secretive marsh birds like rails are difficult to study visually because many species vocalize from within dense vegetation at times that are difficult to survey.  Furthermore, behavioral information is lacking for many species, which poses challenges for rail conservation.

Over the course of his doctoral research, Daniel Goldberg has discovered that Soras do not decrease their vocalization rates following predator calls, and furthermore, that Soras migrating at night during the spring show high site fidelity in choosing stopover locations, but are not more attracted by either Sora calls or habitat cues.  His comparative analysis of the family Rallidae has revealed that about 60% of rail species duet — one of the highest rates of any group of birds — and that this duetting is associated with year-round territory defense by mated pairs, in species that primarily occur in densely to highly vegetated habitats.
Daniel is Assistant Professor of Biology at Grand Valley State University, a role that he began in Fall 2024 after teaching Biology for a year at Albion College.  His research interests span both animal communication and comparative studies of behavioral ecology and the evolution of elaborate signals, which he pursued during his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the University of California Riverside, and during his Ph.D. at Illinois State University.  He has published research articles on dorsal fin-based courtship displays in freshwater livebearer fishes, parental carrying of offspring on their backs in waterbirds, and vocal behavior and duetting in rails.  At GVSU, he specializes in teaching Ecology, Environmental Science, Ornithology, and Natural History of Vertebrates.

Loutit Library, Grand Haven

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Social Time: 6:00-6:15 p.m.

Program:  6:15-8:00 p.m.

February 21 Field Trip

Muskegon Channel Areas

Ric Pedler

At 8:30 Saturday morning, February 21, 2026, meet our group at Pere Marquette Park south of The Deck restaurant.  The Lake Michigan shoreline can be colder than inland, so be sure to dress for the weather!

Depending on conditions we will look for birds from the base of the south break wall before driving to the east end of the Muskegon Channel by Muskegon Lake.  Later we plan to look for birds at various locations along the south wall of the channel and perhaps further inland.

The trip will end around noon.  The public is welcome.  Hope to see you there!

Christmas Bird Count Compiler Needed

Ric Pedler is dropping his position as organizer and compiler for the City of Muskegon Christmas Bird Count.  He will help anyone who takes over the position in any way he can.  If you can be the coordinator for the December 2026 Muskegon CBC, please let Ric or Beth Miller know.  Thank you.

January 2026 Events

Program Canceled Until April

Due to the bad weather forecast we have canceled our Jan. 20 program until April.

City of Muskegon CBC’s

NOTICE:   If you need details about the Dec. 20 City of Muskegon Christmas Bird Count, call Ric Pedler.  Be aware that the information regarding the north group that was published in the newsletter has changed slightly because the west end of the Snug Harbor parking lot is inaccessible due to construction.  Instead the north group will meet at the east end of that lot (where the fishermen put in their boats) using the temporary entrance signs posted on Ruddiman Drive.

November 15 Field Trip Report

      Eleven people walked around Ottawa Sands County Park Saturday, November 15, on this cloudy windy morning.  They found 31 bird species in about 3 hours.

    Species of note included Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, American Black Duck, Green-winged Teal, Bufflehead, Hooded and Red-breasted Merganser, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Pileated Woodpecker, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Cedar Waxwing, American Tree and Song Sparrow.

November Events

November 15 Field Trip

Ottawa Sands County Park

Meet in the parking lot of Ottawa Sands County Park (south side of Northshore Drive about a mile west of Ferrysburg) at 8:00 a.m.  Karl Sineath and Malcolm Oosting- Sineath will lead us around the roads and paths of this newly updated park looking for various bird species in a variety of habitats.  It's easy walking all the way.  This Saturday morning trip will end around noon. 

 November 18 Program

Birding and Wildlife in Montana

at Red Rock Lakes N.W.R.

Ken Cook

Loutit Library, Grand Haven

Social Time:  6:00-6:15 p.m.  Program:  6:15-8:00 p.m.

Located in the lower southwestern corner of Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge was established in the early 1930’s to help protect and restore the Trumpeter Swan population, at that time, a perilous 70 birds.

Join Owashtanong Islands Audubon Society and the Muskegon County Nature Club as Ken Cook shares some breathtaking photographs taken during his recent trip to this scenic but remote area of what some have called the most beautiful refuge in the country.  The picturesque Centennial Mountains provide a striking backdrop for a landscape that presents a very diverse variety of birds, wildlife and vistas in a high meadow environment.

Only a couple hours’ drive from Yellowstone, it’s an area of the country not visited by many people.

A Holland native and graduate of Hope College, Ken has honed his 30-plus year photography passion to specialize in landscapes, nature and wildlife.  He has traveled to many countries to pursue his passion, but currently is focused within North America.  He is a member of the Tulip City Camera Club and a charter member of the North America Nature Photography Association.  You can view his work and/or contact him at:

 www.kencookphotography.com

October Field Trip Report

    Six people found 27 bird species at Black Lake Park on October 11, 2025 (Migratory Bird Day). 

    This cool sunny Saturday morning began with a Cooper’s Hawk flying over us in the parking lot before 8:00 and perching near our cars for a minute.  

    Soon afterward we began a slow walk around the south loop trails.  Robins were everywhere.  White-throated Sparrows and flickers were also abundant.  Other species included Pied-billed Grebe, Eastern Phoebe, Winter Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Purple Finch, White-crowned Sparrow, Eastern Towhee and Yellow-rumped Warbler.

    The trip ended at 10:45.

October Events

Monthly Field Trip

Black Lake Park

NOTICE NEW DATE:  October 11, 2025

    Normally our field trips are held on the third Saturday of the month.  But October 11, 2025, is World Migratory Bird Day, so we're moving our event up one week to be in the field on the same day as birdwatchers around the world.

    Meet at 8:00 Saturday morning, October 11, 2025, in the parking lot of Black Lake Park (Wood Road about half a mile south of Pontaluna Road).  We will walk the trails of the park looking for whatever local or migratory birds we can find.

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

October 21 Program

Loutit Library, Grand Haven

Social Time:  6:00-6:15 p.m.  Program:  6:15-8:00 p.m.

Identiflight: Protecting Endangered Raptors

Throughout the World

Caleb Putnam

    Caleb Putnam will present his exciting work with Identiflight, the world's top AI camera system protecting birds at windfarms worldwide.  Caleb will also speak of his work at Real Birds, especially about backyard habiscaping and bird water features.

    Caleb Putnam is a professional ornithologist and owner of Real Birds LLC.  A lifelong birder, Caleb has exceptional enthusiasm and passion for birds and birding.  He has served on the Michigan Bird Records Committee and is a statewide expositor of eBird as well as a local eBird reviewer for an 11-county area in west lower Michigan.  

    Caleb spent twelve years working for the National Audubon Society as the Important Bird Areas Program Coordinator and two years with Audubon Great Lakes and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources as the Michigan Birds Program Coordinator.  He also has spent many years in environmental consulting, especially focusing on wind power and green energy development.

September 20 Field Trip Report

     Five of us birded the south end of Hoffmaster State Park for a couple hours Saturday morning.  There were a few flurries of activity at a sassafras tree beside the picnic pavilion parking lot.  Swainson’s thrushes and several warbler species (including black-and-white, magnolia, and chestnut-sided) flitted around in its branches.

    All told we found 19 bird species including four woodpeckers (flicker, downy, hairy and red-bellied), both nuthatches, and a rose-breasted grosbeak before calling it a day.