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 |
