Hemlocks / Watershed / Land Conservancy

Three important items were presented at our October meeting.  The web links mentioned at our November meeting are included here:

1.  Thanks to Elizabeth Brockwell-Tillman (Hoffmaster State Park) and Heidi Frei (Michigan DNR) for briefly describing the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid problem now facing us in West Michigan.  (Heidi will present more details at our Nov. 17 meeting.)  There are presently outbreaks in Holland, Norton Shores and Whitehall.  All birders should be looking for this pest and reporting their sightings.  Learn more here and here.

2.  Kathy Evans of the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission needs volunteers to help with Muskegon Lake Watershed Restoration projects and marsh monitorings.  Click here for more information.

3.  Our program was presented by Joe Engel, executive director of the West Michigan Land Conservancy.  He will be contacting us in future regarding such things as bird, plant, and insect surveys on conservancy properties in the Greater Muskegon area.  Learn more about the conservancy here.

October 22 Field Trip Report

Fourteen people, most wise enough to dress for temperatures considerably lower than the forecast 50's, birded two northside areas yesterday morning.

Around Snug Harbor at Muskegon State Park they recorded 29 species including Green-winged Teal, Pied-billed Grebe, American Coot, Pileated Woodpecker, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, sparrows (American Tree, Chipping and Song), Dark-eyed Junco and Purple Finch.  

Later at the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve they watched Brian Johnson banding kinglets, chickadees, a titmouse and tree sparrows.  Additional species at the preserve included an unidentified hawk and thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Common Grackle and Belted Kingfisher.