January 21 Field Trip Report

Seven of us followed Charlie DeWitt around the Muskegon County Wastewater properties this unseasonably warm morning, walked the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, and enjoyed pizza at Bernio's in North Muskegon on Charlie DeWitt's field trip.  Foggy, cloudy conditions persisted until we left the restaurant.

Notable among the 17 species at the Wastewater were Gadwall, American Black Duck, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Snowy Owl, Lapland Longspur and Snow Bunting. 

Snowy Owl

The Nature Preserve gave us 15 species including Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin and American Tree Sparrow.

American Tree Sparrow

Golden-crowned Kinglet by Casey Irwin

After the trip ended, Casey continued out to the Muskegon Channel and saw this raft of Long-tailed Ducks:

- Ric

Carol Cooper Wins the 2016 Contest

Our Birding Contest has a new winner.  Carol Cooper was presented the 2016 trophy at last night's meeting.  She saw more bird species last year in Muskegon and Ottawa Counties than anyone else in our club.  (Thanks as always to Dee DeWitt for creating the wonderful prize!)

Carol receives her trophy from Ric Pedler.

(photo by Charlie DeWitt)

2016 Muskegon Christmas Bird Count

Fifteen people spent several hours censusing birds in Muskegon County on December 17, 2016.  In three basic groups (north, central and south) they found 3,632 birds of 57 species.  These numbers were submitted to the National Audubon Society as part of the Christmas Bird Count conducted annually all over North America.

Highlights within the count circle (15 miles in diameter centered downtown) included a Double-crested Cormorant on "Nugent Lake", 668 Mallards, 953 Long-tailed Ducks on Lake Michigan, 3 merganser species (Hooded, Common and Red-breasted), 3 grebe species (Pied-billed, Horned and Red-necked), a Killdeer at Muskegon State Park, 24 Eastern Bluebirds, 8 American Robins and a Partridge in a Pear Tree a Song Sparrow at the Snug Harbor boat launch.

On January 7 Brian Johnson posted a detailed report of our December 21 Wastewater CBC.  Click here.