Our Big Day Species, Locations and Times

Here are the eBird listings for our Big Day Count last Saturday, May 19, 2018.  Total Species: 125.

Lane's Landing Before Dawn (2 Species)

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)  X

Barred Owl (Strix varia)  X

Lane's Landing Early Mornng (40 Species)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  X

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  X

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  X

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  X

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)  X

Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis)  X

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  X

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)  X

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  X

Sora (Porzana carolina)  X

Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)  X

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  X

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  X

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  X

Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)  X

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  X

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)  X

Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum)  X

Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)  X

Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)  X

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  X

Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  X

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  X

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  X

Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)  X

Veery (Catharus fuscescens)  X

Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)  X

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  X

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  X

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  X

American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  X

Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  X

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  X

Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  X

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  X

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  X

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  X

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  X

Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  X

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  X

Wastewater Northside Mid-Morning (44 More Species)

Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  X

Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)  X

Gadwall (Mareca strepera)  X

Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) X

Redhead (Aythya americana)  X

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  X

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  X

Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  X 

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)  X

Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)  X

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)  X

Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)  X

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  X

Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)  X

Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  X

Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  X

Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)  X

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  X

Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  X

Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  X

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  X

Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  X

Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  X

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  X

Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  X

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  X

Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)  X

Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)  X

Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)  X

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  X

Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)  X

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  X

House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  X

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)  X

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  X

Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)  X

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)  X

Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)  X

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  X

Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)  X

Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)  X

Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)  X

Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)  X

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  X

DNR Headquarters Maple River Mid-Day (17 more)

Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus)  X

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)  X

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  X

Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)  X

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  X

Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)  X

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  X

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  X

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)  X

Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera)  X

Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea)  X

Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)  X

White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)  X

Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)  X

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  X

House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  X

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  X

Patterson Park Early Afternoon (8 more)

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  X

Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)  X

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  X

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)  X

Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  X

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) X

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  X

Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis)  X

Wastewater Southside Mid-Afternoon (4 more)

Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)  X

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)  X

Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  X

Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)  X

Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve Late Afternoon (6 more)

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  X

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)  X

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon))  X

Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)  X

Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)  X

Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)  X

Muskegon State Park Snug Harbor Early Evening (2 more)

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)  X

Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  X

Muskegon State Park Beach House Evening (1 more)

Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)  X 

Muskegon State Park Muskegon Channel Evening (1 more)

Purple Martin (Progne subis)  X

Big Day Final Total = 125 Species

Yesterday's Big Day Count began with a nice amount of people but not so many birds.  Much of that was undoubtedly due to the on-and-off rains throughout the morning.

Lane's Landing

Our core group recorded only one species -- Barred Owl -- before reaching the inner gate at Lane's Landing.  The wet walk between the marshes provided fewer species than most years and before we reached the Prothonotary Woods, we turned around because we were getting very wet!

State Game Area along the Maple River

That altered our original plans.  In order to stay dry and still find some birds, we drove to the Wastewater.  The north side provided many species, but not the three American White Pelicans that were also there yesterday morning.  By the time we got to the State Game Area headquarters at 11:00, we had about 85 species, a respectable number.  And most of the rain had stopped.

Patterson Park

Old orchard homestead on the south Wastewater properties

Having already birded north of Apple Ave. at the Wastewater, we headed to Patterson Park after lunch.  Then it was the south Wastewater properties including the abandoned orchard, supper at North Muskegon McDonald's, the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, and Muskegon State Park (the Lost Lake trail first, and the Muskegon Channel at end of day).

Die-hards along the channel wall at the end of the day.

Our final Big Day Total was:   125 species   .

Potluck Picnic Meeting

Over 25 people attended our Potluck Picnic Meeting Thursday evening May 17, 2018.  Afterwards we took a walk around the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve finding 38 species of birds.  (Details posted on Recent Sightings.)