March 23 Ottawa County Field Trip

Fifteen of us followed Feller DeWitt on our monthly field trip this morning.  Highlights included Peregrine Falcons and Wood Ducks seen from Chinook Pier in Grand Haven, a Red-throated Loon further west in the Grand River, and Great Black-backed Gulls and an Eared Grebe swimming in Lake Michigan offshore from the State Park.

At Pigeon lake we observed a Turkey Vulture and Belted Kingfisher.

Holland State Park produced Snow Buntings and several duck species including White-winged Scoters, Long-tailed's and a Ring-necked Duck.

Feeder birds at Hemlock Crossing upped our total species for the morning to 44.  (This is an amended number after Charlie DeWitt emailed that in checking his photographs from the field trip he found the image below of a Canvasback at Holland State Park.)

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February 23 Field Trip to Allegan SGA

Fourteen of us braved the cold winds and followed Charlie DeWitt around the Allegan State Game area farm fields southwest of Fennville.  We recorded 21 bird species.  Highlights included Common Redpoll, Green-winged Teal and a Song Sparrow at the ditch east of the farm unit buildings on 118th Avenue and a light-morph Rough-legged Hawk hunting the fields west of 59th Street.  Most of us then enjoyed lunch at the Crane's Orchard Restaurant on M-89.

eBird Report:
Allegan SGA--Farm Unit, Allegan, US-MI
Feb 23, 2013 9:00 AM - 11:40 AM
Protocol: Traveling
6.0 mile(s)
Comments:    Muskegon County Nature Club February Field Trip
21 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  1000+  (too many to count)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  hundreds  (too many to count)
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  2
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)  1    light morph
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  3
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  6
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)  18
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  3
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  5
American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea)  15
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1   
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)  6
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  6
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  1
Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)  1    
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  1

Muskegon County #2 in Michigan for 2012

Brian Allen Email to Mich-Chat January 16, 2013:

Highest species total by county 2012 drawn from eBird:

 1.   Berrien 272
 2.  Muskegon 261
 3.   Allegan 256
       Monroe 256
 4.   Iosco 255
       Chippewa 255
 5.   Macomb 248
 6.   Washtenaw 247
 7.   Manistee 243
 8.   Wayne 241
       Delta 241
 9.   Kent 238
10.  Oakland 234

Christmas Bird Counts

Here are the numbers for our City of Muskegon Christmas Bird Count Dec. 15, 2012.  The five species with "0" totals are "Count Week" birds seen by members of our group in that CBC circle within three days of Dec. 15 but not on count day itself. (Numbers for the Wastewater CBC of Dec. 19 were posted December 30 by Brian Johnson on our Recent Sightings page.)

MIMU 2012 CBC	DECEMBER 15, 2012	Species Totals
Canada Goose	Branta canadensis	65
Trumpeter Swan	Cygnus buccinator	1
Mute Swan	Cygnus olor	246
American Black Duck	Anas rubripes	4
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	444
Northern Shoveler	Anas clypeata	4
Canvasback	Aythya valisineria	10
Redhead	Aythya americana	1100
Blue-winged Teal	Anas discors	4
Green-winged Teal	Anas crecca	4
Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris	401
Greater Scaup	Aythya marila	10
Lesser Scaup	Aythya affinis	420
Harlequin Duck	Histrianicus histrianicus	1
Surf Scoter	Melanitta perspicillata	1
White-winged Scoter	Melanitta fusca	13
Long-tailed Duck	Clangula hyemalis	6850
Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola	15
Common Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula	1833
Hooded Merganser	Lophodytes cucullatus	11
Common Merganser	Mergus merganser	17
Red-breasted Merganser	Mergus serrator	169
Duck	Species	24
Common Loon	Gavia immer	2
Wild Turkey	Meleagris gallopavo	11
Pied-billed Grebe	Podilymbus podiceps	1
Horned Grebe	Podiceps auritus	3
Western Grebe	Aechmophorus occidentalis	0
Double-crested Cormorant	Phalacrocorax auritus	1
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias	4
Bald Eagle	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	6
Cooper's Hawk	Accipiter cooperii	1
Red-shouldered Hawk	Buteo lineatus	0
Red-tailed Hawk	Buteo jamaicensis	1
American Kestrel	Falco sparverius	1
American Coot	Fulica americana	14
Purple Sandpiper	Calidris maritima	0
Ring-billed Gull	Larus delawarensis	262
Herring Gull	Larus argentatus	244
Glaucous Gull	Larus hyperboreus	0
Great Black-backed Gull	Larus marinus	0
Gull	Species	200
Rock Pigeon	Columbia livia	173
Mourning Dove	Zenaida macroura	52
Belted Kingfisher	Ceryle alcyon	1
Red-bellied Woodpecker	Melanerpes carolinus	8
Downy Woodpecker	Picoides pubescens	11
Hairy Woodpecker	Picoides villosus	2
Pileated Woodpecker	Dryocopus pileatus	2
Woodpecker	Species	1
Blue Jay	Cyanocitta cristata	64
American Crow	Corvus brachyrhynchos	75
Common Raven	Corvus corax	0
Black-capped Chickadee	Poecile atricapillus	100
Tufted Titmouse	Baeolophus bicolor	51
Red-breasted Nuthatch	Sitta canadensis	3
White-breasted Nuthatch	Sitta carolinensis	15
Carolina Wren	Thryothorus ludovicianus	2
Eastern Bluebird	Sialia Sialis	2
European Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	322
Cedar Waxwing	Bombycilla cedrorum	17
American Tree Sparrow	Spizella arborea	27
Dark-eyed Junco	Junco hyemalis	54
Northern Cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis	39
House Finch	Carpodacus mexicanus	13
White-winged Crossbill	Loxia leucoptera	11
Common Redpoll	Acanthis flammea	3
Pine Siskin	Spinus pinus	1
American Goldfinch	Carduelis tristis	32
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	461
Seventy-one Species	Individual Totals:	13940

Caleb's Presentation and a Great Field Trip

We had so many good birds (Carolina Wren, Red-necked Grebe, Common Redpoll, Red Crossbill) on our November 17 Field Trip that we posted the report and photos on our Recent Sightings page.

Regarding Caleb Putnam's November 15 program about night bird migration and how to build a recorder for $200, here is his follow-up email:

Hey Ric -

Here are the links we discussed:

http://www.oldbird.org/

CD-ROM:
http://www.oldbird.org/fcmbirds.htm

Mic (completely preassembled and with preamp):
http://www.oldbird.org/21c.htm

Sound capturing freeware (for recording birds via the mic and viewing the sonograms):
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

Raven (software for advanced sound analysis):
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp/raven/ravenoverview.html

NEXRAD radar live feed:
http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Conus/centgrtlakes_loop.php

2nd radar feed:
http://weather.rap.ucar.edu/radar/displayRad.php?icao=KUSA&prod=bref1&bkgr=black&endDate=20121120&endTime=-1&duration=0

Think that's it!

Caleb

15 People Find 29.5* Species on October Trip

Under Charlie DeWitt's leadership 15 of us dodged a few rain showers at the Kitchel-Lindquist Dune Preserve to observe 29.5 species of birds this morning (10/20/12). Highlights included many good views of Golden-crowned Kinglets and White-throated Sparrows.  We also observed migrating Blue Jays, American Crows, American Kestrel and Cooper's Hawk.  The local Peregrine Falcon was perched on the power plant smokestack and an * American Black Duck x Mallard hybrid slept in the boat harbor near a probably more wild Pied-billed Grebe.

- Ric Pedler

Kitchel-Lindquist Preserve, Ottawa, US-MI
Oct 20, 2012 8:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments:    MCNC Monthly Field Trip
29 species (+3 other taxa)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  3
* American Black Duck x Mallard hybrid (Anas rubripes x platyrhynchos)  1
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  1
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)  2
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  1
gull sp. (Larinae sp.)  10
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  1
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)  1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)  1
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)  1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  3
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  60    Most in one loose flock flying high overhead southward.
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  12
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)  2
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)  2
Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)  2
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)  12
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)  3
kinglet sp. (Regulus sp.)  24
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  2
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  15
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  6
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)  1
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)  12
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  2

This report was generated automatically by eBird.

New Muskegon County Nature Club Brochure

Thanks to Ken Sapkowski for arranging this clickable link to our new Muskegon County Nature Club brochure.

September 22 Field Trip Report

Twenty people spent this morning at the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve birding the trails and watching Brian Johnson band birds at the pavilion.

All told 51 bird species were observed (my eBird list below plus these by others: Great Horned Owl, Semipalmated Plover, Palm Warbler, House Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Red-eyed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Phoebe, Belted Kingfisher, Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Sandhill Crane, Mute Swan, Swainson's Thrush and Purple Finch.)

Species banded by Brian posted in purple.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  15
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)  1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  1
Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus/scolopaceus)  2
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  2
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)  1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  1
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  3
Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  20
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  5
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  2
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)  1
Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  5
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  3
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  40
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)  1
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)  1
Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla)  1
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  2
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  20
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)  2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2

- Ric Pedler

116 Species on Our May 19 Big Day Count

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Our club's annual Big Day Count May 19, 2012 could not have had a much better day weatherwise; still, there were too few warbler and shorebird species to make a serious run at our all-time 156 record.
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From mid-morning until early afternoon yesterday we had twelve people; three die-hards went from 4:50 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
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The total for the day (Lane's Landing, State Game Area, Wastewater, Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, Snug Harbor and the Channel) was 116 species. 

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Lane's Landing
May 19, 2012 4:50 AM - 9:50 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
68 total species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  X
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  X
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)  1
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  X
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  X
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  X
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)  X
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  X
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)  X
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  X
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  X
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)  1
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)  X
American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)  1
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  X

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)  X
Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)  2
Eastern Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferus)  1
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)  1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)  X
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  X
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  X
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  X
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  X
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)  X
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  X
Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum)  X
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)  X
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  X
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)  X
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  X
Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)  X
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  X
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  X
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  X
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  X
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  X
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  X
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  X
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  X
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  X
Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)  1
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)  X
Veery (Catharus fuscescens)  X
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)  X
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  X
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  X
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  X
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)  X
Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina)  1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  X
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  X
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  X
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)  X
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)  X
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  X
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  X
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  X
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)  X
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  X
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  X
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  X
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  X
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  X
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  X
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  X
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  X 

State Game Area
May 19, 2012 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
10 more species

Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)  1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  X
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  X
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  X
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)  X
Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera)  X

Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia)  1Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea)  1
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)  X
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  X 

Wastewater Properties
May 19, 2012 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Protocol: Traveling

10.0 mile(s)

32 more species

Gadwall (Anas strepera)  X

Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)  X

Redhead (Aythya americana)  X

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  X

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  X

Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)  X

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  X

American Coot (Fulica americana)  X

Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)  X

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  X

Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  X

Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)  X

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  X

Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)  X

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  X

Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  X

Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  X

Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  1

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  X

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)  X

Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)  2

Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)  X

Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)  X
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)  X
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)  X
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)  X
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)  X
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)  X
Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)  X
Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)  X
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)  X
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)  X 

Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve
May 19, 2012 5:30 PM - 7:15 PM

Protocol: Traveling

1.0 mile(s)

2 more species

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)  1  (on roof of B.C. Cobb Plant)

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  1 

Snug Harbor
May 19, 2012 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
2 more species

Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  X
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  X 

Muskegon Channel

May 19, 2012 8:15 PM - 9:00 PM

Protocol: Traveling

0.5 mile(s)

2 more species

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Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)  X

Purple Martin (Progne subis)  X

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Ponshair Wastewater Data Session

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Tuesday evening January 31 Caleb Putnam conducted a training session at the Norton Shores Library for entering Jim Ponshair's many years of Wastewater bird data into computer templates which will ultimately send the information to eBird.
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