Our final day in Michigan dawned for the first time in the holiday gloomy and overcast, with a light hint of drizzle threatening to oversee proceedings. Staying in Detroit with our flight home later that afternoon, we only had a few hours left to play with, so opted to head over to Lake Lansing, an hour or so to the west. Having missed Sedge Wren earlier in the trip and with this species restricted in range to the eastern part of America, we were keen to connect before we left, as after 3 visits to the east coast we had no immediate plans to return to this half of the US any time soon.
The boardwalk at Lake Lansing
Upon arriving at the car park, for the first time all trip dressed in coats and trousers, we immediately made our way on to a short stretch of boardwalk covering a large patch of reeds. A calling Yellowthroat added a touch of brightness in the cloudy gloom, while a Swamp Sparrow busied itself in the reed stems, more than likely feeding young nearby.
Yellowthroat
Swamp Sparrow
Almost immediately the distinctive song of a Sedge Wren struck up deep in the reedbed, and after a patient wait we were soon enjoying point blank views as one posed obligingly on a stem in front of us, singing its heart out for a good length of time.
Sedge Wren
With the pressure off relatively early on, this meant we could now focus on the presence of rails that were hiding deep in the reeds, the odd call here and there betraying their whereabouts. Getting in to position next to a promising patch of reeds that opened up in to a small water channel, we struck it lucky when a Sora dashed out in front of us, crossing under the boardwalk several times and providing good unobscured views of this normally secretive rail.
Sora
Sadly, the many Virginia Rails shrieking in the reedbed were not quite as amenable, the closest bird sadly pushed back in to the reeds by two dogs crossing the boardwalk moments before it emerged out in to the open, denying us any views of this shy bird on the deck.
Virginia Rails were calling incessantly from this patch of reeds.... but no sign!
With time ticking on we had one last stop at the Purple Martin colony across the road, these tiny purple wonders providing an acrobatic display above our heads, before heading back to Detroit in good time ready for our flight back to Manchester.
Purple Martins
The Purple Martin nesting box
We also stumbled on a good few Wild Turkeys during the trip
With the majority of our key targets under our belt, particularly in the Lower Peninsula, our trip to Michigan had been an overall success, with singing male Kirtland’s Warblers and male Evening Grosbeaks at the feeders particular highlights.
Kirtland's Warbler
Evening Grosbeak
American birding in the spring is always going to deliver an eye-popping smorgasbord of brightly coloured warblers in all their glory, and Michigan certainly didn’t disappoint, notching up 19 species of warbler during our stay.
Blackburnian Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
With the picturesque Great Lakes and sprawling forests a sight to behold, we had thoroughly enjoyed our time in America once again, and a trip to the young Jack Pine plantations of Grayling for Kirtland’s Warblers on territory is highly recommended for anyone looking to complete the American warbler set.
Alex's great video showcasing some of our Michigan highlights
