A tale of nature, wildlife and birding from Cheshire, North Wales and across the globe....

A tale of nature, wildlife and birding from Cheshire, North Wales and across the globe....

Sunday 9 February 2020

Michigan Birding Trip Report (25th May - 2nd June 2018) - Species List and Locations


Day 1 – Magee Marsh & Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (25th May 2018)

American Woodcock – 25th May - Magee Marsh Boardwalk (One bird foraging in the open right next to the boardwalk. Only bird of the trip.)

Wilson's Warbler – 25th May - Magee Marsh Boardwalk (Two males seen in the trees around the big loop and small loop areas. Only birds of the trip.)

Trumpeter Swan – 25th May - Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (Two birds showing well on the water next to the entrance drive. Only birds of the trip.)

Mourning Warbler – 25th May - Magee Marsh Boardwalk (Female seen right at the start of the east boardwalk entrance skulking near the water. Grey head and throat and pale white broken eyering. Photographed. Only bird of the trip.)

Other birds: Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Wood Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, Sandhill Crane, Killdeer, Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Northern Flicker, Eastern Kingbird, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Tree Swallow, Purple Martin, House Wren, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, Swainson’s Thrush, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, American Redstart, Prothonotary Warbler, Yellowthroat, Canada Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Northern Cardinal, Song Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, American Goldfinch

Also: Great Egret, Canada Goose, Feral Pigeon, Barn Swallow, Starling, House Sparrow
American Woodcock - Ohio, USA
American Woodcock

Day 2 – Haughton Boardwalk & Grayling Forest (26th May 2018)

Veery – 26th May - Houghton Boardwalk (Several birds calling and showing in the woods near the entrance road. Seen well again at Hulbert Bog.)

Golden-winged Warbler – 26th May - Houghton Boardwalk (Male seen in the trees before the boardwalk. 3+ more birds seen very well at Shumsky Road later on in the trip.)

Alder Flycatcher – 26th May - Houghton Boardwalk (Seen calling and flycatching in the scrub near the boardwalk. Another bird heard calling at Oak Openings Preserve, along with a Willow Flycatcher, demonstrating the subtle difference in call perfectly. Only birds of the trip.)

Virginia Rail - 26th May - Houghton Boardwalk (Single bird flushed by the boardwalk and seen in flight. Other birds heard calling at Lake Lansing Park North.)

Ruffed Grouse - 26th May - Houghton Boardwalk (Single bird seen crossing the road here. Very lucky as this was the only bird of the trip.)

Vesper Sparrow - 26th May – Grayling Forest (A small number of birds seen heading off to roost then again the next day singing.)

Brewer's Blackbird - 26th May – Grayling Forest (A sizeable flock of birds seen in the dead trees. Calling and heading to roost when visiting at dusk then seen again during the next day.)

Common Nighthawk - 26th May – Grayling Forest (2+ birds seen hawking high over the trees and calling just before dusk. A lovely spectacle and the only birds of the trip.)

Eastern Whip-poor-will - 26th May – Grayling Forest (Around 15 birds heard with 4 birds seen well (2 of which were on the road). Flying around the car and displaying whilst calling from the nearby branches. Seen in torchlight/car headlights.)

Other birds: (Haughton Boardwalk) - Marsh Wren, Red-winged Blackbird, Swamp Sparrow, Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow Warbler, American Wigeon (Grayling Forest) – Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Also: Mallard, American Black Tern
Golden-winged Warbler - Michigan, USA
Golden-winged Warbler


Day 3 – Grayling Forest & Hartwick Pines State Park (27th May 2018)

Kirtland's Warbler – 27th May – Grayling Forest (Several males heard singing and showing extremely well in the small Jack Pine plantations. The main reason for our trip to Michigan so it was great to connect. Only seen in this area.)

Field Sparrow - 27th May – Grayling (1 individual seen singing amongst the Jack Pines. Further birds seen at other sites during the trip including Sharonville SGA and Oak Openings Preserve.)

Dark-eyed Junco - 27th May – Grayling Forest (A handful of males seen well and singing in the small Jack Pine plantations. Only birds of the trip were in this area.)

Evening Grosbeak - 27th May - Hartwick Pines NP (5 birds including 3 males showing extremely well on the feeders and in the trees around the visitor centre. Only birds of the trip. Stunning.)

Pine Siskin - 27th May - Hartwick Pines NP (2 birds seen coming to the feeders outside the visitor centre. Only birds of the trip.)

Red-breasted Nuthatch - 27th May - Hartwick Pines NP (1 bird seen at the feeders and another bird seen later on in the pines on the Au Sable River Trail. Only birds of the trip.)

Other birds: (Grayling Forest) – Vesper Sparrow, Great-crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Nashville Warbler, Blue Jay, Northern Flicker (Hartwick Pines SP) – White-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Phoebe, Black-throated Green Warbler, Pine Warbler, Red-tailed Hawk, Blue Jay
Kirtland's Warbler - Michigan, USA
Kirtland's Warbler


Day 4 – Grayling Forest & Shumsky Road (28th May 2018)

Clay-colored Sparrow – 28th May – Grayling Forest (1 individual seen showing well and singing in the young Jack Pines. Very elusive and took a lot to get good views. Only bird of the trip and well worth persevering.)

Broad-winged Hawk – 28th May - Near Mayfield (Seen perched on the wires and in flight. Another bird seen along the Forest Roads in the Upper Peninsular near Trout Lake.)

Other birds: (Grayling Forest) - Kirtland’s Warbler, Eastern Kingbird (Shumsky Road) – Golden-winged Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Alder Flycatcher, American Redstart, Turkey Vulture, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, American Robin (Brown Road Dam) – Spotted Sandpiper, Black and White Warbler, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Kingbird, Alder Flycatcher
Clay-coloured Sparrow - Michigan, USA
Clay-coloured Sparrow


Day 5 – Pellston & Hulbert Bog (29th May 2018)

Upland Sandpiper - 29th May – Pellston (5 birds seen in the fields around Pellston near the airport. A further 2 birds seen showing well at Munuscong Potholes.)

Least Flycatcher - 29th May - Hulbert Bog (Several birds calling and showing well in the trees to the west of Hulbert Lake. Only birds of the trip.)

Golden-crowned Kinglet – 29th May - Hulbert Bog (2 birds seen calling and showing well in the pines. Only birds of the trip.)

Other birds: (Pellston) – Sandhill Crane (Lesser), Killdeer, Northern Flicker, Eastern Meadowlark (Hulbert Bog) – Blackburnian Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, American Redstart, Veery, Red-eyed Vireo, Gray Catbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Cedar Waxwing (Forest Roads) – Black-throated Green Warbler, Eastern Bluebird, Broad-winged Hawk, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Nashville Warbler, American Redstart, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Alder Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Black-capped Chickadee (Trout Lake) – Song Sparrow, Spotted Sandpiper

Also: Common Loon, Mallard, Common Tern
Upland Sandpiper - Michigan, USA
Upland Sandpiper


Day 6 – Pickford, Rudyard & Munuscong Potholes (30th May 2018)

Bobolink - 30th May - Dick and Fibre (Several birds seen in the grassy fields singing and making their display flights. Mostly males, although one female seen. Very smart birds.)

Wilson's Snipe – 30th May - Munuscong Potholes (Single bird seen in flight and displaying over the road. Only bird of the trip.)

Sharp-tailed Grouse - 30th May – Rudyard (A single male seen in the scrubby fields near Rudyard. Purple also visible on the neck although wasn't displaying. Only bird of the trip.)

Other birds: (Pickford) – American Redstart, Eastern Kingbird, Cedar Waxwing, Black and White Warbler, Brown Thrasher, Northern Harrier, Sandhill Crane, Tree Swallow, American Robin, Bobolink, American Crow, Killdeer, Northern Flicker, American Wigeon (Munuscong Potholes) – Upland Sandpiper, Yellow Warbler, American Kestrel, Savannah Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Yellowthroat, Alder Flycatcher, Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Also: Barn Swallow, Goldeneye, Mallard, House Sparrow, Gadwall
Bobolink - Michigan, USA
Bobolink


Day 7 – Sharonville SGA & Nan Weston Nature Preserve (31st May 2018)

Dickcissel - 31st May - Sharonville SGA (Washtenaw County) (Male seen well calling by one of the car parks. Only bird of the trip.)

Grasshopper Sparrow - 31st May - Sharonville SGA (Washtenaw County) (Seen well perched on the fence by one of the car parks. Only bird of the trip.)

Henslow's Sparrow – 31st May - Sharonville SGA (Jackson County) (Singing and seen very well on the track up. Only bird of the trip and great to see.)

Acadian Flycatcher - 31st May - Nan Weston Preserve (Seen very well and heard calling in the car park. Only bird of the trip.)

Other birds: (Sharonville SGA – Washtenaw County) – Song Sparrow, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird, Indigo Bunting (Sharonville SGA – Jackson County) – Field Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, House Finch, Turkey Vulture, Red-winged Blackbird, Wild Turkey (Nan Weston) – Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker
Henslow's Sparrow - Michigan, USA
Henslow's Sparrow


Day 8 – Oak Openings Preserve (1st June 2018)

Lark Sparrow - 1st June - Oak Openings Preserve Metropark (A pair seen foraging and feeding their chick by the side of the road. Only birds of the trip.)

Brown Creeper - 1st June - Oak Openings Preserve Metropark (Single bird seen very well calling near the lodge area. Only bird of the trip.)

Willow Flycatcher - 1st June - Oak Openings Preserve Metropark (One bird seen well and heard calling. Only bird of the trip. Alder Flycatcher also in the same vicinity offering a nice comparison of call differences.)

Yellow-breasted Chat – 1st June - Oak Openings Preserve Metropark (Single bird seen very well calling near the lodge area. Only bird of the trip.)

Other birds: Alder Flycatcher, Song Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, Northern Cardinal, Chimney Swift, Red-headed Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Great-crested Flycatcher, American Robin, Eastern Wood Pewee, Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo, Chipping Sparrow, Turkey Vulture, Blue Jay, Mourning Dove, Northern Flicker, Eastern Kingbird, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Eastern Towhee, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, American Goldfinch, Red-bellied Woodpecker

Also: Canada Goose, Starling
Lark Sparrow - Ohio, USA
Lark Sparrow


Day 9 – Lake Lansing (2nd June 2018)

Sedge Wren – 2nd June - Lake Lansing Park North (Seen well calling in the reeds by the boardwalk. Only bird of the trip.)

Sora – 2nd June - Lake Lansing Park North (Single bird seen well at the side of the boardwalk near the car park. Only bird of the trip.)

Other birds: Purple Martin, Yellowthroat, Swamp Sparrow
Sedge Wren - Michigan, USA
Sedge Wren

Mammals:
  • White-tailed Deer
  • North American Porcupine
  • Eastern Chipmunk
  • American Red Squirrel
  • Groundhog
  • Probable Muskrat
North American Porcupine - Michigan, USA
North American Porcupine

Reptiles:
  • Blandling’s Turtle
Blandling's Turtle - Michigan, USA
Blandling's Turtle

Lepidoptera:
  • Mourning Cloak,
  • Juvenal’s Duskywing
  • Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • Spicebush Swallowtail
  • Polythemus Moth
  • Monarch
Polythemus Moth - Michigan, USA
Polythemus Moth

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