Michigan Birding Trip Report - Day 7 (Thursday 31st May 2018)

Leaving Grayling behind and heading much further south in to Washtenaw and Jackson counties, our main targets for the day were some of the grassland loving birds found at Sharonville SGA. Arriving on site and checking out the eastern most car park first, we were immediately met with the distinctive song of a male Dickcissel, starting off distant but soon coming in to the trees surrounding the car park. 

Dickcissel

Achieving good views as it flitted from perch to post, our attention was soon captured by a small brown bird perched on a nearby fence wire. Needing several species of sparrow still for the trip, further scrutiny into the markings as well as the large head and bill shape revealed it to be a Grasshopper Sparrow, one of our main targets for the day and what transpired to be our only bird of the trip. 

Grasshopper Sparrow

Like the Bobolink, Grasshopper Sparrows are sadly also in decline across the states, the population declining by 68% in recent years due to the loss of traditional grassland habitats. 

With nothing else of note bar a Great Blue Heron drifting over the distant treetops, we headed west to the Wildlife Management Area, a hotspot for our next target bird and another grassland specialist – the Henslow’s Sparrow. A shallow puddle at the side of the road on our way in produced a number of House Finches and Chipping Sparrows quenching their thirst, while a pair of Turkey Vultures paraded on the gravel in front of us scavenging a number of titbits left behind. 

Sparrow habitat at Sharonville SGA

This Groundhog popped its head up for a few moments to check us out

A short burst of song amongst the long grass soon alerted us to our second Field Sparrow of the trip, much showier than the bird seen in Grayling and providing point blank views outside the car window as it sang. 

Field Sparrow

After a short time, a distinctive short wheezing song struck up in a patch of weeds nearby, and it wasn’t long until we had located the subtle yet beautiful olive green head tones of our sought after Henslow’s Sparrow. 

Henslow's Sparrow

Another grassland species in decline, we had fantastic views as it clambered acrobatically in the weeds, briefly joined by a second bird as it performed. 

With our targets secured at Sharonville, we stopped off to explore nearby Watkins Lake, but with it becoming quickly apparent that no Willow Flycatchers were playing ball here, we made the short journey north to another flycatcher hotspot – Nan Weston Nature Preserve – just as the skies darkened and the heavens opened. 

Sheltering in the car until the thunder subsided, the change in weather undoubtedly helped our cause, as no sooner had we stepped out of the car as the last drops of rain fell than our ears were met with the loud explosive calls of an Acadian Flycatcher, circling the car park and calling from various exposed branches. 

Acadian Flycatcher

With a distinctive call, yellowish colouration and bold white wingbars, Acadian Flycatchers are one of the easier empids to ID, and we had great views as it remained on show for the next half hour. 

The break in the weather had clearly brought the birds out, as several woodpeckers joined in the action in the form of both Red-bellied and Downy, while a tiny Ruby-throated Hummingbird hovering daintily and visiting the flowers carpeting the woodland floor was an unexpected and enchanting highlight – buzzing from petal to petal like a forest fairy as it gathered essential nectar. 

The car park at Nan Weston

With the rain looking set to return and with all our targets bar the Willow Flycatcher secured, we called it a day and headed in to Detroit for our penultimate evening, filling up on more sizzling chicken and mushrooms at Applebees after a successful day in the field.

The American Robin that made its home at the hotel in Detroit offered excellent views in the car park

Michigan Birding Trip Report - Day 6 (Wednesday 30th May 2018)

With another day up in the Upper Peninsula, we headed east over to the areas of Pickford, Rudyard and Munuscong Potholes, with the charismatic Sharp-tailed Grouse our primary target. Heading through the rich farmland fields around the remote townships of Dick and Fibre resulted in a number of birds, with a showy Eastern Kingbird providing outstanding views while Savannah Sparrows chirruped from the fence posts. 

Eastern Kingbird

Savannah Sparrow

Glossy blue Tree Sparrows lined up on the telephone wires providing a jazzy display of colour, while an American Kestrel drifted overhead in the breeze. 

Tree Swallow

White-tailed Deer - the commonest species of deer we saw in Michigan

Our first new bird of the day soon came in to fruition in the form of several dapper Bobolinks, perched sporadically on the wooden fences before leaping up and performing their display flights, belting out their song.

Bobolink

Once common across America, these smart black and yellow grassland specialists are suffering somewhat thanks to the intensification of farming practices, with many fields being mown earlier and more frequently than in the past, resulting in nest failure of these vulnerable ground nesting birds. Consequently, their numbers have unsurprisingly plummeted over the past few decades. 

Female Bobolink

Despite this though, we managed to notch up good numbers of these charming farmland birds in this area at least, stopping to admire them as they perched obligingly for us on the field margins and wires.

Arriving at Munuscong Potholes we were immediately met by two showy Upland Sandpipers on the fenceposts, showing much better the more distant birds at Pellston a few days earlier. 

Upland Sandpiper

A flyover Wilson’s Snipe was our next new bird of the day, powering over the driveway, while scores of Yellowthroats, Red-winged Blackbirds and Savannah Sparrows all called vociferously from the surrounding shrubbery. Sadly, despite a careful search of the site, we couldn’t locate either of the local specialities of LeConte’s Sparrow or Sharp-tailed Grouse, while a rather large tick crawling on my leg that appeared out of nowhere (I hadn’t even been in any grass) was somewhat disconcerting, even more so when repeated attempts to crush it with a large stone had no effect!

Munuscong Potholes

With nothing more of note at Munuscong, we headed over to Pickford, a particular hotspot for Sharp-tailed Grouse and a place where double figures of the birds are reported regularly. Despite driving the ‘Pickford Loop’ (where the majority of records originate from) several times, we drew a complete blank on the grouse front, a handful of Northern Harriers quartering low down over the grass some consolation. 

Prime Sharp-tailed Grouse habitat!

Thankfully, nearby Rudyard came to the rescue, and on scoping out a rather scrubby field, Alex excelled after managing to pick out a single Sharp-tailed Grouse, hidden amongst the grassy tufts and proving to be spectacularly elusive as it retreated back in to the thickets. Nevertheless, we could still pick out the shining purple neck patches - not quite the displaying males we had been hoping for at the start of the day but a huge relief after hours of searching.

Sharp-tailed Grouse

Well hidden - Sharp-tailed Grouse in there somewhere!

Experiencing a mixed bag up in the Upper Peninsula – failing to locate a number of key species but achieving success with the grassland birds, we were glad to be heading back south again, crossing the bridge in to the more populated areas once more and leaving the endless masses of pines behind, a much needed pepperoni pizza just hitting the spot after a long day in the field. 

Polyphemus Moth - one of the largest moths in Michigan. We found this resting outside the hotel door so moved to a safer spot in some nearby trees