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

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

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

Wilson's Warbler – 25^th 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 – 25^th May - Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (Two birds showing well on the water next to the entrance drive. Only birds of the trip.)

Mourning Warbler – 25^th 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

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

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

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

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

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

Brewer's Blackbird - 26^th 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 - 26^th 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 - 26^th 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

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

Kirtland's Warbler – 27^th 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 - 27^th 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 - 27^th 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 - 27^th 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 - 27^th May - Hartwick Pines NP (2 birds seen coming to the feeders outside the visitor centre. Only birds of the trip.)

Red-breasted Nuthatch - 27^th 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

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

Clay-colored Sparrow – 28^th 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 – 28^th 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

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

Upland Sandpiper - 29^th 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 - 29^th 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 – 29^th 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

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

Bobolink - 30^th 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 – 30^th May - Munuscong Potholes (Single bird seen in flight and displaying over the road. Only bird of the trip.)

Sharp-tailed Grouse - 30^th 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

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

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

Grasshopper Sparrow - 31^st 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 – 31^st 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 - 31^st 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

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

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

Willow Flycatcher - 1^st 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 – 1^st 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

Day 9 – Lake Lansing (2^nd June 2018)

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

Sora – 2^nd 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

Mammals:

• White-tailed Deer
• North American Porcupine
• Eastern Chipmunk
• American Red Squirrel
• Groundhog
• Probable Muskrat

North American Porcupine

Reptiles:

• Blandling’s Turtle

Blandling's Turtle

Lepidoptera:

• Mourning Cloak,
• Juvenal’s Duskywing
• Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
• Spicebush Swallowtail
• Polythemus Moth
• Monarch

Polythemus Moth

Michigan Birding Trip Report - Day 9 (Saturday 2nd June 2018)

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

Magee Marsh

Upper Peninsula bogs

Mackinac Bridge

Success at the Kirtland's Jack Pines in Grayling!

Michigan Birding Trip Report - Day 8 (Friday 1st June 2018)

With a number of targets still to track down, our penultimate day in America saw us head back in to Ohio to Oak Openings Preserve, a sprawling network of habitats and trails situated around an hour south of Detroit. Upon arrival we headed straight for the stretch of road that our first target was known to be nesting in, and sure enough it wasn’t long before we were enjoying close up views of a pair of Lark Sparrows, foraging on the roadside and surrounding grassland before flying over to feed their grown young waiting under a nearby bush. 

Lark Sparrow

The stretch of road we encountered the Lark Sparrows

On the eastern most periphery of its range in Ohio, Lark Sparrows are relatively uncommon in the state, much preferring the great open plains of the West and central portion of America, however Oak Openings in particular has long been a stronghold for this species in the area. 

Lark Sparrow habitat

Lark Sparrow warning signs!

With our Lark Sparrows well and truly in the bag we headed further in to the preserve, parking up near the lodge area and immediately clocking on to a pair of Field Sparrows busying themselves in the car park. A short walk in to the nearby wooded fields soon revealed our next new bird in the form of a solitary Brown Creeper, calling and clinging on to the side of a large trunk, working the crevices for any insect morsels as we watched on. Having missed these throughout our time here this was a welcome surprise, turning out to be our only bird of the trip.

Brown Creeper - virtually a Treecreeper

Red-spotted Purple

A very worn Spicebush Swallowtail

A calling empid further down the track had us hurrying over to try and nail it to species level, and our suspicions were confirmed with several audio recordings that we’d finally found a Willow Flycatcher, the high to low pitched call the reverse of the low to high call of the Alders that we had been hearing throughout (an Alder Flycatcher calling in the distance offered a nice comparison).

Willow Flycatcher

Thankfully this was the last of the flycatchers we needed for this trip, and with ID always a bit tricky in the field, in particular when trying to separate Alder and Willow, a sound recorder is a must. 

Eastern Wood Pewee was also in attendance

The scrub at Oak Openings Preserve

We were soon distracted by a calling Yellow-breasted Chat in the next tree along, our first and only of the trip. Much larger than I was expecting, we had good views as it beetled around in front of us, obscured at times by the foliage on the branches but often sitting right out in the open belting its song, the large yellow chest shining out like a beacon. 

Yellow-breasted Chat

Admiring a showy Song Sparrow at the side of the road but with more Field Sparrows giving us the run around by not keeping still long enough for a photo, having cleaned up on most of our remaining targets and with no sign of those elusive Winter Wrens we called it a day, a showy Red-headed Woodpecker making short work of a rotten tree near the car park our only bird of the trip.

Song Sparrow

Red-headed Woodpecker

Northern Cardinals were also calling in the thickets

Heading back in to Detroit for a final evening of pizza before our flight back to the UK the next day, the large “Dip” sign on the wall seemed a little bit ominous and hopefully not a forewarning of our final day's outcome in our continued quest for Sedge Wrens…

Dip!