Weekend birding Manistee

[Brian A]

Had some extra free time to go birding this weekend between downpours.  First kayaked at Arcadia marsh on Saturday morning for my annual Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow excursion which again showed that they are hard to find even at the "peak" of their migration here.  Did see several Rusty Blackbirds, 2 Soras, jillions of Swamp Sparrows, Snipe, and a Solitary Sandpiper.

In the afternoon at a stop at Claybank Creek just east of Manistee in the National Forest I came upon what was my first bona fide neotropical migrant flock of the fall.  This was a sheltered spot with Red Maple, White Cedar, Tamarack, Green Ash and a wetland understory.  Had three vireos, RE, YT, and BH along with Scarlet Tanager, Eastern Wood Pewee, and 8 warbler species including Orange-crowned and Magnolia.

On Sunday morning a fierce NW wind was howling so I decided to check out the piers for the Jaeger migration (0), and saw little movement other than sand.  Did see a Lapland Longspur with some Sanderlings at First St. Beach.  Fifth Ave. beach, Man-made Lake, and Williamsport pier held no storm brought delights, only Ring-billed and Herring Gulls and some V's of Cormorants.

BA

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.envirolink.org/pipermail/mich-chat/attachments/20060925/9680e1f3/attachment.html