Frozen (Bay) City, rambling

[Brian Allen]

Saturday morning I had a few free hours to bird the area around Bay City before my son's indoor track meet.  I had checked the Birding Guide to Michigan and brought along my copy of Ron Week's "Birds and Bird Finding in the Saginaw Bay Area.

With the recent very cold weather I decided to check the Saginaw River thinking that it's current would result in some open water areas with ducks and gulls.  Ha, was I wrong.  I checked from the "Middle Grounds" (Weeks, pg. 129) all the way up to the bay and found no open water with the exception of the hot water discharge pipe at the Middle Grounds just south of the Lafayette Street Bridge (M-84). Here were the usual mallards (100+)and domestic ducks with one appx. 80% Black Duck and 12 Common Mergansers, not even a Goldeneye or Bufflehead were present.  An adult Bald Eagle was perched in a large Cottonwood tree nearby. I then checked the south end of the middle ground island which was interesting only for the home with the tremendous collection of Texaco Gas Station signs and the juxtaposition of a few $500,000 riverside homes near the fenced off hazardous waste area.

Next I drove over M-84 to check the north end of the island and the riverwalk which I had heard of.  As soon as I got out of the car I heard my first Horned Lark of the year but the riverwalk looked less promising, an interesting structure built on old bridge pilings but now offering access only to ice.  I had time to kill so I walked it anyway appreciating how it would be a good spot in early winter for gulls and even in spring as it followed some marshy riverside.  At least the sun was up and there were some birds fluttering off the riverwalk, House Sparrows and some Rock Doves that showed off their magenta and jade iridescent collars.  Back by the senior apartments there was a rather concerned looking Robin.

I headed to the north side of town along the river at Atlantic St.  Here too the river was solid and the only activity was the ice fishermen kneeling to the underwater world.  I caught a large bird drifting into the other bank and was suprised to see 9 Great Blue Herons roosting along the shore.  The other two spots of access to the river only had a few Herring Gulls and several ice shanties villages.  I then headed up Pine St. (Weadock?) to the Karn Plant.  I had heard this was off limits to birders now that the Taliban are surronding us but I thought I'd give it a try.  The gate was much more imposing than I had remembered, flashing lights, huge metal barriers and double guard buildings.  The guard, a very pretty young woman, smiled and said that yes it was still off limits to birders since 9/11.

Since all hope of open water was gone I tried the countryside NE of Bay City and tried to get to the bay but couldn't see the shore for all the reed grass and private property.  One Red-tailed hawk was the only reward for my efforts.  At the track meet my son didn't run as fast as he had at the meet at Northern Michigan University in Marquette where I might have also been able to see a Gray-crowned Rosy Finch if my planning was better.  

Still hoping for better birding (and track) kharma.

BA 

 

I crossed M-84 and headed nor  
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