Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge - Woodland Trail 2/9

[Steve_Kahl at fws.gov]

I took a nice walk around the Woodland Trail at Shiawassee National
Wildlife Refuge Saturday morning (2/9).  Although it did not rain or snow,
I was glad I wore a Gore-Tex shell.  The temperature approached 40 and the
abundance of snow that fell Wednesday (12-15 inches around Saginaw) was
melting and dripping off the trees.  Walking 4 miles in knee deep snow was
probably the most exercise I have had in years.

I found 25 species total.  Most noteworthy were 3 eastern bluebirds - up to
12 have been in the vicinity all winter.  A group of American robins have
been in the trail area all winter as well.  Interestingly, I have seen as
many as 340+ robins some days and only one on others.  Twelve were present
Saturday.  I was close enough to hear a couple "whisper singing".  Sounds
to make me hopeful for the arrival of spring.  I added one species to my
Woodland Trail yearlist (a horned lark calling overhead)  to bring the
total to 33.  The entire list I submitted on eBird includes:

Canada Goose     100
Common Merganser     7
Herring Gull     4
Rock Pigeon     7
Mourning Dove     4
Red-bellied Woodpecker     7
Downy Woodpecker     5
Hairy Woodpecker     4
Pileated Woodpecker     2
Blue Jay     2
American Crow     13
Horned Lark     1
Black-capped Chickadee     28
Tufted Titmouse     11
White-breasted Nuthatch     7
Brown Creeper     6
Golden-crowned Kinglet     1
Eastern Bluebird     3
American Robin     12
European Starling     3
Cedar Waxwing     68
American Tree Sparrow     14
Northern Cardinal     5
House Finch     2
House Sparrow     3

Steven Kahl
Refuge Manager
Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge
6975 Mower Road
Saginaw, MI  48601-9783
P (989) 777-5930 ext 16
F (989) 777-9200
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/shiawassee/