Michigan RBA--2 December 2004

[Jonathan Wuepper]

--RBA

*Michigan
*Statewide
*December 2nd, 2004
*MIST120204
-Transcript

hotline: Michigan
number: 269/471-4919
to report: 269-556-9510 or wuepperj at hotmail.com
compiled: 02 Dec 2004
compiler: Jon Wuepper

MICHIGAN REVIEW SPECIES MENTIONED

KING EIDER* [CASUAL] (Saint Clair County)

*=On Michigan Bird Records Committee Species Review List. Please send
documentation to: Jack Reinoehl, c/o MBRC, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI 
49242.

Additional species mentioned:

Harlequin Duck (Saint Clair County)
Black Scoter (Saint Clair County)
Surf Scoter (Saint Clair County)
White-winged Scoter (Saint Clair County)
Red-throated Loon (Berrien County)
Red-necked Grebe (Iosco, Berrien cos)
Golden Eagle (Muskegon County)
Jaeger, sp (Monroe County)
Glaucous Gull (Saint Clair, Wayne cos)
Thayer’s Gull (Wayne County)
Iceland Gull (Huron County)
Great Black-backed Gull (Muskegon County)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Wayne, Gennesee cos)
Sabine’s Gull (Muskegon County)
Snowy Owl (Muskegon, Berrien cos)
Great Gray Owl (Chippewa County)
Purple Sandpiper (Ottawa, Manistee cos)
Northern Shrike (Muskegon County)

This is the Michigan Statewide Bird Report for Thursday, December 2nd, 2004, 
which is being sponsored by the Wild Bird Center of Benton Harbor located in 
the Orchards Mall.

In SAINT CLAIR COUNTY, the most recent report of KING EIDER* (a female) 
comes from November 26th. Skye Haas reported 1 female, on November 25th, 
floating in the Saint Clair River. Lighthouse Point Park was the viewing 
location. Skye also found 2 basic-plumaged HARLEQUIN DUCKS, BLACK SCOTERS, 
SURF SCOTERS and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and a 2nd-winter GLAUCOUS GULL at that 
location.

In WAYNE COUNTY, at the Tyler Road Pond on November 27th, Skye Haas found a 
THAYER’S GULL, a GLAUCOUS GULL and 2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS.
On November 29th, Gary Norwood found a 2nd-winter THAYER’S GULL at 
Crosswinds Marsh.

In MONROE COUNTY on November 27th, Skye Haas found a JAEGER, unidentified to 
species, flying in the entrance of the bay south of Pointe Mouillee State 
Game Area, north of Estral Beach.

In MANISTEE COUNTY, in the town of Manistee on November 27th, Zach Ericksen 
found a PURPLE SANDPIPER at the south pier, at the end of First Street. No 
reports to my knowledge of relocation.

In CHIPPEWA COUNTY on Neebish Island on November 30th, Jaqui Wells reported 
a GREAT GRAY OWL, located about a 100 yards east of the  intersection of 17 
mile Road and  Simonson Road. Jaqui noted the owl, located at the edge of 
the woods at the eastern edge of the large clearing, extending to the 
intersection. “It was about 30 feet from the edge of 17 Mile Road. It was 
easy to spot while driving slowly down the road. We spoke to a resident of 
the area who said she has seen the owl or owls (there may be more than one), 
about 3 or 4 times.” The owl was first noted about two weeks ago. On 
December 1st, Erich Peterson, Jeff Johnson, and Caleb Putnam found 2 GREAT 
GRAY OWLS on Neebish Island, both on Brander Rd between 16 mile and 17 mile, 
and both were reportedly moving around a bit.

In MARQUETTE COUNTY this week, Skye Haas has seen BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS. A flock 
of 95, November 29th, were seen at Skyes house off Lincoln Street in 
Marquette. On December 1st, 30 more were reported just south of the Northern 
Michigan University campus.

In IOSCO COUNTY, at Tawas Point on November 29th, Jerry Ziarno located a 
RED-NECKED GREBE.

In HURON COUNTY, at Harbor Beach on November 29th, Mark & Judy Hubinger, 
Myles and Marilyn Willard found a 2nd-year ICELAND GULL. Keep up to date on 
Saginaw Bay Bird, by visiting the website at: 
http://www.saginawbaybirding.org/_fall04.htm.

In OTTAWA COUNTY on November 30th, Gerry Kolack and Leonard Graf located a 
PURPLE SANDPIPER at the end of the north break wall of Holland State Park in 
the city of Holland. Tex Wells looked for the bird on December 1st, but did 
not relocate. Tex noted that the bird coulds have been hiding among the 
rocks.

In MUSKEGON COUNTY, at the Muskegon Wastewater Ponds on November 30th, Mike 
Moran found a SNOWY OWL, on the center dike. Also on November 30th, 
participants of a Ottawa County Parks birding group found one immature 
SABINE’S GULL and a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL at Pere Marquette State Park. On 
November 28th, Mike VanderStelt birded Muskegon wastewater, and found an 
immature GOLDEN EAGLE, and a NORTHERN SHRIKE.

In GENNESEE COUNTY on November 26th, Scott Jennex reported a LESSER 
BLACK-BACKED GULL at Lake Fenton. The gull was seen from the DNR boat launch 
site off Grove Park Road.

In BERRIEN COUNTY on November 30th, a SNOWY OWL was located on a field, to 
the north of Linco Road, between Lincoln Avenue and Totzke Road. The bird 
was last seen just south of that location, at about 4:45pm. The owl was 
looked for, but not relocated on December 1st. On November 29th, Tim 
Baerwald and Andre Moncrieff located a RED-NECKED GREBE and RED-THROATED 
LOON off the Pier Road overlook at Lakeside.

The next scheduled update of this report will be on Thursday, December 9th, 
2004. To report your sightings, please leave a message at the sound of the 
tone or call Jon Wuepper at 269-556-9510. Thanks for calling and good 
birding.

RECCOMENDED ORNITHOLOGIAL JOURNALS, WEB SITES, ETC

“Michigan Birds and Natural History”. Our state ornithological journal. 
Contains the Michigan Bird Survey, etc.
http://www.michiganaudubon.org/mbnh/mbnh_home.html

Michigan Bird Records Committee website: 
http://www.umd.umich.edu/dept/rouge_river/MBRChome.html

“North American Birds”, a quarterly journal, published by the American 
Birding Association: http://americanbirding.org/publications/nabgen.htm