Detroit RBA 11/29/2004

[Karl Overman]

Great Egret
Harlequin Duck
King Eider
Black Scoter
Purple Sandpiper
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed  Gull
Kittiwake
Sabine’s Gull
Mockingbird
Varied Thrush (Pelee)
Bohemian Waxwing
Common Redpoll


Monday, November 29, 2004 at 11 p.m.

This is the rare bird alert sponsored by the Detroit Audubon Society.  
Port Huron/Point Edward, was productive this past week again.  The 
number of King Eiders appears to be down to one bird, a  female bird, 
which was still being seen as of November 26th.  Look for the bird 
drifting into the St Clair River mouth from Lake Huron from Lighthouse 
Park or Riverview Street which is between the Coast Guard station and a 
paper mill.  On November 24th Brad Murphy was in luck in having both 
Sabine’s Gull and Kittiwake from Point Edward, Ontario, looking into 
Michigan waters on the Port Huron side.  Two Harlequin Ducks were still 
being seen at the mouth of the St. Clair River at Port Huron at least as 
of November 25th (Skye Haas).  All three scoters and Long-tailed Ducks 
were frequently seen from Port Huron during the past week.

In southern Michigan, Phil Chu saw three Black Scoters off of Luna Pier 
in Monroe County on November 25th.   Walt Pawloski had 5 Great Egrets in 
Gibraltar, Wayne County on November 28th.  Seeing any Great Egret in 
southern Michigan after November 20th is highly unusual and five in 
unprecedented so late in the season.  A few Redpolls have made it to 
southern areas of the Great Lakes.  Greg Norwood had three in flight 
over Tyler Road in western Wayne County on November 25th and Greg Links 
had 10 in Toledo on November 28th.  Phil Chu had 8 Lesser Black-backed 
Gulls on Lotus Road in extreme southern Monroe County on November 25th.  
Scott Jennex had a Lesser Black-backed Gull on Lake Fenton on November 
26th.  Karl Overman had a Mockingbird in Riverview, Wayne County along 
East Jefferson on November 25th.

Myles Willard and Mark & Joanie Hubinger had an Iceland Gull at Harbor 
Beach, Huron County on  November 28th.

In the northern lower peninsula on the Lake Michigan shoreline, Zach 
Ericksen, per Brian Allen, had a Purple Sandpiper at Manistee on 
November 28th.  Jeff & Becky Cohen from Ohio had hundreds of Bohemian 
Waxwings last week between Paradise and Sault Sainte Marie but no owls 
even on Neebish Island.  Hopefully there will be better results later 
this winter on the owl front from the Soo area.

At Point Pelee, a  Bohemian Waxwing was in a small flock of Cedar 
Waxwings north of the White Pines picknic area yesterday and today.  
Also present in the same area was a Varied Thrush.

To report rare birds call Karl Overman at 248.473.0484.