Cattle Egrets, etc, Monroe County

[Neil Gilbert]

Hello,

Today my mom (Carol Gilbert) and I birded Pte. Mouillee and Sterling State
Park in Monroe County. The two Cattle Egrets were still present in their
usual spot on the dike between the Lead and Long Pond Units. Cell Three had
a small number of shorebirds, including (1) White-rumped, (3) Stilt
Sandpipers, (~10) Short-billed Dowitchers, (1) Semipalmated Plover and many
Semipalmated Sandpipers. Cell Five had (>30) Semipalmted Plovers, (~20)
Least Sandpipers, (3) Semipalmated Sandpipers and (1) American Golden
Plover. Interestingly, there were a number of shorebirds feeding on the
debris along the North Causeway, including (30-40) Lesser Yellowlegs, (1)
Pectoral Sandpiper, (~15) Semipalmated Sandpipers, and (4) Least Sandpipers.

Sterling State Park was hopping with migrants. I had twelve species of
warblers there, the majority Magnolia and Chestnut-sideds. Probably the most
interesting was a fairly early Palm Warbler, and also a nice Blackburnian.
There were undoubtedly more, because it was hard to see them due to heavy
foliage and strong wind. There were also a fair number of empids, and a
Solitary Sandpiper.

Cheers,

Neil Gilbert
Beverly Hills, Mi
prairiemerlin at gmail.com