Detroit RBA

[Karl Overman]

Cattle Egret
Long-tailed Duck
Harlequin Duck
White-winged Scoter
Surf Scoter
Osprey
Golden Eagle
Piping Plover
Purple Sandpiper
Little Gull
Saw-whet Owl
Monk Parakeet
Vermilion Flycatcher
Ovenbird
Green-tailed Towhee
Lincoln's Sparrow

Saturday, November 25, 2006 at 5 am

This is the rare bird alert sponsored by the Detroit Audubon Society.

Scott Jennex and Robert Epstein found a pair of Harlequin Ducks at  
Edison Park in Port Huron, St. Clair County on November 24th.  The  
birds were right where in the St. Clair River just before it opens up  
into Lake Huron.  Walt Pawloski say the Cattle Egret again on Port  
Sunlight Road in northern Monroe County on November 24 after having  
initially found it there on November 22nd. At Belle Isle in Detroit  
Karl Overman found a Saw-whet Owl on November 24th.  The bird was  
along the paved trail through the woodland area, about 70 feet east  
of the east end of the fence around the zoo enclosure.  Also at Belle  
Isle on the 24th was a Long-tailed Duck off the swimming beach, a  
White-winged Scoter at the west end on the Detroit side and 2 Surf  
Scoters on the Canadian side.  In downtown Detroit two Ovenbirds were  
present in the Campus Martius area on November 22nd with one being  
seen there still on November 24th.  A Lincoln's Sparrow was also  
downtown on  November 24th in a shrubbery along the walk way  
connecting Cobo Hall with Hart Plaza.

Myles Willard found a Purple Sandpiper at the jetty at Caseville,  
Huron County and a Little Gull at Harbor Beach, also in Huron County  
during the past week, but efforts to find both birds yesterday were  
unsuccessful.  Greg Links had a very late Osprey at Posey Lake in  
Lenawee County on November 23rd.

Kathy Smith relates that a Monk Parakeet has been visiting a yard in  
Hamtramack for weeks.  There are no known viable populations of that  
exotic in Michigan at the moment.  I am confident that this is the  
first time Hamtramack and "rare bird report" will be googled together.

The long running birding hit of Vermilion Flycatcher at Big Bay in  
Marquette County was still being seen during this past week as was  
the Green-tailed Towhee in Marquette.  These birds make the  
Razorbill  at Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario  seem positively next  
door for Detroit area birds.  Hopefully it will still be there next  
weekend for the Detroit Audubon outing to Niagara.

The Piping Plover at Hillman Marsh at Point Pelee was present per  
Steve Pike until at least November 12.  Tom Heatley had a Golden  
Eagle at Metrobeach, Macomb County on November 14th.

To report rare birds call Karl Overman at 248.473.0484.