Eared Grebe - Crow Island West Unit - Saginaw County

[Joe Soehnel]

Myles Willard observed an Eared Grebe that he found nesting on Crow Island's west unit north of Kochville Rd on May 21st.  I went down on May 23rd and photographed it on the nest and swimming in loose company with a Pied-billed Grebe.  The nest was in the Baldpate Unit.  (Click here for the map.)  When looking at the map, the nest (a floating mat of vegetation) was at the top of the first "A" in BALDPATE, in the center of the shallow pond.  Myles didn't want it reported as this could have been the first confirmed nesting Eared Grebe in the state and he didn't want it stressed with birders.  He called last night to say that he went there on June 1st and saw the Eared Grebe but it was in the southest corner of  Baldpate Unit and had abandoned the nest.  He felt that it was OK with my reporting it to Mich-Listers now with its nest abandonment.  I'll try to get some distant, back-lit photos of the bird that I took on the SBA Website later today.
 
The catch is that the gate is locked at Kochville Rd. so you'll have to walk a mile or so north on the two-track road to get to the large, shallow pond where it has been seen.   (I wouldn't drive in even if it is open as the farmers may lock it when they leave and you'd have no way of getting out.)  Also, northbound I-75 at the Zilwaukee Bridge is closed so southern birders will have to take I-675 around Saginaw and back track on I-75 south a short distance to the Zilwaukee Exit just before the Z-Bridge.  Turn left (north) at the stop sign and drive a half mile to Kochville Rd and turn right (east).  The DNR gate is roughly a half mile from that corner on the left (north) side of the road.
 
Good birding,
 
Joe Soehnel
Saginaw Bay Birding
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