White-faced Ibis @ LEMP, Piping Plover and others @ Pte. Mouillee

[Kevin Welsh]

Hi there, 

David Pavlik and I headed out to Lake Erie Metropark this morning, arriving at about 8 am to see the White-faced Ibis. After searching the same Fisherman's Cove and Cove Point picnic area previously reported by others with no avail, we went over to the nature center where we heard a few singing Northern Waterthrushes and one singing Louisiana Waterthrush. After that we returned to the Cove Point Picnic area to see the Ibis, but again it wasn't there. We walked around the area for a while, scanning all the puddles. While searching, we saw Cliff Swallows showing signs of nesting underneath the bridge connecting the Cove Point area to the wave pool area. Finally, the Ibis showed up at around 11am. The bird was in a large puddle located in between the two picnic shelters and foraged there for the entire time we watched it. 

After the Ibis, we headed down to Mouillee, highlights included: 

-Many, thousands of Dunlin and numerous Lesser Yellowlegs in the Walpatch Unit (which had a lot of nice looking shorebird habitat), with one Ruddy Turnstone and one Semipalmated Sandpiper which seemed notably early 
- Three Willets, quite a few Black bellied Plovers, and one unexpected Piping Plover foraging on the expansive mudflats in Cell 3 
-On the return journey, 2 Snowy Egrets in amongst Great Egrets and Shorebirds in the Walpatch Unit. 

Nothing too unusual in in the Lead, Bloody Run, or Vermet Units. 

All the while, it seemed to us that there was decent potential for some rarities to show up or already be there but being overlooked, so its worth scanning everything. Anyways.... 

Good birding, 

Kevin Welsh 
Novi, MI