Red-necked Grebe

I saw the reported Red-necked Grebe at Metrobeach today off of the day sail.... you will need a scope to see it well.... It dives frequently so patience is a must.... very cool bird!!  Too far for pictures.... :(

Snow Buntings - early arrival to Macomb County.... Oh oh, hope this isn't a sign of a bad winter!!

Looking for Ducks and the reported Sandhill Cranes at Stoney Creek Metropark today when I came upon 5 little Snow Buntings in the Mt. Vernon Picnic Area.... I could barely get out of the car with the camera when they took off flying toward the Winter Grove Picnic Area. only managed this one quick shot.... This is the earliest that I have seen them near my home in Macomb County in the fall, although I saw them in Northern Michigan a couple of weeks ago.... A pair of Horned Grebes were diving on the lake as well as a few Hooded Mergansers... Lots of Geese around..

Stopped by Metro Beach this am right after sunrise

On my way to Wyandotte this AM I stopped at Metrobeach to scope the north marsh and check out the day sail.... a ton of coots in the North Marsh as well as N. Shoveler, 2 Wood Ducks, 3 Black Ducks, 4 Gadwalls and a couple of Mallards..   a huge flock of Bonaparte Gulls were at the day sail.... approx 40 birds could be seen off shore.....

Bird Feeders

The birds feeders are up and running... The Bushy pile of cottonwood trees and other assorted branches is rebuilt behind the feeder to provide some cover from the diving hawks.... Last year was quite entertaining as an immature Sharp-shinned hawk dive bombed the feeders in Nov and Dec, while the Coopers took over for the rest of the winter..... Hoping to get more than one Redpoll and one Pine Sisken this year....   I have been hearing and seeing an occasional Cardinal behind the house... Not much in the way of woods back there, but the cottonwoods along the drainage dish grew another 8ft since last year and they have been visiting. I would love to see some new color....

Snow Geese - Stoney Creek Metropark

Took a quick drive around Stoney Creek Metropark this late afternoon after work.... Pulled into to Eastwood Beach and was looking at a group of Canada Goose and a Great Blue Heron working the shoreline.... was just getting ready to pull out when a group of 4 Snow Geese came in for a landing... It started to rain and they got out of the water with the Canada Geese.... I snuck up to them and got some photos before they figured out I was stalking them and they all flew back into the water..... I was glad to see the Juveniles as well as the Adults... Tried for a minute to turn them into Ross's Goose, but I couldn't.... Oh, well...... click to enlarge

Snow Goose x 4

I was spotted... fly away

bobbing in the bay

Common Mergansers... dont get to see them beached that often....

I was up north near Tawas this week... I was in pursuit of the elusive White-tailed Deer... (relax anti-hunters, I did not score... they are safe)... The guys and myself stayed in my Brothers cabin on Sand lake... I was not up north to bird, but I couldn't help myself to a couple of snapshots of a group of Common Mergansers that landed and rested for the day.... they took advantage of this small peninsula of sand until they got chased off by a flock of Canada Geese... I was intrigued by a few of them that had yellowish bellies... I usually see them in the water so I dont get to see them on land.... There also were a few Buffleheads that hung out in the bay for the week... It was a full moon and I managed a snapshot of a cool looking harvest moon.... Large flock of Juncos in one of the fields that I hunted... Winter is on the way!!! click to enlarge

Bufflehead

Common Merganser

Common Merganser

Getting the feeders ready for winter.... suprise Lincolns Sparrow visit

Getting my bird feeding station ready for winter yesterday.... I pulled up the annuals surrounding the feeder, put out my tray feeder... Plucked the heads from the few sunflowers I had and put them in the tray.... I back up to fields, so I always take some dead branches and small trees and make a makeshift  shelter for the birds to avoid diving hawks.... It took about 12 hours and my feeders were very active this morning and I dont even have them all out.... White-crowned Sparrows are moving thru the area as well as a few White-throated Sparrows.... Flocks of Redwinged Blackbirds are out in the fields surrounding the marshy areas and a couple of them came to visit the feeder.... I heard this low sounding singing coming from the island surrounding the feeders... I sat there quietly at the window and watched when a Lincoln Sparrow appeared below the tray feeder... He was quite the skalker and wasn't giving me many looks.... he kept following around a Song Sparrow, like they were buddies.... Never did get a high quality picture of him... I will try later... cool seeing one in migration...

Lincolns Sparrow and Song Sparrow

Lincoln Sparrow

White-Crowned Sparrow

White-Crowned Sparrow

Redwinged Blackbird