Sedge Wren and other good birds - Wetzel State Park and Stoney Creek

I made a last minute decision last night to skip Lk. St. Clair Metropark and join Kevin Rysiewski at Wetzel State Park this morning... I arrived at 0630 and our morning of birding began...  we started with an American Redstart in the parking lot... Northern Waterthrush calling from a wet area near by... a Great Egret on the South Pond...  as we moved around the pond a Marsh Wren began calling right in front of us... he popped out, took a quick look at us and was gone... we found Clay Colored Sparrow at marker 8...  A Green Heron(177) flew over us..... a pair of Ring-necked Ducks were on the pond near Omo Rd... I also heard my first Wood Thrush(178)  of the year...  Warblers in the area included yellow, yellow-rumped, Ovenbird, Chestnut-sided, Nashville, Blue-winged, Am Redstart, Magnolia and an Orange-crowned..... as we circled around I told Kevin that the field off of the parking lot with the tall grass has been good in the past for Sedge Wrens(179).... we took about two steps down the trail thru the field and heard Chp chp chppppppppr....  The first of two Sedge Wrens was curious about us and in between scold notes, would bust out singing... He was soon joined by a second one and they put on a show for us.... I managed some great photos.... on to the ponds.... I heard a "robin with a soar throat".... my favorite description for a Scarlet Tanager(180).... we made our way over to the location where it was singing and found it up in a tree... the morning light hitting him perfect... he looked like he was on fire...  as we got back to the parking lot, I heard an unfamiliar song coming from a thick area near 27 mi rd.... some further investigation revealed that it was coming from a Lincoln Sparrow(181).... I don't usually hear them sing so I was unfamiliar with there song....  we were done at Wetzel... onward to Stoney Creek Osprey trail

I saw a report on Ebird that someone had seen a Prothonotary Warbler at Stoney Creek on the Osprey Trail.... so Kevin and I went looking for it...we did not find it but we did have a good time birding in the area.... Highlights included a Red-headed Woodpecker, Canada Warber(182), Red-eyed Vireo(183) and an assortment of warblers... Kevin and I were able to photograph a N. Parula Warbler that set still on a branch.... what a great bird.... we had multiple least flycatchers, one Great-crested Flycatcher and Indigo Buntings....

We left there and headed to the Oakland County side of the park to look for Louisana Waterthrush.... no luck in the flooded swampy area we were in, but we did come across Black Throated Blue Warblers and could hear a Pileated Woodpecker calling in the distance.....

It was a great day of birding with 17 Species of Warbler and some close up views of some incredible birds.... click on photos to enlarge

Sedge Wren

Sedge Wren

Sedge Wren

Savannah Sparrow

Scarlet Tanager

Canada Warbler

Nothern Parula Warbler

Northern Parula Warbler

Northern Parula Warbler

Orange Crowned Warbler

Bobolinks stopping by...

Bobolinks (176) dont nest in the fields behind my house, but every year during migration they stop by.. I was letting out the dogs today when I heard that awesome metalic sounding song they sing.... I went and grabbed my camera and slowly stalked them.... of course they had the advantage being up in a tree and took off before I could get to close, but it was fun trying..... click to enlarge

Yellow-headed Blackbird - Lk St. Clair Metropark

I woke up at 2 am this morning and was not feeling well, and never went back to sleep... I decided to skip birding this morning.... That is until I recieved a call from Brian McGee.... He and his daughter Marie had found a female Yellow-headed Blackbird (175) near the playscape at Lk St. Clair Metropark.... This species is not found very often in Macomb County.... Its been awhile since I have seen one... So regardless of no shower, I threw a hat on and headed that way.... The bird was very tame... walking on the grass along the fenced in area behind park headquarters.... Kevin R was nice enough to wait for me so he could point the bird out and soon we were joined by Brian and his daughter...  on the way back to my car I managed to grab a snapshot of a couple of Eastern Kingbirds..... Still tired and not feeling well I headed home, but at least I got to see a great bird.... click to enlarge

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Kingbird

Waldenburg Park Macomb Twp - Orchard Oriole

I hit a park near my home today at day break... the wave of migrants was incredible.... FOY for me included Great Crested Flycatcher (167), Magnolia Warbler (168), Tenessee Warbler (169), Yellow-throated Vireo (170), Orchard Oriole(171), Eastern Wood Pewee(172), Indigo Bunting(173) and Black Throated Blue(174).  I also had Northern Parula, Black Thr Green, Yellow Rumped, Northern Waterthrush, Ovenbird and Nashville Warbers... A Rose-Breasted Grosbeak greeted me on the first trail.... The chorus of frogs was incredibly loud on the first bridge.... While in the woods looking at the Yellow-throated Vireo, a Coopers Hawk came darting in chasing after a bird.... later a Sharp-shinned Hawk soared over the top of the canopy..... All in all a great morning..... My favorite bird was the Orchard Oriole... I came across it accidently while scanning the trees for a Great Crested Flycather who was calling.... I chased him around for a while until I got close enough to get a picture.... cool bird...

Yellow-throated Vireo

Yellow-throated Vireo

Orchard Oriole

Indigo Bunting

Wood Frog

Hot Day...... afternoon birding

When I got off of work I hit three spots today.... I spent about an hour at Metrobeach.... Not much behind the Nature Ctr at this time of day, but the Maple Woods still had good activity... a Pied-billed Grebe was in the little pond area near the first bridge... I saw Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Northern Parula (162), Am Redstart (163), Northern Waterthrush and Nashville Warblers.... I peeked in at the banding station and was able to see a Lincoln Sparrow and Black-throated Blue in hand... cant count them for my county list, but I love seeing the birds up close...  On the Middle trail I spied a Rose-breasted Grosbeak in the lower canopy and a Veery(164)along the path.... Overhead I heard a familiar song.... two Red-headed Woodpeckers chasing each other way up high....  next stop...

At Macomb Corners Park I saw my first Eastern Kingbird(165) of the year.... In the pond were Solitary and Spotted Sanpipers as well as Lesser Yellowlegs.... I noticed some little birds way out in the middle and was pleased to look thru my binoculars and see 5 American Pipits on the mud flat.... On the way back to my car I shot a cool photo of a Warbling Vireo singing over my head...

Pulled into Wolcott Mills Metropark for a quick listen of the fields.... I am awaiting the return of Bobolinks that breed there.... Not today, but in the park entrance I heard the familiar buzz beee of a Blue-winged Warbler(166).... Same Spot every year...  

click to enlarge photos

Warbling Vireo

Veery

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Pied-billed Grebe

American Pipit

American Redstart

Red-headed Woodpecker

Solitary Sandpiper

Lesser Yellowlegs

Full Steam Ahead......

I do not like end of the day birding.... Work first, birding second.... It sounds like I missed some pretty good activity at Metrobeach in the morning... I headed there later in the day and the woods were active, but numbers were not great.... I still managed to see Yellow, Palm, Black Throated Green, Chestnut-sided (154), Blackburnian (155), Nashville,  Orange-crowned and  Yellow-rumped Warblers... Also Ovenbird and Northern Waterthrush.... Baltimore Orioles(156) had arrived in good numbers... A Hermit Thrush was singing in the Maple Woods.... Awesome Song...  I did get to watch a Black-throated Green Warbler bath in the water below a thicket and then sit on a branch and preen himself... that was way cool....  the Winter Wren is still present along the service Rd...

At Waldenburg Park in Macomb Twp I managed to see my first White-crowned Sparrow(161) of the year... Also a Blue-headed Vireo(158).  Black and White, Yellow, Orange-crowned(159), Nashville(157) and  Yellow-rumped Warblers were found... Also a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak(160) along the river overhead.... The same Phoebe near the bridge was calling loudly and posed for me....

Looking forward to the weekend when I have time to bird.... Click to enlarge

White-Crowned Sparrow

White-Throated Sparrow

Orange-crowned Warber

Orange-crowned Warbler



Eastern Comma

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Black and White Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

Black-Throated Green Warbler post bath

Almost Dry..

Clay Colored Sparrows are back

Two stops today.... Metrobeach had the usual May 1st Migrants.... Yellow, Palm, Black and White, Black Thr Green (149), Yellow rumped and Yellowthroat (150).... decent mixture of Warblers... In addition I found 4 Northern Waterthrush.... Several Catbirds and the Virginia Rails and Marsh Wrens were both making noise in the South Marsh.... There were several Chimney Swifts (151) overhead and the sound of a Least Flycatcher (152) "chebek" in the Maple Woods.... I located it but could not get a photo.... darn thing would not hold still for me....

Clay Colored Sparrows (153) are back at Wetzel.... only spent 15 minutes there... just wanted to see if they had arrived and was pleased to find them..... click to enlarge...

Clay Colored Sparrow

Clay Colored Sparrow

Clay Colored Sparrow