Patterson Park Tour, May 17, 6-7 pm

The Lenawee Birders Club is leading a group of birders this Friday, May 17 from 6-7 pm through a VERY small park in Tecumseh. Patterson Park is a family friendly park and easy to walk. Bird lovers of all ages and experience levels are welcome. It runs along Evans Creek and usually holds a few warblers, vireo, thrush and woodpeckers this time of year. In addition to looking for birds it’s also an introduction to one of the “hidden birding hot spots” in Tecumseh. This will be the first of a series of tours through Lenawee County this year which highlight some places that are hard to find or unknown to most people. The easiest way to get to Patterson Park is to enter off of Union Street at the Patterson Elementary School entrance. Follow the drive all the way to the end near the playground. Hope to see you there, Gregg Perez

Patterson Park 401 N. Van Buren St

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.0075+-83.9541667

Finding birds and meaning

Finding birds and meaning, a photo by Goyo P on Flickr.

At the end of the day last Saturday I found myself staring out at the horizon listening to a Meadowlark sing. This year’s North American Migration Count was over. I was tired and hungry and ready to head home…but not until the meadowlark finished his song. Today I was thinking about the birds I saw on that day. Seventy seven species is no record and I didnt find anything extremely rare. I thought about the old mountaineering words, “conquistador of the useless” Those words describe my relationship with birding pretty well. I try not to get caught up in competitive birding. I try not to focus on the numbers. I admit I do succumb to it occasionally. But at the end of the day it isnt the number that feels so good. It’s the knowing. It’s knowing where the best place is to find a Loon, or a Yellow-breasted Chat. It’s also the discovering of those things on your own without being told. It’s the journey that you make to get to the number that matters. It’s the journey that makes me feel more connected to nature. I think it would be pretty awesome to post a video documenting each of the birders who participated in the Lenawee NAMC. It’s fascinating to me to hear about how birders find birds. It’s just as interesting as the bird itself in my opinion. Stay tuned on that thought. =)

Kids Helping Birds →

Kids Helping Birds

Check out Elijah’s project at the Fenner Nature Center.

May 4th, 2013 Highlights

Towhee, a photo by Goyo P on Flickr.

Bicentennial Park: Nashville Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Great Crested Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo.

Patterson Park (Tecumseh): Hermit Thrush, Nashville Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Red-headed Woodpecker.

Indian Trails (Tecumseh): Black-throated Green, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Baltimore Orioles, Warbling Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatchatchers

Morenci Lagoons: Blue-winged Teal, Norhern Shoveler, Pied Billed Grebe, Ruddy Duck, Solitary Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Rough Winged Swallows

Schoonover: White-crowned Sparrows

Lake Hudson: Veery, Yellow Warblers, Baltimore Oriole, Blue-headed Vireo, Field Sparrow, Black and White Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Eastern Kingbirds

Ramsdell: Yellow Warbler, Towhee, Flycatcher species, Brown Thrasher.

Round Lake: Common Loon, Bufflehead, Pied Billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow

Onsted: Two Osprey near the nest.

Lenawee Birders Bluebirds

TIP-BP-01, a photo by Goyo P on Flickr.

With permission from the Lenawee County Parks we were able to replace the existing dilapidated boxes with new at Bicentennial Park near Tipton, MI.

This is one of four new houses installed at the park on Sunday. These house will be checked weekly for Bluebird activity. Nesting data will be collected and submitted to Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s “Nestwatch” website.

Powell Sanctuary Tour, Michigan Nature Association

Heron Rookery, a photo by Goyo P on Flickr.

You’re invited to join a bird hike through Michigan Nature Association’s Powell Sanctuary near Hudson, MI, this coming Saturday — April 20th, from 8-11, led by Lenawee birders Janet Kauffman, Gregg Perez and Johanna Lentz.

Please RSVP and get directions from:
Matt Schultz
Regional Stewardship Organizer
Michigan Nature Association
326 E Grand River
Williamston, MI 48895
C: (517) 643-6864
E: mschultz@michigannature.org

Janet Kauffman, Steward
Powell Memorial Sanctuary

Bird Alert- GC Kinglets and Sapsuckers

Golden Crowned Kinglet, a photo by Goyo P on Flickr.

Golden-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were found in high numbers yesterday at Heritage Park in Adrian.

Wild Wild West…Lenawee

Schoonover WPA a video by Goyo P on Flickr.

West Lenawee is heating up in the cold winds of March. After witnessing such a large raft of waterfowl yesterday at Devils Lake I decided to head back for more. Only this time I went to Morenci and Hudson. Here are some of the highlights I found around Morenci, Lake Hudson and Schoonover WPA. Ring-necks, Lesser Scaup, Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Mallard, Canada Geese, Horned Grebe, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pintail, Gadwall, Redheads, Wigeon, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Robins, Turkey Vultures, Red-shouldered Hawk, Sandhill Crane, Bluebirds, Horned Larks, Red-winged Blackbirds, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Flicker, Tree Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Bluejay, Red-tailed Hawk, Killdeer, Ring-necked Pheasant, Northern Mockingbird and Tree Swallow.

KonkerEEEEEEE!

Konkereeeee a video by Goyo P on Flickr.

Ahhhh! I love the sound of Red-winged Blackbirds in the spring. Today’s birding started very slow but picked up as the day went along. The 1 mile walk along the Pine trail at Hidden Lake Gardens was quiet….VERY quiet…except for the Crows. We probably saw the same number of Crows as we did all other species combined. I think it’s ok to say that the highlight of the Gardens today was the Spring Bulb Show in the conservatory.

My next stop on my short birding tour of Lenawee was Devils Lake/Round Lake. Round Lake typically has more birds than Devils but today it was completely frozen over. Devils Lake, however, had some open water on the Southeast side. I found the largest flock of waterfowl that I have ever seen there. There were Ring-necked Ducks, Canvasback, Redheads, American Widgeon, Coots, Scaup, Ruddy Ducks, Bufflehead and Goldeneye. Altogether there were close to 300 birds or more.

My goal after leaving Devils Lake was to drive the farm fields back to Tecumseh to look for flocks of blackbirds. I found a decent sized flock on the corner of Kemp and Wisner of approximately 200-300 birds. Most were Red-winged blackbirds, but mixed in with them were Cowbirds, Grackles and two Rusty Blackbirds.

My last stop of the day was Red Mill Pond. It’s only 100 yards from my house so I had to stop in and give a quick look. I stayed long enough to count 29 Common Merganser.

Overall it was a good day. It was beautiful with all the fresh snow on the ground but the wind was harsh. Every day I get to go birding is a good day no matter what the weather. But, I am starting to look forward to some warmer springtime weather. Bring on the warblers!!