112th NAS Christmas Bird Count-Monroe, 17 Dec 2011

40+ Years of Monroe, MI CBC's! - 17 Jan 2012

2012-01-17T18:15:00.000-08:00

Monroe, MI Christmas Bird Counts have been conducted for over 40 years! As compiler since 1988 I was able to gather records from 1970 - 2010 (with thanks to Bob Pettit) and consolidate them into one master spreadsheet . The following is a summary of the 42 years of CBC totals from the Monroe, MI Count Circle:

Total Birds counted = 2.9 million!
Total Species = 164
Average # Birds / Count = 70,000
Average # Spp. / Count = 73
Min # Spp. = 57 (1986)
Max# Spp. = 89 (2005)

European Starlings have dominated the Monroe CBC with most number of birds counted and (973,336) and occurrence (all 41 years). Common Grackles (319,641 / 37), Red-winged Blackbirds (262,365 / 39), Herring Gulls (243,362 / 41) and Ring-billed Gulls (190,487 / 41) round out the top five in terms of numbers / #yrs counted.

The following birds have been counted all 42 years:

European Starling
Herring Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Common Merganser
Mallard
House Sparrow
Mourning Dove
American Tree Sparrow
Common Goldeneye
Great Black-backed Gull
American Black Duck
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
Great Blue Heron
Blue Jay
Song Sparrow
American Crow
Downy Woodpecker
American Kestrel
Red-tailed Hawk
White-breasted Nuthatch

The following birds have only been found on 1 count:

Pacific Loon (CW) - 2011
Surf Scoter (6) - 1997
Trumpeter Swan (4) - (2006)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (3) - 2005
Golden Eagle (2) - 1994
Greater Yellowlegs (2) - 1987
Lesser Yellowlegs (2) - 1999
Boreal Chickadee (2) - 1972
Nelson's Sparrow (2) - 1971
Cackling Goose (1) - 1999
Harlequin Duck (1) - 1982
Common Loon (1) - 1980
Red-necked Grebe (1) - 1983
American White Pelican (1) - 2010
American Bittern (1) - 1972
Turkey Vulture (1) - 1970
falcon sp. (1) - 1991
Sora (1) - 1989
rail sp. (1) - 1989
Willet (1) - 2005
Sanderling (1) - 1987
Semipalmated Sandpiper (1) - 1973
peep sp. (1) - 1989
Red Phalarope (1) - 1987
Laughing Gull (1) - 1973
Franklin's Gull (1) - 1996
Loggerhead Shrike (1) - 1972
Tree Swallow (1) - 2010
Sedge Wren (1) - 1970
Orange-crowned Warbler (1) - 2010
Chipping Sparrow (1) - 2002
Lincoln's Sparrow (1) - 1989
Yellow-headed Blackbird (1) - 1992 + CW 2005

Some of the more interesting birds that have been found on 2 or more counts include the following:

Greater White-fronted Goose - 1 each in 1999, 2005
White-winged Scoter - 1 each in 2005, 2006
Thayer's Gull - 1 each in 1994, 2003
Northern Saw-whet Owl - 1 each in 1971, 1972
Vesper's Sparrow - 1 each in 1990, 1992
Brewer's Blackbird - 1 each in 1990, 1978
Snowy Owl - 1 each in 1971, 1974, 1980
Barn Owl - 2 in 1970, 2 in 1972, 1 in 1973, 1 in 1976
Evening Grosbeak - 12 in 1970, 9 in '71, 4 in '73, 8 in '77, 4 in '95
Short-eared Owl - 3 in '70, 2 in '72, 3 in '75, 3 in '76,
Long-eared Owl - 10 in '70, 9 in '72, 1 in '73, 1 in '75, 1 in '82

Records like these are not possible w/o the volunteer efforts of the dozens who have participated in this event. Thank you to all who have given their time/effort to locate these birds!

Oh, what's up w/ the color coded list? The color scheme shown in the summary above is based on documentation requirements for the individual species:

Category 1: No documentation required, unless (a) new to your count or (b) observed on fewer than 10% of your counts, in which case documentation may be as little at 3-4 sentences describing the bird and where found.

Category 2: Documention must be at least a paragraph or two describing the bird in detail, as well as location and circumstances of the observation.

Category 3: Full documentation is required, including all of the information requested on the enclosed rare bird documentation form.

The following is a summary of results from each of the Areas covered by the count circle:

J.R. Whiting Power Plant
Erie Marsh Preserve
Area 2 (results include the Whiting Plant and Erie Marsh)
Area 3
Area 4
Area 5
Monroe Power Plant
Area 6
Area 7
Area 8

Monroe, MI CBC - 17 Dec 2011

2011-12-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

Saturday, 17 December 2011 marked the 42nd Monroe, MI Christmas Bird Count in conjunction with the 112th National Audubon Society CBC. A week of heavy rains, and today's constant snowfall resulted in unusually low numbers of birds (63,078). But we managed 76 species, which included two Count Week birds: Pacific Loon and Turkey Vulture. If the Pacific Loon is accepted it will be a first CBC record for Michigan! Thanks to Jan Morrow for finding the bird and documenting its presence on days 1 and 3 of the CW.

As for me, my day started at 3 am with a rude awakening by the alarm clock. Out the door by 4 am I headed south toward Monroe, but not before stopping by Roberts Rd. and Pt. Mouillee to see if I could call in a Screech Owl or two. Within minutes of getting out of the car I managed to call in two birds, neither of which I could find w/ the flashlight, so no photos could be taken. A moment later a 3rd Screech Owl started calling from nearby, but then all three ceased. They must've flown off?

I headed back to the car and drove down to Sterling St. Park, where I parked at the back of the boat launch and proceeded to call in another Screech Owl. It took about 20 minutes, but I was finally successful in bringing a bird that (again) eluded my flashlight. It finally flew off to parts unknown, and I headed in to Monroe for a quick breakfast before heading off to the Whiting Plant for the day's count.

At 7am I met Tom Schlack, Allen Chartier and Will Weber, and the three of us headed down to the Lake Erie shoreline to wait for the sun to come up. Temperature was 31ºF, and winds were calm. We were expecting snow showers later today, but for now skies looked to be clear.

As we waited for the skies to brighten we were suddenly startled by the belting sound of a Winter Wren calling just feet away from where we were standing. In this technology-driven world the immediate response was to reach for our smart phones, thinking that someone was calling us using a special ringtone. When a second Winter Wren called neared the woods, however, we realized that it was the real thing. Moments later a Carolina Wren serenaded us w/ its distinctive call. I walked over to the fence surrounding the Lady of the Lake Woodlot and heard a third Winter Wren. And suddenly they were gone!

The morning light grew, and we soon could make out rafts of Lesser Scaup several hundred strong, followed by smaller rafts of Common Goldeneye. As we scanned the lake the first Great Black-backed Gulls appears, followed by Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and scads of Ring-billed Gulls. But the dimming sunrise meant that snow was headed our way, already, and within minutes we started seeing the flurries that would not let up for the rest of the day...

We were soon met by Mark Wloch, who had seen a pair of Black-crowned Night Herons in one of the ponds next to the power plant. We headed up the banks to walk the property, and found a Belted Kingfisher and a Wood Duck tucked back under the shoreline branches of the pond, but little else. A walk through the fields south of the plant yielded a fly-over flock of Tundra Swans, followed later by a lone adult Peregrine Falcon. Having walky-talkies w/ us helped to make sure everyone was on the bird as flew over. A large flock of Gadwall in one of the rear marshes, and a total of 6 Bald Eagles was about the only other notable sightings the rest of my morning. Dark, overcast skies and falling, melting snow meant another CBC of poor photography opportunities.

After a late-morning lunch w/ Robin at McDonalds, I headed over to the Monroe Power Plant, where I met Matt Shackelford and Tim Walsh, Carri Dyl, Steffen Dyl (her son) and his friend Andrew Smith. Tom Schlack arrived and the seven of us proceeded to bird the grounds. A pair of Great Egrets along the shores of the warm-water discharge canal was a nice start, and we spotted the first of dozens of Bald Eagles lining the shoreline trees. Surprisingly, gulls were in short supply along the entire discharge canal, so it was easier to count the Great Blue Herons and Double-crested Cormorants lining the shoreline.

Steffen and Andrew soon discovered the resident deer population and began to keep personal totals of all the deer seen today. They were kept busy. Deer were everywhere. And relatively tame due to (presumed) feeding by the plant workers.

However, they were much more wary (and numerous) at the fly-ash onsite, where we counted hundreds of deer in the fields below the burms. Our only other highlights of the day were 48 Bald Eagles, 15 Great Black-backed Gulls, and 2 surprising Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Other highlights from other areas included:

- A Red-headed Woodpecker heard by Allen Chartier in the woods next to the Whiting Plant
- A Merlin seen Dennis and Kathy Rohmeyer, Amy Hall and Nick Duvall (and photographed by Amy) in Area 3
- A dark-phase Red-tailed Hawk seen by Anne Smith, Rita Montague, Jacki Copeland, and photographed by Karen Hall in Area 5
- A flock of 185 American Robins, and a single White-crowned Sparrow in Area 6 (Jack and Janet Volker)
- A count week Turkey Vulture in Area 7 (Raisin River near Raisinville Rd), reported by Bob Pettit
- 3 Great Horned Owls and 30 Horned Larks in Area 8 (Joe and Terri Janssen, Nick and Rose Assenmacher, and Ray Rose).

Of special note is the count week sighting of the Pacific Loon by Jan Morrow in LaSalle. Jan first spotted the loon swimming in Lake Erie outside here window on Wednesday the 14th, and again on the 16th. Although we tried to get photos, the bird remained elusive, and was not seen on count day. However, we're hoping that her documentation will be accepted as the 1st CBCrecord for the State of Michigan. We are presuming that this is the same bird that has been seen since late November at Sterling State Park.

Many thanks to all who participated in the day's count. Additional images from Bob Pettit, Amy Hall and Karen Potts are below:

42nd Monroe, MI CBC - 17 Dec 2011

2011-10-20T06:07:00.000-07:00

Orange-crowned Warbler, 19 Dec 2010 at the JR Whiting Plant,
Monroe Co., MI (©J.S. Jourdan)

This year marks the 112th National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. The Monroe, MI (MIMO) count will be conducted on Saturday, December 17, 2011.

The menu list at right has additional information regarding the history of the count, and specifics of the Monroe CBC. If interested in joining us, please let me know at jourdaj@gmail.com. Don't worry if you are a novice birder, we'll try to match you with more experienced birders. If you live inside the count circle and can't get that day, then consider conducting a feeder watch. Just send me an e-mail with your address and your list of species seen during the day. Also, keep track of any unusual sightings seen 3 days prior to or after the count date; these birds can be tallied as part of the count week total.

Happy CBC'ing!

41st Monroe, MI CBC - 19 Dec 2010

2010-12-20T13:17:00.001-08:00

Congratulations and thanks to Nate Crawford for capturing this stunning image of the American White Pelican at the J.R. Whiting Plant in s. Monroe Co. This bird represents the first CBC record of American White Pelican in MI!

Final Tally: 85 Spp. and 61,800 birds

My day began at 3 AM with a rude wake-up call from the alarm clock. Out the door at 3:50 AM I was heading off to start the 111th National Audubon Society / 41st Monroe, MI Christmas Bird Count. I was hoping to pick up an owl or two before meeting the guys at the J.R. Whiting Plant in s. Monroe Co. at 7 AM. Long story short, I dipped. I had even walked the Lake Erie shoreline and the bike path with the hopes of calling out a Screech Owl, but failed miserably.

After a quick breakfast stop at the arches, I headed toward Erie Rd. and the Whiting Plant. At 7 AM Allen Chartier and Will Weber arrived, and the three of us checked in w/ the guard shack before heading down to the Lake Erie shoreline. As we waited for the sun to rise Allen counted ~125 Great Blue Herons along the ice shelf near the warm water discharge of the power plant. The herons would flush and fly in all directions before long, so it was good that we got a count before they dispersed. Meanwhile the lake was alive with thousands of unidentifiable ducks and gulls that would have to wait for daybreak to be counted.

(L/R) Allen Chartier, Mark Wloch, Will Weber

I took a few moments to walk toward the Lady of the Lakes woods to try calling in / hearing a Screech Owl (again w/ no luck). Returning to the group I stopped to photograph Allen and Will with Mark Wloch, who had just gotten off work from the plant to join us. Mark had found and had provided stunning photos of an Orange-crowned Warbler earlier in the week, and we were hoping to add this species to today's count. Luckily, Allen and Mark had refound the bird on Friday so we could add it, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Winter Wren to our Count Week total. Thank you, Mark for providing wonderful documentation of these three birds!

In the dim light of daybreak we scanned the open waters for identifiable spp. Allen then said, "Wholly crap, there's a White Pelican out there!". When I looked through his scope I responded, "Wholly crap there's a White Pelican!". The bird was swimming calmly among several Mute Swans, hundreds of Ring-billed and Herring Gulls, and the odd Lesser Black-backed Gull. With my digiscoping rig I was getting 1/6 sec. exposure times, and with the pelican some 200 yds. away I knew getting a decent image would be next to impossible. I managed one. So I did the next best thing and took a couple of videos of the bird with the hope of providing documentation of the bird. Will was able to get a few more keepers, (2).

We walked the shoreline down to the discharge outlet, where we found these two adorable Muscovy Ducks. Though not countable, it was fun to get a photo or two of these birds.

With enough illumination we were now able to scan the lake and pick out Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Greater Black-backed Gull, Northern Pintail, Ruddy Duck, American Black Duck, Mallard, Common Goldeneye, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, American Coot, Greater Scaup, and thousands of Lesser Scaup.

We then took a mile long hike south along the lakeshore, hoping to find the Orange-crowned Warbler. Though we found several Winter Wrens, Downy Woodpeckers, dozens of Golden-crowned Kinglets and Black-capped Chickadees we failed to find the warbler or Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Along the way I received a call from security telling me that they could NOT open the gate to the Lady of the Lakes woods because the lock was frozen. Meanwhile, attempts to refind the American White Pelican failed. The bird was gone, and would not be relocated (until Nate would find it later in the day).

Thanks to Mark, we were able to get the gate open and gain access to the woods. Things were quiet though, until we came upon a small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets and Black-capped Chickadees. As we scanned the flock hoping to find a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, I spotted the Orange-crowned Warbler! I tried to get some photos of the bird as it foraged among the grape vines, but it tended to stay obscured by vegetation. Still, I was able to get enough pics to verify ID. This is only the 2nd CBC record for Michigan for this species. Additional images were provided by Allen Chartier (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5).

I had to leave and head toward the Monroe Power Plant for the afternoon count. In the meantime, Allen and Will pushed farther into the woods and managed to flush a pair of Great Horned Owls. One bird flew toward the lake, where Mark was able to get a flight shot. He would later add an American Kestrel on his way out.

I only had time to grab a drive-thru lunch, so I headed over to the foot of Front St. and pulled into the turnout to eat. While I ate, I scanned the discharge outflow and saw dozens of Mallard and Hooded Mergansers swimming. Unfortunately, it was difficult to get an accurate count through to vines covering the fence, so I pulled alongside to track the birds. A pair of Winter Wrens appeared next to the car, and one even landed on my driver-side mirror! I chased the pair along the fence, but had to settle for obscured captures w/ the camera.

At the DTE Monroe Power Plant I met up with Matt Schackelford, Tim Walsh, Don Burlett, Rose Assemacher and sons Nick and Jordan, and friend Jeremy Stotz. Bald Eagles were the draw of the day, and we hoping to be rewarded with good sightings.

We took two vehicles and headed south along the warm-water discharge canal. Golden-crowned Kinglets were actively foraging among the dried vegetation, and even the pipe-lines! Among the dozens of Great Blue Herons lining the far shoreline were even more Double-crested Cormorants. Five Pied-billed Grebes were swimming and diving in the middle of the canal, and as we searched for them a Great Egret flew along the shoreline. I was able to digiscope an image for record.

At the end of the road we were able scan the mouth of the canal from the catwalk and see dozens of Bald Eagles lining both shorelines. Unable to go further, we backtracked to the other side of the plant where Matt showed us the intake screens where a fish-kill earlier in the week shut down the entire plant! From there we headed along the Raisin River, which was frozen for the first time in many years.

The Lake Erie shoreline was frozen for a quarter mile out, so we saw no gulls, ducks or swans. In open patches of water we could make out the silhouettes of dozens of Bald Eagles. One bird actually stayed perched above us long enough to get a photo through Tim's sunroof. The coal piles to our right were covered with mixed Herring/Ring-billed Gulls by the hundreds. Other flocks of gulls would lift off the ground by the thousands, so we could only get estimated counts.

As we approached the fish dump we could see hundreds of European Starlings lining the trees ahead. A pair of White-tailed Deer were feeding next to the road and appeared oblivious to our presence. Surprisingly, four Killdeer flew in and joined the starlings among the dead fish. As we watched them a male Northern Harrier made several passes over the field.

As I photographed the Killdeer a Song Sparrow appeared nearby. The buffy coloration along its malar and sides, and reddish wings and tail made it look surprisingly like a Lincoln's Sparrow, which is not found this time of year. But a closer look showed heavy striping along the sides and a beak too thick to be a Lincoln's. Still, it was an interesting bird (for me) to photograph.

As snow started to fall more heavily we stopped at the lake and scanned dozens of Tundra Swans out on the lake. I took the opportunity to get a shot of the group.

At the mouth of the discharge canal we walked and scanned the canal, picking out Ruddy Duck, Common Goldeneye, Lesser Scaup, and Bufflehead. Golden-crowned Kinglets were actively foraging along the canal and offered nice views from a few feet away. We refound the Great Egret, and were able to get better images of it, both in flight and on the ground.

Our last stop of the day was at the fly-ash settling ponds. As we car-pooled to the Onsite, I saw Dave Mendus and Anne Smith who reported seeing a Northern Mockingbird and Fox Sparrow. Just inside the entrance (off Dunbar Rd.) we spotted another Northern Harrier, several Cedar Waxwings, and got into a flock of American Robins, Black-capped Chickadees, and White-throated Sparrows. As we scanned the flock we spotted a Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Hermit Thrush.

Continuing along the perimeter road we came across dozens of White-tailed Deer bounding along the road and feeding in the open fields. American Tree Sparrows were abundant and flying in small flocks at every turn. Northern Cardinals were also abundant. We re-spotted the harrier hunting the field to our left and managed a few photos of it as it passed by, then disappeared into the native prarie restoration.

A pass atop the burms yielded scattered flocks of Tree Sparrows among the native grasses and phragmites that lined the settling ponds. With the day's light waning it was time to head to the Michigan Bar & Grill to meet up w/ other participants and compile results.

Highlights of the count circle areas were reviewed with some interesting sightings:

83 Wild Turkeys were counted in Area 8, which also led all areas in Red-tailed Hawks (12),Mourning Doves (513) and Dark-eyed Juncos (271).

An unseasonal Tree Swallow was the highlight of Area 7, first reported earlier in the week and refound today on the Raisin River west of Raisinville Rd. 45 Snow Buntings were a high for the count circle. A Rough-legged Hawk was also one of two seen today. Karen Potts was also able to get a couple nice images of American Kestrel, American Robin, and Horned Lark.

Common Mergansers (200), American Robins (169) and Great Black-backed Gulls (45) were high counts for Area 6.

Fox Sparrow and Northern Mockingbird were highlights for Area 5. The Monroe Power Plant count yielded 156 Great Blue Herons and 63 Bald Eagles (16 adults and 47 juveniles).

Six Eastern Bluebirds and 3 Winter Wren were highlights in Area 4.
Area 3 had high count for Horned Larks (135) and most raptors, including a nice Rough-legged Hawk.

Area 2 (Whiting Plant/Erie Marsh) once again provided the most species (63) with notable birds being the American White Pelican and Orange-crowned Warbler, 37 Swamp Sparrows, 1 Fox Sparrow, 22 Winter Wrens, 4 Great Horned Owls, 1 Wilson's Snipe, and 4 Northern Pintail. Allen Chartier provided some additional commentary on this area's totals:

"It is possible that the fish kill from several weeks ago, when the temperature dropped rather suddenly, may have contributed to the large number of birds still present at the Whiting Plant, in addition to the abundance of open water there and completely frozen water everywhere else. Away from the lakeshore, gulls were extremely sparse this year where most years they are flying overhead everywhere in our area. The number and variety of passerines along the shoreline at the plant was exceptional this year. The dominance of Ring-billed over Herring Gulls and Scaup over Common Mergansers suggests that gull and waterfowl migration had not progressed as far as in most years we've done this count.

At the Erie Marsh Preserve, they had apparently done some burning since last year, as there were some more open spots that had previously been solid stands of Phragmites. These areas seemed to be favored by greater numbers of sparrows than we normally find here, especially Swamp Sparrows. The good numbers of raptors, including 6 Red-tailed Hawks and 4 Northern Harriers, might have been taking advantage of the greater visibility of prey in the more open areas. Along the dikes, especially along the unfrozen channels leading out from the Sulphur Pond, songbirds were numerous and we saw many sparrows and Winter Wrens diving into holes in the snow, apparently to forage on the bare ground underneath, which was odd. Also unusual was the behavior of some waterfowl that were apparently hiding under ledges of ice at the base of the dikes. Near the start of the walk, we watched as two Mallards, an American Coot, and a female Wood Duck swam out from under an ice ledge that didn't appear large enough to shelter even one individual. This mixture of species was also unusual. At another spot a Mallard, three American Black Ducks, and four American Coots swam out from underneath a ledge, that appeared to extend underneath the dike but we couldn't be sure. The large number of Winter Wrens is something I can't explain...I've only had this many in a day once before, on Belle Isle in fall migration in October." - Allen Chartier

Finally, in a separate e-mail on 21 Dec 2010, Mark Wloch reported that the White Pelican is still visible at the Whiting Plant, out on open water of the lake, and appears to have been spotted by members of the Toledo, OH CBC during their count week. Mark was able to get a photo of the bird on 20 Dec 2010.

My deepest thanks go out to Mark, Nate, the Area Leaders, and all who participated in this year's count. A special shout-out to Terri and Joe Janssen, who went out after dinner and found an Eastern Screech Owl after learning that we had not recorded a single one today!

A gallery of all images submitted can be accessed here!

Monroe, MI CBC - Sunday 19 December 2010

2010-11-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

This year marks the 111th National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. The Monroe, MI (MIMO) count will be conducted on Sunday, December 19, 2010.

The menu list at right has additional information regarding the history of the count, and specifics of the Monroe CBC. If interested in joining us, please let me know at jourdaj@gmail.com. Don't worry if you are a novice birder, we'll try to match you with more experienced birders. If you live inside the count circle and can't get that day, then consider conducting a feeder watch. Just send me an e-mail with your address and your list of species seen during the day. Also, keep track of any unusual sightings seen 3 days prior to or after the count date; these birds can be tallied as part of the count week total.

Happy CBC'ing!

Monroe, MI CBC - 19 December 2009

2009-12-24T06:33:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, 19 December 2009 we conducted the NAS Christmas Bird Count in Monroe, MI. Twenty-six folks participated in the count, which netted 77 species and 91,705 birds. It snowed throughout most of the morning and later in the afternoon, with winds from the NE at 5-15 mph. Inland ponds were frozen, and moving water was partly/mostly open. Lake Erie was open, but ice flows were pushed into shore, leaving many of the gull and duck spp. to move farther out. Highlight birds of the day included 125 Bald Eagles, 8 Great Egrets, 2 Rough-legged Hawks, an Eastern Towhee, and 10 Pine Siskins. A Snow Goose was my highlight bird and earned me a shiny dime (Thanks, Scott!). Mollie Wood had 22 Wild Turkeys in her yard this morning, but we're unable to count them in our totals. The following is my account of the day's birding:

5 am - I parked at the end of the trail next to the boat launch at Sterling State Park in Monroe. It was snowing, and winds were blowing from the NE at ~10 mph. After repeated attempts at calling in a Screech Owl (and Great Horned Owl) w/ the iPod, Iwas getting nothing. I gave it an hour.

7 am - I had no luck owling, so headed south to the J.R. Whiting Plant in southern Monroe Co. I would be birding the shore of Lake Erie this morning w/ Allen Chartier, Will Weber and Scott Jennex. Scott and I would then head to the Monroe Power Plant at noon.

As we started our morning it was still snowing, and the winds were constant at 10-15 mph NE. It did not really get light enough 'till 8 am to see anything, so we had to wait. The shoreline was coated w/ an inch of snow, and the winds had blown ice into the bay. Though it was still dark, we could tell that there were very few birds around.

Through the snow and wind visibility was poor, but as daylight increases we began to make out small rafts of scaup, Mallard, Black Ducks, Common Goldeneye and Common Mergansers. A few Herring Gulls were about, and a significant flock of Canada Geese were visible to the north. As we headed toward the warm water discharge to the south we began to see a few Great Black-backed Gulls and several Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

We approached the growing flocks of birds slowly, but suddenly everything lifted off the ice. The first Bald Eagle of the day flew in low over the ice and scattered the birds. With few birds now to scope, we headed up the bank to the service road along the east shore.

The discharge canal held about 100 Mallard, but we were able to spot a pair of Hooded Mergansers, and at least three American Coot. A Great Blue Heron was tucked into the overhanging phragmites.

The road to the south toward Woodtick Peninsula yielded few birds. We managed to scare up a couple dozen American Tree Sparrows a couple of Song Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Northern Cardinals and Downy Woodpeckers. The inland ponds were frozen, and Great Blue Herons were unusually scarce. Allen heard a fly-over Horned Lark, and I was able to hear its 'tsid-ip' flight call. We managed only a few more gulls, including a single GBB Gull, and soon retreated south down the hill toward the peninsula.

As we walked a Muskrat appeared on the ice ahead of us. It took little notice of our presence, so I stopped to digiscope it. The guys were teasing that it looked an awful lot like the fur hat I was wearing... Though we'd hope to scare up a few Swamp Sparrows, there were none to be found. With few birds on the water we soon headed back north toward the plant and the cars.

We again scoped the discharge canal but found nothing new. We did hear our first Carolina Wren from somewhere within the phragmites. Near the outlet a small raft of Greater Scaup swam toward shore, and I began to digiscope them from up above. A few Lesser Scaup and a single Canvasback were among them.

Suddenly, Will and Allen watched as a Bald Eagle chased an American Black Duck over the ice and toward them. As the birds reached the edge of the ice shelf and open water the eagle, flying below the duck, swooped up and swiped at the duck. It missed, but the duck flopped into the water. With the duck isolated the eagle continued its attack. The eagle hovered and swooped several times as the duck dove beneath the surface to avoid capture. From the photos I took of the eagle we could determine that it was probably a 3rd-year bird: it had a white tail w/ feathers tipped with a distinct black band. After several more unsuccessful passes at the duck, the eagle retreated to the ice shelf to rest. The duck retreated toward the group of scaup near shore, and I managed a few digiscoped images of it. I could tell it was scared! Three more eagles flew in moments later to join it. This is a composite of one juvenile bird. We concluded that there must be at least 8 eagles in the area. With it getting close to 11 am Scott and I left Allen and Will to bird the Lady of the Lakes Woods and headed toward Monroe Power Plant.

Noon - Scott and I arrived at the Monroe Power Plant to meet Matt Schackelford, Tim Walsh, Don Burlett, Mike McCullough, and Jane Van Kirk at the power plant. We arrived to news of at least 10 Bald Eagles. While we waited for the rest of our group to arrive Scott spotted 3 Great Egrets along the discharge canal nearby. We walked over to the bridge and counted 7 birds scattered along the shoreline. I took numerous photos of each bird, knowing that documentation would be required. I was able to put a composite image together of all seven birds. We would later spot an eighth bird at the mouth of the canal.

Piling into two vehicles we headed down the trail along the warm water discharge and counted dozens of Bald Eagles and Great Blue Herons lining the far shore and trees. Gulls were spotty along the canal, and only Ring-billed Gulls were present among the few dozen birds we counted.

Although we tried, we couldn't find any Bonaparte's Gulls. 150 Mallard were in the frozen pond to our left, along w/ several Black Duck and dozens of Canada Geese. Don found a drake Gadwall through his scope.

The Raisin River was mostly fenced-off due to security issues, but we managed to find another half-dozen eagles, and 8 Hooded Mergansers. Common Mergansers were nearby, as well. The lake shore was surprisingly absent of birds, mostly due to the loose ice flows. It wasn't until we drove a half-mile toward the discharge canal that we came upon a large flock of Herring Gulls on the ice. Fly-by flocks of scaup and mergansers broke up the monotony of scattered gulls.

As we continued on Matt spotted a half-dozen White-tailed Deer hiding in the grass. I grabbed a few pics from the truck as they bounded off into the woods.

An adult Bald Eagle perching along the near shore provided an opportunity for some digiscoping. A nearby juvenile bird perched nearby flew off before we could get close enough to photograph it.

We drove over to the fly-ash onsite and checked the grasslands and burms for Northern Harriers (none) and sparrows (few). Scott managed to find a hovering Rough-legged Hawk. When we drove over to the lakeshore near Bolles Harbor we heard, then saw a large flock of several hundred Tundra Swans swimming among another couple hundred Canada Geese. How I managed to find a Snow Goose among them I'll never know, but luckily one was swimming amid a group of Canada Geese that were separated from the rest of the swans. With attempts to call in a Great Horned Owl w/ the iPod a failure, we packed up and called it a day.

5 pm - We met at the Michigan Bar and Grill and tallied results. Despite the weather we managed some nice results: 77 Species and 91,000 birds. Highlights of the count included a Snow Goose, an Eastern Towhee, 125 Bald Eagles, 8 Great Egrets, 2 Rough-legged Hawks, and 10 Pine Siskins. Area totals are shown here.

As always, I'm grateful for all who participated in the count. Thank you, all!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Monroe, MI CBC - 19 December 2009

2009-12-13T17:39:00.000-08:00

This year marks the 110th National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. The Monroe, MI (MIMO) count will be conducted on Saturday, December 19, 2009.

For more information about the count, see the menu (at right).

Contact Jerry Jourdan @ jourdaj@gmail.com if you wish to participate.

CBC Data Analysis 2009 - 24 Mar 2009

2009-03-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

A new report has been issued by the National Audubon Society based on data gathered by our Christmas Bird Counts. An exerpt:

"We were able to look at the winter distribution of 305 species to see if their winter range had shifted over the last 40 years. We discovered that 177 of these species showed a significant shift north and this northward shift was correlated with an increase in mean January temperatures in the contiguous 48 states of almost 5 degrees during that time."

Check out the Audubon Website for more details and to download the report (in PDF form).

Birds Movements Reveal Global Warming Threat in Action

2009-02-10T10:06:00.001-08:00

WASHINGTON, DC, February 10, 2009-The northward and inland movement of North American birds, confirmed by thousands of citizen-observations, provides new and powerful evidence that global warming is having a serious impact on natural systems, according to new analyses by Audubon scientists. The findings signal the need for dramatic policy changes to combat pervasive ecological disruption.

Analyses of citizen-gathered data from the past 40 years of Audubon's Christmas Bird Count (CBC) reveal that 58 percent of the 305 widespread species that winter on the continent shifted significantly north since 1968, some by hundreds of miles. Movement was detected among species of every type, including more than 70 percent of highly adaptable forest and feeder birds. Only 38 percent of grassland species mirrored the trend, reflecting the constraints of their severely-depleted habitat and suggesting that they now face a double threat from the combined stresses of habitat loss and climate adaptation.

Population shifts among individual species are common, fluctuate, and can have many causes. However, Audubon scientists say the ongoing trend of movement by some 177 species-closely correlated to long-term winter temperature increases-reveals an undeniable link to the changing climate.

"Birds are showing us how the heavy hand of humanity is tipping the balance of nature and causing ecological disruption in ways we are just beginning to predict and comprehend," said report co-author and Audubon Director of Bird Conservation, Greg Butcher, Ph.D. "Common sense dictates that we act now to curb the causes and impacts of global warming to the extent we can, and shape our policies to better cope with the disruptions we cannot avoid."

Movements across all species-including those not reflecting the 40 year trend-averaged approximately 35 miles during the period. However, it is the complete picture of widespread movement and the failure of some species to move at all that illustrates the potential for problems.

Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, and Boreal Chickadee have retreated dramatically north into the Canadian Boreal, their ranges moving an estimated 313, 246, and 211 miles respectively over 40 years. Continuing warming and development are predicted to have adverse impacts on the Boreal forest and the species that depend on it.

Red-breasted Merganser, Ring-necked Duck, and American Black Duck, normally found in southern-tier states, have all taken advantage of warmer winter waters and have shifted their ranges north by an estimated 244, 169, and 141 miles. Still, they are likely to be negatively impacted by the increased drought expected in many parts of North America as global warming worsens.

Only 10 of 26 grassland species moved north significantly, while nine moved south. Species such as Eastern Meadowlark, Vesper Sparrow, and Burrowing Owl were likely unable to move despite more moderate northern temperatures because essential grassland habitat areas have disappeared, having been converted to intensive human uses such as row crops, pastures, and hayfields. In combination, global warming and ongoing overuse of grasslands by humans will doom grassland birds to continued population declines.
"Experts predict that global warming will mean dire consequences, even extinction, for many bird species, and this analysis suggests that that the process leading down that path is already well underway," warned Audubon President John Flicker. "We're witnessing an uncontrolled experiment on the birds and the world we share with them."

Butcher explains that many birds move great distances to find suitable food and habitat, but questions how far they will be able to move in the face of climate change before they run out of habitat, food or even luck. "The long term picture is not good for many species, and even in the short term, a single harsh winter could have a devastating impact on birds that have moved too far," he adds.

New forward-looking research from Audubon California reinforces the national findings, predicting that about 80 of that state's native bird species will experience significant climate-driven reductions in their geographic range over coming decades.

Scientific models indicate that the magnitude of losses in California depends largely on steps taken now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The California Gnatcatcher could lose as much as 56 percent of its range, or as little as 7 percent, depending on how climate change is addressed. Projected range losses for the Bay area's popular Chestnut-backed Chickadee vary from 49 percent to as little as 16 percent.

Detailed GIS maps produced using the California research project where the birds are likely to be in 50 to 100 years. Findings will help policymakers and land managers augment efforts to mitigate the severity of global warming impacts with better habitat conservation investments to address changes that can't be avoided.

"The birds are giving us yet another warning that it's time for urgent action," added Flicker. "People hear about melting glaciers and changing weather, but now they can witness the impact global warming is having with the birds they see or don't see right outside their doors. These birds are our 'canaries in the coal mine' and they're telling us that we'd better do something fast to curb global warming and to protect habitat."

Scientists say bold action is needed to overcome threats from global warming. Audubon calls on Congress and the administration to advance policies that will drastically reduce global warming pollution, cut oil dependence in half, and invest in a clean energy future and the economic benefits it offers. Americans can sign a petition at http://www.birdsandclimate.org/ to demand aggressive federal policy action.

Habitats already under siege from development, energy production, agricultural expansion and other human uses will require enhanced protection and restoration to sustain bird populations and provide ecological benefits essential to human health, economic prosperity and quality of life. Conservation efforts based on forward looking projections such as those from Audubon California are essential.

Audubon anticipates that the new avian evidence will help attract attention and spark action among more than 40 million U.S. bird-watchers, including tens of thousands who contributed to the Christmas Bird Count data on which the studies are based. The 109-year-old census provides the world's longest uninterrupted record of bird population trends. "Citizen Science is allowing us to better recognize the impacts that global warming is having here and now. Only citizen action can help us reduce them," said Butcher.
###
Now in its second century, Audubon connects people with birds, nature and the environment that supports us all. Our national network of community-based nature centers, chapters, scientific, education, and advocacy programs engages millions of people from all walks of life in conservation action to protect and restore the natural world.

Reporters may join in a live, telephone briefing on the findings at 1 p.m. (Eastern) on February 10. To participate, dial 1-866-710-0179. Give the operator the pass code: Audubon 1

Here is the direct link to the technical report http://www.audubon.org/news/pressroom/bacc/pdfs/Report.pdf

This is the homepage for technical report, which includes links to figures, table, and appendix:
http://www.audubon.org/news/pressroom/bacc/techreport.html

TOP WAYS TO COMBAT GLOBAL WARMING
AND ITS IMPACT ON BIRDS

All of us have a role to play in reducing the worst impacts of global warming. As individuals and engaged citizens, we can all take steps to reduce our energy use, switch to cleaner sources of power, conserve habitat and encourage our leaders to take immediate action. Here's a short list:

1. Be an Active Citizen
Join Audubon's activist team and urge our elected official to make global warming a top priority by signing our petition at http://www.birdsandclimate.org/ Voice your support for new approaches to help solve global warming, move us toward a 100 percent clean energy future, reduce our dependence on oil, and protect our environment. Stay informed, write letters to your leaders, and support candidates who promise to take the aggressive and farsighted actions necessary to curb global warming.

2. Get Involved in Your Community
Support conservation efforts that protect and restore essential bird habitat, keeping it healthy to better withstand global warming. Visit http://www.audubon.org/ to learn how the Important Bird Areas program is building a national network of conservation stewards. And join in "Citizen Science" efforts like the Christmas and Great Backyard Bird Counts http://www.audubon.org/bird/citizen/index.html

3. Determine Your Energy Profile and Carbon Footprint
An energy audit assesses how much energy you consume. A carbon footprint shows how much greenhouse gas you emit into the atmosphere. These figures can help you determine steps you can take to make your home, school, or office more energy efficient. Many footprint calculators are available online.

4. Reduce Energy Consumption
Save money and energy by switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs and maximize the use you natural sunlight for daytime lighting needs. Reduce excessive use of home heating and cooling and weatherize your home. Buy energy efficient appliances such as those that are "Energy Star" compliant.

5. Eat Locally Grown and Organic Produce
The fewer miles your products travel, the less energy is used for refrigeration and transport. And buy organic. That reduces the use of pesticides that kill the organisms which help keep carbon in the soil.

6. Shop Smarter
Manufacturing, packing, transporting, and selling goods not only use huge amounts of energy but also release excessive amounts of greenhouse gases. When shopping, always ask, "Do I really need this? Does the Earth really need this?" You'll probably save money as well.

7. Save Gas and Money
Use public transportation, ride your bicycle, walk, carpool, and drive a more energy-efficient vehicle. Keep tires properly inflated to increase fuel efficiency-it will lower your fuel costs.

8. Plant More Trees and Buy Good Wood
An average tree absorbs ten pounds of pollutants from the air each year, including four pounds of ground level ozone and three pounds of particulates. So, plant leafy trees around your house to provide windbreaks and summer shade. When shopping for wood, ask about certified wood to support sustainably managed forests that are bird-friendly.

9. Switch to Green Power
Power plants are the single largest source of heat-trapping gases in the United States, but in some states you can switch to utilities that provide 50 to 100 percent renewable energy. You may also want to consider installing solar panels on your home.

© 2009 Snow Geese in sunrise (Chen caerulescens) Lonoke, Arkansas Photo/Kelly Chitwood

Embargoed for Release: Contacts: Nancy Severance: (212) 979-3124
February 10, 2009 Tony Iallonardo: (202) 861-2242 X-3042
Delta Willis: (212) 979-3197

Monroe, MI CBC - 14 Dec 2008

2008-12-18T05:10:00.001-08:00

Awake at 3 am! Dressed for the forecasted sleet, rain, clouds and wind, and out the door to participate in the National Audubon Society's 109th Christmas Bird Count. First stop, however, is Pt. Mouillee to try out my 'owling' camera.

I had velcroed a fisherman's flashlight to the top of my Sigma 400 mm f/5.6 APO lens with the idea of illuminating an owl in the dark enough to focus and photograph using the Nikon D300 and SB800 flash w/ a Better Beamer attachment. Stopping along Roberts Rd. at Pt. Mouillee I quickly called in a pair of Screech Owls. Unfortunately, my flashlight was too dim to see any owls, and they flew off before I could spot them. So, I decided to stop at a gas station and pick up a pair of batteries for my regular flashlight and use it.

Stopping at Sterling State Park in Monroe (Area 6 in the Monroe count circle) I drove down to the woods next to the boat launch. No sooner had I stepped out of the car did the rains come. After a few minutes of getting wet and not hearing any owls, I got back into the car to have a cup of coffee. At about 5:30 am the rain/sleet let up enough for me to get back out and try again. A quick play of the BirdJam brought an immediate response from a Screech Owl. Grabbing the camera and flashlight I continued calling the bird in using my impression. The cloudy skies were bright enough for me to see a shadow sail over my head and land in a tree about 15 feet away. Placing the flashlight between my legs I focused the beam on a lovely red-phased bird and got a quick couple of images w/ the camera and flash! The little owl stayed put for only a moment and flew to another branch, then to a stump, across the road into the phragmites, back into the trees, and back to a nearby stump. Each time I managed to see it but was too slow to get the camera on it. Finally, I was able to capture a couple frames with the flash set to repeat mode (RPT at 1/8 power, 1/320 sec. at ISO 800). Satisfied, I quickly left the little guy be and got back into the car. Excellent start to the day!

At 7 am I met up w/ Will Weber and Allen Chartier at the Whiting Plant (Area 2). We parked down near the beach and headed down to the shoreline bordering the Consumers Energy Plant. It was still too dark to see anything, and the Lady of the Lakes woods were now fenced-in and locked, so we waited for Mike Sefton to arrive. As light began to increase we quickly saw hundreds of Ring-billed Gulls and dozens of Great Black-backed Gulls flying and swimming in the rough Lake Erie waters. I grabbed a quick photo of the guys for posterity. Except for a few Mallard, and the occasional Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser, or Bufflehead we saw no ducks. A lone deer hunter farther down the shoreline scared up the flocks of gulls, so we headed up to the service road above the disharge canal.

Walking along the service drive we managed a Carolina Wren, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal and Tree Sparrow, but passerines were visibly absent. Will managed a lone Ring-necked Pheasant as we walked the mowed fields while the rest of us dipped. We finally found a couple of Winter Wrens and several Golden-crowned Kinglets, but not before scaring up a hundred or so Great Blue Herons. On one of the inland ponds we spotted a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Red-tailed Hawk, and a fly-over Bald Eagle.

Returning to the beach we spotted a small raft of Gadwall, Goldeneye, and Common Mergansers. The fenced-in discharge canal held several Black-crowned Night Herons, a Belted Kingfisher, and more Winter Wrens. Saying my good-byes, I left the guys and headed back to the car for lunch w/ Robin and an afternoon at the Monroe Power Plant. I stopped along the beach just long enough to attempt a digiscoped image of one of the immature GBB Gulls.

I arrived at the foot of Front Street (Area 5a) a few minutes before noon and found a flock of 20 Hooded Mergansers in the creek north of the power plant. A scan of the discharge canal yielded a Great Egret near the bridge, and 18 Bald Eagles (13 adults) in the trees between the bridge and the trestle farther downstream. As the egret flew off I snapped a few pics for record, and headed back to meet w/ Tim Walsh and Matt Shackelford.

We headed down the canal and promptly spotted another 9 Great Egrets, dozens of Great Blue Herons, and more eagles. This time 18 immature and 8 adults. Included were the first of many Double-crested Cormorants. And don't forget the Ring-billed Gulls! Between the discharge canal and the coal piles we tallied hundreds. No Bonaparte's Gulls were seen, however, and we also dipped on white-winged gulls.

I attempted a few digiscoped images of the Great Egrets and the Bald Eagles across the canal, but rising steam and high winds made photography difficult. I only managed a few record shots.

Much of the Edison property along the River Raisin was fenced in, and construction equipment kept us from stopping, but things looked pretty quiet. We saw a few more Bald Eagles in the distance. At the lakefront we stopped to check out the fish dump and count hundreds of Herring Gulls along the shoreline. A large ice drift carried dozens of Great Black-backed Gulls (80+) and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull. Ducks were again absent. A few eagles floated on the drifts, as well.

As we neared the mouth of the discharge canal we spotted a pair of immature Bald Eagles roosting in a dead snag overlooking the road ahead. Slowing the car I jumped out and got several images of one bird before and after lifting off, circling, and returning. Most of the time, however, it appeared to be a dark silhouette against the overcast and drizzling skies. We spotted several White-tailed Deer along the way, and even spotted a late-season Pied-billed Grebe swimming in the calm waters near the mouth. Another Great Egret posed nicely for a long-distance photo.

We then headed over to the Onsite to check out the fly-ash pits. Deer were plentiful over there, but passerines were unusually absent. We managed a few Blue Jays, Dark-eyed Juncos, Cardinals, and Downy Woodpeckers, but it wasn't until we got to Matt's restored, Blue-stem Grassland did we find any significant numbers of Tree Sparrows. Hundreds, in fact! As we waded into the 6-foot tall field we flushed dozens of birds, including a few American Goldfinch and the stray Song Sparrow. Afterward, I took several pictures of his field and stitched together five of them to produce this panorama:

Driving back along the west side of the discharge canal we counted hundreds of Great Blue Herons and more clusters of Bald Eagles. Out on the ice we found one group of 43 Bald Eagles, and hundreds of Tundra Swans and Canada Geese. A nice, 8-10 point buck ran along the top of the burm as we headed out and back to the power plant. Sadly, no Peregrine Falcons were seen this year at the plant.

At 5 pm we all met up the Michigan Bar & Grill to tally our results. The consensus among all was the total lack of birds today. So few passerines and ducks! However, there were some highlights from other areas: Lee Grover saw a Northern Goshawk. Cheryl Kehrer, Jan Morrow and Mollie Wood had a possible Eastern Kingbird near LaPlaisance and Knap Rd just north of Otter Creek! And 14 Great Egrets and 202 Bald Eagles were most impressive for the day! Here are totals for the entire count, including totals by individual areas. Thanks to all who participated!

Poem - Christmas Bird Count

2008-12-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

The Christmas bird count is getting near
All birdies will be counted, have no fear.

With binoculars and bird books in hand
We'll cover all of Monroe County's land.

It's as easy as one two three.
We'll count birds on land, in the sky, even in a tree.

Fill out your cards and give them to Jerry.
Lots of participation will make his face merry!

December 14, 2008 is the date.
Those counting owls will be first out the gate.

If you want to part of this exciting day
$5.00 is all you'll have to pay.

Gas tanks full, we're ready to drive.
ESBA is still alive!

At the end of the day and there's no more sun
We'll meet at Michigan Bar for the count, food and fun.

Birding is really a fun sport!
To Jerry your bird numbers you must report.

So if you're a true birder with a heart
This Christmas Bird count you must take part!
--- Mollie Wood

CBC Monroe, MI - 14 December 2008

2008-09-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

The CBC is held during the same period each year: December 14 to January 05!

This year the Monroe, MI Christmas Bird Count will be held on Sunday, December 14, 2008.

If you happen upon this site, and are interested in participating, please let me know.
Send an e-mail to jourdaj@gmail.com

Jerry

Monroe, MI CBC - 15 Dec 2007

2007-12-17T19:04:00.001-08:00

Saturday, 15 December 2007 marked the first day of the 108th National Audubon Christmas Bird Count, which runs through January 4th of each year. The Monroe, MI count circle celebrated this year’s count with mostly dark, overcast skies and high winds. But we managed to dodge the snow storm that would hit the rest of the state with a fury. In all we tallied 27,609 birds and 79 species. Overall numbers were way down from last year’s 395,615 birds, but this could be attributed to the lack of late afternoon black bird swarms and lack of lake ducks (mostly Scaup sp.). Our 79 species almost matched last year’s total (82) that put us #1 in the State of Michigan. The following is a summary of my day, with stories overheard from other participants. I wish I could share more of others’ stories, but I was too busy compiling results at dinner time to listen more intently…

0600 Hrs. Cloudy, overcast, windy. Temperature 27ºF, winds ENE 10-20 mph. I was supposed to meet Allen Chartier, Will Weber, Chuck Owens, Ted Harms, and Karl Overman at the Whiting Power Plant in southern Monroe Co. at 7 am, but was in Monroe a bit early. So I made a quick stop at the boat ramp in Sterling State Park and decided to try to a bit of owling. Not five minutes went buy before I heard a Screech Owl calling from a short distance away. I called back to the bird for the next 10 – 15 minutes, but could not see it against the dark skies. It’s amazing how ‘bare’ the tree branches appear against the dark skies until you try to shine a flashlight. The owl flew around me a few times, as I could hear it from different directions, but I failed to see it. Still, a great way to the start the day!

0700 Hrs. The wind was really blowing this morning. A major storm warning was in effect for the entire state and you could sense that it was only a matter of time before it’d be snowing. After meeting w/ site security we headed down to the Lake Erie shoreline start counting gulls. It was still dark when reached the water, so Chuck, Karl and I headed into the woods to look for owls. We had no luck – it was too windy to hear anything. We did pick up a pair of White-throated Sparrows, Cardinals, and Tree Sparrows. A fly-by Bald Eagle was one of the first birds we saw over the lake. Heading back to the beach we caught up with Allen, Will and Ted, who had already seen an Eastern Bluebird, two Bald Eagles, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Scoping the discharge of the power plant we spotted several Great Black-backed Gulls among the mostly Herring and Ring-billed Gulls. A single Bonaparte’s Gull was also spotted. A few Common Goldeneye were flying across the horizon, but otherwise the lake was surprisingly empty. With white-caps and and the strong winds we expected as much. The GBBG’s were aggressive toward each other and to the smaller Herring Gulls, which they physically drove away by flying directly into them with their chests bared and wings-a-flappin’.
Hiking up the bank we scoped the discharge canal and spotted numerous Mallards, a possible Hooded Merganser, and a pair of Black-crowned Night Herons roosting along the shoreline.
Heading south along the service road we spread out across the open field hoping to scare up some Horned Larks, or better. Nada. I heard a Carolina Wren along the shoreline, and attempted to call it in w/ the iBirdPod, but had no luck.
Down around the corner we flushed some Canada Geese, Great Blue Herons, Black Ducks, and Mallards. A small flock of Northern Shovelers were a nice surprise.
Returning to the lake, we watched a pair of immature Bald Eagles soaring in the distance. As we hiked the beach southward toward Woodtick Peninsula Allen spotted a Rough-legged Hawk off in the distance, and moving this way. I would get the chance to put my brand new Nikon D300 into use with my favorite hawk flying toward me. Firing away at 6 fps I managed several keeper shots of the light-phase bird as it passed overhead against the heavily-overcast skies. Failing to see any birds as far as we could see, we turned around and headed back toward the power plant.
Walking back along the service road we saw the Rough-legged Hawk again, this time hunting the open grass out to the west. A Red-tailed Hawk and another Bald Eagle passed by in the distance before we returned to the cars. Karl and I took our leave of the group and headed off toward the Monroe Power Plant.

1200 Hrs. Arriving at the Power Plant I met up with Tim Walsh, Tom Gere, and Jerry Olson. Tom quickly pointed out the pair of roosting Peregrine Falcons up on the plant roof. One bird was roosting out in the open on a railing, while a second bird was barely visible a few feet higher on a protruding girder. Tim pointed out a Belted Kingfisher roosting along the warm-water discharge canal, and while I attempted to digiscope it the bird flew off. An immature Herring Gull was quietly resting a few feet away from us, and made for an ok consolation prize. Once Matt Shackelford arrived, we piled into the company Suburban and headed down the road alongside the canal. Karl had come hoping to see a Great Egret, and quickly spotted three birds flying south along the canal. A bit farther down the road we spotted one egret on the far bank, and stopped to digiscope it for the records committee. It was too windy to get a decent digiscoped image, so I took a 30-second video of it through the scope.
The canal hosted mainly Herring Gulls, but we soon came upon flocks of Bonaparte’s Gulls, roosting Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons and Double-crested Cormorants. At one point I counted 54 Great Blue Herons roosting along the far bank in a hundred-yard stretch.
Bald Eagles were a bit more difficult to count, but we managed to see eight birds flying together at the end of the canal. While Karl counted Bonaparte’s (2) and Ring-billed Gulls , Matt pointed out some of the features of the canal and wildlife habitat being developed there to Jerry and Tom. Tim would be retiring from DTE in just 5 days, so we think he was relishing his last ‘official’ CBC count.
We then headed back out to the lake along the Raisin River, where we counted 17 Hooded Mergansers and more Bald Eagles. One adult bird made a nice flyover, and allowed me to get full-frame images from a variety of different poses, (2). The mouth of the river was active w/ dozens of Great Black-backed Gulls (mostly immature birds) flying along the shoreline. The waves crashing against the shoreline (2) reminded me of the north shore of Hawaii (just a lot colder). In some locations ice covered everything!
Scoping the lake yielded few ducks. A single Bufflehead and six Common Goldeneye were the only birds we saw. A fly-by Hooded Merganser was a nice consolation. As we headed eastward along the lake we continued to be amazed by the numbers of GBBG’s, Herring and and Ring-bills.
Back at the mouth of the discharge canal we watched 70+ Great Blue Herons flush from across the Lotus marsh.
As Tim and I reached the mouth of the canal on foot, we spotted a Forster’s Tern flying low over the water. The tern landed on the shore for a rest, and gave us great looks through the scope. I took dozens of digiscoped images and a couple of short videos. A great bird for this late in the year!

1500 Hrs. Tim, Tom and Jerry had to end their day, so Matt, Karl and I drove over the fly-ash onsite. As the snow began to fall, we arrived at the gate along Dunbar Rd. and I quickly spotted a Northern Harrier at the top of the burm directly in front of us. We drove up the bank to look for it, but did not see it. Phragmites covered a large portion of the 500+ acres of restored habitat, but open water allowed us to see a couple dozen Canada Geese, Mallard, and more gulls. Driving back down the hill Matt took us to his new ‘native grassland’. The three of us waded into the shoulder-tall grass and scared up a minimum 300 Tree Sparrows. Karl and I both saw Field Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, Song Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos among the hundreds of Winter-Chippies. Wishing we had a few hours to bird this area, we had to leave as darkness and snow was now upon us. Leaving the area we re-spotted a Harrier, and I managed to get a few flight shots from below the burm where it hunted. Our last stop along the fence yielded a couple dozen Tundra Swans, Mute Swans, Mallards, and at least 250 Bonaparte’s Gulls!

1700 Hrs. Dinner at the Michigan Bar and Grill. As folks started to drift in for dinner, so did the stories! Lucy Pentz, husband Gary and Marje Achinger (along w/ Kathy and Dennis Rohmeyer) happily reported 33 Horned Larks and 50 Snow Buntings in Area 3 among their highlights. Jack and Janet Volker, along w/ Dan Schwab counted a whopping 54 Bald Eagles at Sterling State Park! Tom and Maureen Lakin, Anne Smith, and Jackie Copeland had a Northern Shrike, and reported a Red-necked Grebe in the Raisin River across from St. Mary’s Academy (Area 5). Bob Pettit showed me a photo he had taken of an immature Northern Goshawk just south of Raisinville Bridge, west of the County Library between N. and S. Custer (Area 7). They also saw 60 Cedar Waxwings at Monroe County Community College. Jan Morrow, Jeanine Roberts and Mollie Wood had 240 Snow Buntings on Victory Rd and Summit St. in Area 4. Barb Liedel and Diana Meyer had a banner raptor day: 9 American Kestrels, 2 Bald Eagles, 2 Northern Harriers, 1 Cooper’s Hawk and 2 Red-tailed Hawks in Area 8. Allen Chartier, Will Weber and Ted Harms had 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 1 Northern Shrike in Area 2. Allen managed a nice photograph in the late afternoon low light!

Despite the dark and windy day we had a most successful day! Special thanks to the good folks at Michigan Bar and Grill for being such gracious hosts, to Matt and the folks at DTE for permission to bird the power plants, and to my Area Leaders for helping me coordinate this year’s count.

Here are totals by Area, and overall (below):

Welcome!

2007-11-07T21:48:00.000-08:00

Attention all bird lovers! Please mark your calendars for Saturday, December 17, 2011 and plan to join us for another “CBC” outing. This year marks the 112th consecutive year that the NAS has conducted the largest single citizen science event in the world. Your participation will help contribute to the most comprehensive, longest-running database in ornithology, which provides valuable information regarding the distribution and abundance of early winter bird populations all over the Western Hemisphere. Whether you’re a novice, or the next Roger Tory Peterson your presence will be greatly appreciated and valued.

What is the CBC and Why is it important?

2007-11-07T21:30:00.000-08:00

What is the CBC? – It is the largest conservation effort known to mankind! Over 50,000 observers across the Western Hemisphere count and record as many individuals and species over a 24-hour period (Midnight to Midnight).

Why is it important? – The count period of December 14 to January 5 each marks the end of the fall migration and provides an opportunity to monitor trends in early winter bird populations.

When?

2007-11-07T21:25:00.000-08:00

The CBC is held annually between December 14 and January 5.

The Monroe CBC will be held Saturday, December 17, 2011. The official period is 12am to 11:59pm but we usually quit at 5pm.

Count week (3 days before and 3 days after the count) for the Monroe CBC will be 12/14 to 12/20. During this period any additional species not seen on count day can be added to the totals. PLEASE document WHEN and WHERE. Make sure to include a rare-bird form if the species requires it!

Monroe, MI (MIMO) Count Circle

2007-11-07T18:02:00.000-08:00

Monroe ? – The count has been conducted in Monroe County for 39 years and ESBA has hosted the count for the last 20 years (including this year).

Where is the Count Circle? – The center of the Monroe count area is the junction of M-125 and Woodchuck Creek near LaSalle. The count circle is 15 miles in diameter (~177 sq. miles) and is divided into 8 Areas.
Area 2 - Consumers Power Plant and Erie Gun Club to I-75
Area 3 - Wood Road on the north east to US-125. US-125 south to Erie Rd. Erie Rd. east to I-75; I-75 south
Area 4 - LaPlaisance Rd east to North Otter Creek Rd to Lake Erie. Telegraph south to Wood Road and Wood Road east to US-125. US-125 south to Erie Rd. Erie Rd. east to Lake Erie
Area 5 - Front St. along S side of River Raisin Rd. from Telegraph Rd. to Lake Erie. Telegraph Rd. S to LaPlaisance Rd. E to North Otter Creek Rd. to Lake Erie
Area 5a - Monroe Power Plant
Area 6 - Front St. along S side of River Raisin from Telegraph Rd. to Lake Erie. Telegraph Rd. N to Nadeau Rd.
Area 7 - Dunbar Rd to Telegraph Rd. Telegraph Rd. N to Nadeau Rd.
Area 8 - Dunbar Rd. to Telegraph Rd. Telegraph Rd. S to Wood Rd. then W on Wood Rd.

Objective

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Objective? – Participants try to cover as much of the circle as possible within a 24-hr. period, counting indivdual birds and species within their assigned section. At the end of the day results are tallied and compiled into a master list, which is then sent to the national database.

Yesterday and today!

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On Christmas Day 1900, Ornithologist Frank Chapman proposed a “Christmas Bird Census” as an alternative to the annual Christmas Side Hunt, where people engaged in contests to see who could shoot the most birds and bring in the largest pile of feathers. Thanks to his efforts, the first CBC was conducted among 27 birders in 25 count circles ranging from Toronto, ON to Pacific Grove, CA. Total species for the entire count = 90.

Today? – In 2006 over 57,581 birders participated in 2052 counts in North, Central and South America, The Caribbean and Pacific Islands. Fifty-five counts had 100 or more participants. Eighty-four count circles in the United States alone tallied 150 species or more. All told, 69,354,406 birds from 1894 species were recorded. Of these totals the United States recorded 65,109,503 birds of 643 species. Our neighbors to the north, Canada, recorded 3,658,278 birds of 289 species. The State of Michigan recorded 971,482 birds of 147 species. 393,992 of those birds were recorded in Monroe.

So, which count had the most number of observers? Edmonton, AB (475) followed by Concord, MA (323) and Calgary, AB and Oakland, CA (223 ea). The Monroe, MI count had 29 observers.

Which count recorded the most species? Corpus Christi, TX (238) edged out perennial leader Matagorda County-Mad Island Marsh, TX (233) and Santa Barbara, CA (224). Our Monroe, MI count recorded 82 species, the highest in the state! Anchor Bay (81) and Berrien Springs (81) were close behind. Want to try a CBC south of the border? Mindo-Tandayapa, Ecuador recorded a whopping 417 species!!!!

How about species trends? – Nationwide some interesting trends were observed during the 107th CBC. Waterfowl numbers were extremely good in the Midwest and in Canada, with near record numbers probably due to the extremely mild December month. Winter finch numbers were low last season despite bumper seed crops in the boreal forests of the north, with Evening Grosbeak numbers of most concern. Eurasian Collared-Doves appear to be expanding in numbers across the South, Midwest, and West. Corvid species (crows, jays and magpies) still appear to be affected by West Nile Virus as their numbers were down from previous counts.
Locally, Black-billed Magpie (Eagle Harbor, MI) and Gray-crowned Rosy Finch (Keewenaw, MI) were two new species seen in Michigan. Other interesting sightings include a Boreal Owl (Little Bay de Noc, MI), Green-tailed Towhee (Marquette, MI) and Indigo Bunting (Marquette and Houghton). Of concern were Bobwhite and Pheasant numbers (record lows). Wilson’s Snipe were not seen for the first time in 40 years, and no rails were found. Sparrow numbers were low State-wide. On the upside, Double-crested Cormorants (301) were found in record numbers, as were Bald Eagles (357), Merlin (11), Sandhill Crane (1810), Black-backed (6) and Pileated Woodpecker (162). Common Grackles (50,348) were 7X its average, and Red-winged Blackbirds (25,473) were 4X its average (both seen in Monroe).

Cost and dinner afterward

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Cost? - $5.00 per person – please give the money to your section leader.

Where do we meet afterward? – We’ll meet up at the Michigan Bar and Grill, 1140 S. Monroe Street, Monroe, 48117 (734) 243-6690 @ 5 pm.

We’ll tally results and have dinner (your expense). Everyone is invited! ESBA members and guests!

Acknowledgements

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Thanks go to the people who’ve made the CBC what it is today. The participants, of course! And the compilers. Also the count circle leaders. Special thanks to Geoff LeBaron, Director, Christmas Bird Count and Editor-in-Chief, for the seemingly impossible task of summarizing all the generated data. Locally, thanks go to Doug McWhirter for summarizing the data from all of the Michigan Counts. And to Bob Pettit for organizing the Monroe, MI count for the past 20 years