April 2007 Summary of Bird Sightings in Muskegon County
by Brian Johnson
LOCATIONS: MSGA: Muskegon State Game Area MSP: Muskegon State Park MWS north: Muskegon Wastewater System property north of Apple Ave. MWS south: Muskegon Wastewater System property south of Apple Ave.
TRUMPETER SWAN - 1 on Apr 7 and Apr 22 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU)
GADWALL - 30 on Apr 29 at MWS (CP, SF)
AMERICAN WIGEON - 2 on Apr 7 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU); 1 on Apr 29 at MWS (CP, SF)
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK - 2 on Apr 29 at MWS (CP, SF)
BLUE-WINGED TEAL - 4 on Apr 7 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU); 100 on Apr 29 at MWS (CP, SF)
NORTHERN SHOVELER - 1563 on Apr 16, and 1209 on Apr 25 at MWS north (JP)
GREEN-WINGED TEAL - 2 on Apr 7 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU); 20 on Apr 29 at MWS (CP, SF)
CANVASBACK - 33 on Apr 10 at MWS (JP)
REDHEAD - 3 on Apr 7 at MWS north (BJ, LU)
RING-NECKED DUCK - 106 on Apr 7 at MWS south (BJ, LU), good spring count
LESSER SCAUP - 1060 on Apr 10 (JP) at MWS north, highest ever spring count; 300 on Apr 29 (CP, SF) at MWS north
BUFFLEHEAD - 830 on Apr 10 (JP) at MWS north, new record daily total for Muskegon County; 168 on Apr 25 (JP), 175 on Apr 29 (CP, SF) at MWS north
HOODED MERGANSER - 3 on Apr 7 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU); 1 on Apr 29 at MWS (CP, SF)
RUDDY DUCK - 1032 on Apr 10, 1430 on Apr 16, and 3536 on Apr 25 at MWS north (JP), the latter sets a record spring daily total for MWS and Muskegon County
RING-NECKED PHEASANT - 1 on Apr 2 (CW), 1 on Apr 22 (BJ, LU) at MWS
RUFFED GROUSE - 2 on Apr 1 at MSGA (JV); 1 n Apr 28 at MWS south (CW)
COMMON LOON - 2 on Apr 7 at Duck Lake (KM)
PIED-BILLED GREBE - 1 on Apr 22 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU)
HORNED GREBE - 1 on Apr 7 (KM), 11 on Apr 25 (JP), 6 on Apr 28 (CW), and 8 on Apr 29 (CP, SF) at MWS north
EARED GREBE - 1 on Apr 1 (JV), 1 on Apr 29 (CP, SF) at MWS north
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT - 1 on Apr 2 (CW), 3 on Apr 25 at MWS
TURKEY VULTURE - 12 on Apr 14 at MSGA (RP, GG)
BALD EAGLE - 2 adults on Apr 8 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW); 2 immatures on Apr 19 at MWS (JP)
NORTHERN HARRIER - 1 on Apr 10 at MWS (JP, MM); 1 on Apr 10 at Lanes Landing (JP)
NORTHERN GOSHAWK - 1 on Apr 20 at MWS north (MM)
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK - 1 on Apr 14 in Cedar Creek Township (CW); 2 on Apr 28 at Hoffmaster SP (RP, GG)
BROAD-WINGED HAWK - 2 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB)
RED-TAILED HAWK - adult on nest on April 21 at MWS north (CW)
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK - 3 on Apr 14 (CW), 3 on Apr 28 (CW), 2 on Apr 29 (RP, CPe) at MWS
GOLDEN EAGLE - 1 on Apr 19 at MWS north (JP)
AMERICAN KESTREL - 1 on Apr 22 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU)
PEREGRINE FALCON - 1 on Apr 27 at the Cobb Plant (CW)
VIRGINIA RAIL - 1 on Apr 19 at MWS south (JP) SORA - 2 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB)
AMERICAN COOT - 19 on Apr 19 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU)
SANDHILL CRANE - 16 on Apr 14 at MSGA (KM); 1 on Apr 28 at MWS south (CW)
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER - 1 on Apr 29 (CP, SF), 1 on Apr 30 (RE) at MWS north
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER - 1 on Apr 28 at MWS north (CW), record early arrival for Muskegon County
KILLDEER - 18 on Apr 28 at MWS (CW)
AMERICAN AVOCET - 1 on Apr 28 at MWS (JL, CW)
SPOTTED SANDPIPER - 5 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB); 1 on Apr 22 (BJ, LU), 3 on Apr 28 (CW) at MWS north
SOLITARY SANDPIPER - 2 on Apr 29 at MWS north (CP, SF)
GREATER YELLOWLEGS - 8 on Apr 22 at MWS south (BJ, LU); 1 on Apr 28 (CW) at MWS north
LESSER YELLOWLEGS - 6 on Apr 21 (CW), 7 on Apr 28 (CW), 7 on Apr 29 (CP, SF) at MWS
UPLAND SANDPIPER - 2 on Apr 22 (BJ, LU), 4 on Apr 28 (CW) at MWS north
LEAST SANDPIPER - 1 on Apr 30 at MWS north (RE), very early
PECTORAL SANDPIPER - 3 on Apr 21 at MWS north (CW)
DUNLIN - 2 on Apr 14 (CW), 1 on Apr 29 (CP, SF) at MWS north
STILT SANDPIPER - 1 on Apr 21 at MWS north (CW), unusual spring record and exceedingly early
WILSON'S SNIPE - 2 on Apr 5 (CD, FD), 1 on Apr 21 (CW) at MWS north
AMERICAN WOODCOCK - 3 on Apr 10 at MWS south (MM)
WILSON'S PHALAROPE - 1 female on Apr 28 at MWS north (CW), very early
BONAPARTE'S GULL - over 30 on Apr 5 at MWS north (CD, FD)
ICELAND GULL - 1 juvenile on Apr 2 at MWS north (CW)
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - 2 (adult and juvenile) on Apr 7 at MWS north (BJ, LU)
GREAT HORNED OWL - 1 on Apr 10 at MWS south (MM); 1 on Apr 28 at Hoffmaster SP (RP, GG)
BARRED OWL - 1 on Apr 28 at Hoffmaster SP (RP, GG)
BELTED KINGFISHER - 2 on Apr 14 at MWS north (CW)
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER - 1 on Apr 7 at MWS north (KM)
PILEATED WOODPECKER - 2 on Apr 14 at MSGA (RP, GG)
EASTERN PHOEBE - 1 on Apr 7 at MWS north (BJ, LU); 2 on Apr 14 at MSGA Headquarters (CW)
BLUE-HEADED VIREO - 1 on Apr 24 in Fruitport Township (RP, CPe), fairly early; 1 on Apr 28 at Hoffmaster SP (RP, GG)
COMMON RAVEN - 1 on Apr 17 at MWS north (ML); 1 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB)
PURPLE MARTIN - 1 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB)
TREE SWALLOW - 32 on Apr 7 at Wolf Lake (BJ, LU); about 1500 on Apr 25 at MWS north (JP), very high spring total
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW - 6 on Apr 29 at MWS (CP, SF)
BANK SWALLOW - 1 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB), fairly early; 30 on Apr 29 at MWS (CP, SF)
CLIFF SWALLOW - 12 on Apr 28 at MWS north (CW)
BARN SWALLOW - about 500 on Apr 25 at MWS north (JP), very high spring total
CAROLINA WREN - 1 on Apr 17 at Black Creek in Fruitport Township (RP)
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET - 1 on Apr 17 in Fruitport Township (RP); over 30 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB)
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER - 2 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB)
EASTERN BLUEBIRD - 2 on Apr 2 at MWS south (CW)
HERMIT THRUSH - 7 on Apr 7 (KM), 3 on Apr 28 (RP, GG) at Hoffmaster SP
BROWN THRASHER - 3 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB)
YELLOW WARBLER - 1 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB), fairly early
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER - over 80 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB)
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER - 1 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB); 2 on Apr 28 at Hoffmaster SP (RP, GG)
PINE WARBLER - 4 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB); 2 on Apr 28 in Norton Shores (FD)
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER - 1 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP)
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER - 1 on Apr 20 at MSGA (RB)
OVENBIRD - 2 on Apr 28 at Hoffmaster SP (RP, GG)
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH - 2 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB)
EASTERN TOWHEE - 1 on Apr 17 in Fruitport Township (RP); 2 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB)
VESPER SPARROW - 3 on Apr 5 (CD, FD), 8 on Apr 7 (BJ, LU) at MWS
SAVANNAH SPARROW - 3 on Apr 7 at MWS north (BJ, LU)
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW - 1 on Apr 29 at MWS north (CP, SF)
FOX SPARROW - 6 on Apr 7 at MSP Snug Harbor (KM); 2 on Apr 7 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU)
SWAMP SPARROW - 1 on Apr 7 (BJ, LU), 2 on Apr 10 (JP) at Lanes Landing
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW - 2 on Apr 20 at MSGA (CP, RB)
DARK-EYED JUNCO - 1 on Apr 28 at Hoffmaster SP (RP, GG); 2 on Apr 28 in Norton Shores (FD)
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK - 1 on Apr 28 in Fruitport Township (GS)
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD - 9 on Apr 2 at MWS north (CW); 42 on Apr 16 (JP), 31 on Apr 22 (BJ, LU) at MWS north, both set new daily record counts for MWS and Muskegon County
BALTIMORE ORIOLE - 1 on Apr 29 in Fruitport Township (RP, CPe)
PURPLE FINCH - 3 on Apr 7 at Hoffmaster SP (KM)
OBSERVERS: Rick Brigham, Charlie DeWitt, Feller DeWitt, Ron Eggleston, Sean Fitzgerald, G. B. Girardi, Brian Johnson, Joseph Lautenbach, Mike Lombardo, Mike Moran, Kathryn Mork, Carol Pedler (CPe), Ric Pedler, James Ponshair, Caleb Putnam, Lena Usyk, Jon VandeKopple, Carolyn Weng
We encourage everyone to submit records of birds (as well as of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians) seen in Muskegon County. Sightings made in May will appear in the MCNC website. Please be sure to include date, location, number, and observer for each species seen. Send sightings to Brian Johnson or to Ric Pedler. Reports should be received by June 3.