January and February Summaries of Bird Sightings in Muskegon County
by Brian Johnson
- January 2007 -
LOCATIONS: MSP: Muskegon State Park MWS north: Muskegon Wastewater System property north of Apple Ave. MWS south: Muskegon Wastewater System property south of Apple Ave.
SNOW GOOSE - 1 blue morph at MWS on Jan 4 (DE) and Jan 7 (RP)
CACKLING GOOSE - 8 on Jan 6 at MWS north (CP)
CANADA GOOSE - 6000 on Jan 5 at MWS (JP)
MUTE SWAN - 137 on Jan 27 at White Lake (BJ, LU); 40 on Jan 30 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
TUNDRA SWAN - 5 on Jan 25, 8 on Jan 30 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
GADWALL - 4 on Jan 25 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK - 100 on Jan 1 at MWS north (JP)
MALLARD - 50 on Jan 30 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
NORTHERN SHOVELER - 2000 on Jan 1 at MWS north (JP)
GREEN-WINGED TEAL - 1 at MWS north on Jan 1 (JP) and Jan 4 (DE)
CANVASBACK - 1 at MWS north on Jan 2 (DS, et al.) and Jan 4 (DE)
REDHEAD - 50 on Jan 30 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
GREATER SCAUP - 22 on Jan 30 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
SURF SCOTER - 3 on Jan 14 at MSP Lake Michigan (CW, KM)
LONG-TAILED DUCK - about 5000 on Jan 14 at MSP Lake Michigan (CW, KM)
BUFFLEHEAD - 8 on Jan 25 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
COMMON GOLDENEYE - 14 on Jan 25 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
HOODED MERGANSER - 2 on Jan 25 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
COMMON MERGANSER - 1 on Jan 30 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER - 16 on Jan 25 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
RUDDY DUCK - 21 on Jan 13 at MWS (JP); 1 on Jan 30 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
RUFFED GROUSE - 2 on Jan 1 at MSGA Headquarters (JP)
WILD TURKEY - 33 on Jan 9 at MWS north (RP)
GREAT BLUE HERON - 1 on Jan 1 at MWS (JP)
BALD EAGLE - 1 adult on Jan 13 at MWS (JP); 2 adults on Jan 27 at White Lake (BJ, LU)
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK - 6 on Jan 6 at MWS (CP); 5 (4 light morph, 1 dark) on Jan 13 at MWS (JP)
GOLDEN EAGLE - 1 at MWS north on Jan 1 (FD, et al.) and Jan 4 (DE)
AMERICAN KESTREL - 1 male on Jan 27 in Montague Township (BJ, LU)
AMERICAN COOT - 13 on Jan 27 at White Lake (BJ, LU); 4 on Jan 30 at Muskegon Lake Channel (CW)
PURPLE SANDPIPER - 1 at Pere Marquette Park on Jan 2 (JP, DS) and Jan 9 (RP, FD)
ICELAND GULL - 1 adult on Jan 2 at MWS north (DS, et al.)
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - 1 second-winter on Jan 2 at MWS north (DS, et al.)
GLAUCOUS GULL - 1 on Jan 13 at MWS north (JP)
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL - 1 first-winter at MWS north on Jan 2 (DS, et al.) and Jan 4 (DE)
GREAT HORNED OWL - 1 on Jan 1 in Laketon Township (CW)
SHORT-EARED OWL - 1 at MWS south on Jan 2 (HB) and Jan 13 (KM)
BELTED KINGFISHER - 1 on Jan 4 at MWS (DE)
NORTHERN SHRIKE - 1 at MWS south on Jan 1 (JP), Jan 2 (DS, HB), Jan 4 (DE, RP), Jan 6 (CP), and Jan 11 (BT)
HORNED LARK - 6 on Jan 1 in Ravenna Township (JP)
SNOW BUNTING - 75 on Jan 1 (JP), about 50 on Jan 2 (DS, et al.) at MWS
OBSERVERS: Heidi Beardsley, Feller DeWitt, Dave Elbrecht, Brian Johnson, Kathryn Mork, Ric Pedler, James Ponshair, Caleb Putnam, Dave Slager, Bob Tarte, Lena Usyk, Carolyn Weng.
- February 2007 -
MUTE SWAN - 2 on Feb 26 at MWS (JP)
GADWALL - 130 on Feb 20 at MWS (JP)
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK - 6 on Feb 20 at MWS (JP)
MALLARD - 11 on Feb 20 at MWS (JP)
COMMON MERGANSER - 8 on Feb 26 at MWS (MM)
RUFFED GROUSE - 1 on Feb 17 at MWS north (MCNC)
WILD TURKEY - 4 on Feb 9 at MWS (RP, CP)
BALD EAGLE - 9 (4 adults, 5 immatures) on Feb 20 at MWS (JP); 2 adults tending nest on Feb 28 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW)
RED-TAILED HAWK - 3 on Feb 9 at MWS (RP, CP)
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK - 5 (4 light morph, 1 dark) on Feb 9 at MWS (RP, CP)
GOLDEN EAGLE - 1 on Feb 26 at MWS (MM)
NORTHERN SHRIKE - 1 on Feb 17 at MWS south (MCNC); 1 on Feb 17 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU)
HORNED LARK - 46 on Feb 17 at MWS north (BJ, LU)
BROWN CREEPER - 2 on Feb 17 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU)
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW - 15 on Feb 9 at MWS (RP, CP)
SNOW BUNTING - 40 on Feb 9 at MWS (RP, CP); 24 on Feb 17 at Lanes Landing (BJ, LU)
OBSERVERS: Brian Johnson, Mike Moran, Muskegon County Nature Club field trip (MCNC), Carol Pedler, Ric Pedler, James Ponshair, Lena Usyk.
We encourage everyone to submit records of birds (as well as of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians) seen in Muskegon County. Sightings made in March will appear in next month's newsletter and 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 must be received by April 2.