Summary of Bird Sightings in Muskegon County
March and April 2008
compiled by Brian Johnson
LOCATIONS: MLNP: Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve MSP: Muskegon State Park MWS north: Muskegon Wastewater System property north of Apple Ave. MWS south: Muskegon Wastewater System property south of Apple Ave.
CANADA GOOSE - about 4000 on March 20 at MWS (JP)
MUTE SWAN - 40 on April 2 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW, KM)
TRUMPETER SWAN - 1 on April 9 at Lanes Landing (FD, CD)
WOOD DUCK - 1 on April 30 in Cedar Creek Township (CW)
GADWALL - 2 on April 2 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW, KN)
AMERICAN WIGEON - 3 on April 2 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW, KN); 2 on April 9 at MWS north (FD, CD)
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER - 2 on April 9 at MSGA Headquarters (FD, CD)
NORTHERN SHOVELER - 439 on April 12 at MWS (JP)
NORTHER PINTAIL - 5 on March 20, 12 on April 9 at MWS south (CW); 1 on April 30 at MWS north (CW)
GREEN-WINGED TEAL - 4 on April 9 at MWS south (FD, CD)
CANVASBACK - 37 on March 22 at Muskegon Lake (CW); about 200 on April 9 (FD, CD), 28 on April 12 (JP) at MWS north REDHEAD - 12 on March 22 at Muskegon Lake (CW); 105 on April 12 at MWS (JP)
RING-NECKED DUCK - 32 on March 22 at Muskegon Lake (CW)
GREATER SCAUP - 18 on March 22 at MSP Lake Michigan (CW) SCAUP - 450 on April 12 at MWS (JP)
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER - 24 on March 13 at Pere Marquette Park (SM)
LONG-TAILED DUCK - 34 on March 22 at MSP Lake Michigan (CW)
BUFFLEHEAD - 15 on April 2 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW, KN); 343 on April 12 at MWS (JP)
COMMON GOLDENEYE - 16 on March 22 at MSP Lake Michigan (CW); 98 on March 22 at Muskegon Lake (CW)
HOODED MERGANSER - 3 on April 2 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW, KN)
COMMON MERGANSER - 68 on March 22 at Muskegon Lake (CW); 40 on April 2 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW, KN)
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER - 1 on March 22 at MSP Lake Michigan (CW)
RUDDY DUCK - 1837 on April 12, 1855 on April 17 at MWS (JP), fairly high spring counts
RING-NECKED PHEASANT - 1 on April 4 at MWS (CW)
RUFFED GROUSE - 1 on April 9 at MSGA Headquarters (FD, CD)
COMMON LOON - 1 on April 6 at Duck Lake (JH)
PIED-BILLED GREBE - 1 on March 22 at Muskegon Lake (CW); 2 on April 6 at White Lake (JH); 2 on April 9 at MWS north (FD, CD)
HORNED GREBE - 7 on April 12 (JP), 7 on April 24 (MH), 5 on April 26 (JPo) at MWS north
EARED GREBE - 2 on April 24 (MH), 1 on April 26 (JPo) at MWS north
GREAT EGRET - 2 on April 22 at MWS south (BP)
TURKEY VULTURE - 1 on March 16 at MWS (FD)
BALD EAGLE - 1 immature on March 22 at MLNP (CW, KN); 2 on April 2 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW, KN)
NORTHERN HARRIER - 1 on March 22 at MLNP (CW, KN); 1 on April 2 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW, KN); 1 on April 9 at Lanes Landing (FD, CD); 1 on April 30 at MWS (CW)
COOPER'S HAWK - 1 on April 9 at Lanes Landing (FD, CD)
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK - 3 on March 19 in Laketon Township (CW); 1 on April 19 at MSP Lost Lake (MCNC
) RED-TAILED HAWK - 2 on March 20 and April 4 at MWS (CW)
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK - 5 on March 22 at Causeway Marsh (CW, KN); 2 on April 20 at MWS (CW)
GOLDEN EAGLE - 1 on March 20 at MWS south AMERICAN KESTREL - 3 on April 4 at MWS (CW)
PEREGRINE FALCON - 1 on March 22 (CW, KN), 2 on April 19 (MCNC) at Cobb Plant
AMERICAN COOT - 21 on March 22 at Muskegon Lake (CW); 134 on April 12 MWS (JP)
SANDHILL CRANE - 1 on March 23 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW); 3 on April 6 at White River Marsh (JH)
KILLDEER - 4 on March 20, 18 on April 4, 19 on April 20 at MWS (CW)
SPOTTED SANDPIPER - 1 on April 19 at MWS north (MO)
GREATER YELLOWLEGS - 4 on April 20 at MWS north (CW)
WILLET - 2 on April 26 at MWS north (CD, CaD)
LESSER YELLOWLEGS - 18 on April 20, 31 on April 30 at MWS (CW)
UPLAND SANDPIPER - 1 on April 18 (BP), 2 on April 19 (MO) at MWS south; 4 on April 20 at MWS north (CW)
MARBLED GODWIT - 1 on April 18 at MWS south (BP), first county record since 2001
DUNLIN - 4 on April 20 at MWS north (FD) WILSON'S SNIPE - 1 on April 20 at MWS north (CW)
BONAPARTE'S GULL - 6 on April 9 at MWS north (FD, CD)
RING-BILLED GULL - about 15,000 on April 21 at MWS (JP)
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - 1 adult on April 17 at MWS (JP)
GLAUCOUS GULL - 1 on March 13 at MWS (SM)
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL - 1 on March 22 at Muskegon Lake (FD)
CASPIAN TERN - 1 on April 20 at MWS south (CW)
FORSTER'S TERN - 3 on April 26 at MWS south (JPo)
EASTERN SCREECH-OWL - 1 on March 7 in Laketon Township (BW)
BARRED OWL - 1 on March 15 at Muskrat Lake (BW)
SHORT-EARED OWL - 1 on April 2 (CW, KN) and 1 on April 29 (CW) at MSP Snug Harbor
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER - 1 on April 9 at the end of Mill Iron Road (FD, CD)
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER - 2 on April 3 at MSP Channel Campground (CW); 2 on April 7 in Norton Shores (FD)
PILEATED WOODPECKER - 2 on April 19 at MSP Snug Harbor (MCNC)
EASTERN PHOEBE - 3 on April 4 at MWS (CW) EASTERN KINGBIRD - 1 on April 30 at MWS south (CW)
WHITE-EYED VIREO - 1 on April 21 in Norton Shores (CDy), first county record since 1999
BLUE-HEADED VIREO - 1 on April 26 in Muskegon (CP)
COMMON RAVEN - 1 on March 25 in Muskegon (FD, DD)
TREE SWALLOW - 12 on March 29 at MWS (JP)
BANK SWALLOW - 12 on April 17 at MWS (JP), fairly early
BARN SWALLOW - 1 on April 9 at MWS north (FD, CD), fairly early
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH - 1 on April 9 in Norton Shores (FD, CD)
BROWN CREEPER - 1 on April 7 in Norton Shores (FD)
WINTER WREN - 1 on April 8 at Hoffmaster State Park (RP)
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET - 1 on April 12 at Pere Marquette Park (RP, FD)
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET - 1 on April 26 at Muskegon (CP)
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER - 1 on April 20 in MWS (CW)
HERMIT THRUSH - 2 on April 7 in Norton Shores (FD)
BROWN THRASHER - 2 on April 19 in MWS south (MO)
YELLOW WARBLER - 1 on April 30 in Cedar Creek Township (CW)
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER - 4 on April 7 in Norton Shores (FD)
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER - 1 on April 26 in Muskegon (CP)
PALM WARBLER - 1 on April 26 in Muskegon (CP)
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER - 1 on April 26 in Muskegon (FD)
SUMMER TANAGER - 1 on April 30 in Montague (KS), (only the second ever recorded for Muskegon County)
EASTERN TOWHEE - 1 on April 9 at MSGA Headquarters (FD, CD)
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW - 25 on March 23 at MSP Snug Harbor (CW); 21 on April 4 at MWS (CW)
CHIPPING SPARROW - 1 on April 9 in Norton Shores (FD, CD)
FIELD SPARROW - 1 on April 18 at MLNP (FD, JPo, RP)
VESPER SPARROW - 1 on April 7 at MWS (CD)
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW - 7 on April 27 at MWS south (BJ, RP)
FOX SPARROW - 1 on April 3 at MSP Channel Campground (CW); 4 on April 9 at MSGA Headquarters (FD, CD)
SONG SPARROW - 2 on March 22 at Richards Park (CW, KN)
SWAMP SPARROW - 1 on April 30 in Cedar Creek Township (CW)
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW - 1 on April 3 at MSP Channel Campground (CW)
LAPLAND LONGSPUR - about 80 on April 9 at MWS south (FD, CD)
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK - 1 on April 30 in Muskegon Township (GS)
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD - 8 on March 14 at Muskrat Lake (BW)
EASTERN MEADOWLARK - 10 on March 20 (CW), 11 on April 4 (JP) at MWS
RUSTY BLACKBIRD - 11 on April 18 at MLNP (FD, JP, RP); 1 on April 30 at Cedar Creek Township (CW)
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD - 2 on April 20 (CW), 8 on April 21 (JP) at MWS
COMMON GRACKLE - 16 on April 4 at MWS north (CW)
BALTIMORE ORIOLE - 1 on April 29 in Fruitport (GS)
COMMON REDPOLL - 1 on April 1 in Laketon Township (CW)
PINE SISKIN - 1 on April 9 in Norton Shores (FD, CD)
OBSERVERS: Carol DeWitt (CaD), Charlie DeWitt, Dee DeWitt, Feller DeWitt, Curtis Dykstra (CDy), Jill Henemyer, Matt Hysell, Brian Johnson, Steve Minard, Muskegon Nature Club field trip (MCNC), Kathy Neff, Mike Overway, Ric Pedler, Bob Pohler, Jack Pohler (JPo), James Ponshair, Caleb Putnam, Greg Swanson, Bonne Walker, Carolyn Weng