On August 3, the Avid Birders took an depth look at Huron Harbor and Sandy Ridge.
As usual we started out at 6:00 am, heading north to the lake in our quest for migrating birds. Our first stop was the Huron Harbor impoundment, which has been a hotspot for rare migrants this year. We were not disappointed. We quickly located the Whimbrel, with its long decurved bill, that has been hanging out on the mudflats for almost 2 weeks. The previously-reported grayer and shorter-billed Willets were feeding relatively close. Avi picked out 2 Baird’s Sandpipers among the Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers. Two Ruddy Turnstones flew in – their distinctive plumage was in transition from breeding to winter.Â
We were thrilled to find a large grayish Hudsonian Godwit with a very long bicolored bill along the back edge of the impound (great find, Donna)! And just as we were preparing to leave an American Golden Plover in breeding plumage appeared (great find, Tracy!). It was close enough to observe the entirely black undercarriage, which distinguishes it from the closely related Black-bellied Plover. All in all, we saw 14 species of shorebirds as well as a Merlin, Osprey and a couple Bald Eagles.
We proceeded to Sandy Ridge, hoping for warblers in the wooded area and some other wading birds. We did see Bay-breasted Warblers and a Blackpoll Warbler which were close enough for careful observation, but they moved around quite a bit, which made seeing the pink feet of the Blackpoll a challenge. The resident Sandhill Cranes posed for photos. It was hot and humid walking around the wetland, and the shorebirds we saw were the same ones from Huron.
Half the group headed back, and the rest of us stopped at Wilderness Road and Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area on the way home. We did not find the previously reported Red-necked Phalaropes, but we did not feel like taking another long hot hike to search for them. Still, we added a few passerines to our list, bringing our total for the day to 70 species. Not bad for summer!
Thanks to Lisa Phelps for the photo of the shade-seeking Avid Birders at the top of the page.
Avid’s Trip List for October 5, 2024
Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Blue-winged Teal
Mallard
Wood Duck
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
American Golden-Plover
Killdeer
Semipalmated Plover
Whimbrel
Hudsonian Godwit
Spotted Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Willet
Greater Yellowlegs
Ruddy Turnstone
Baird’s Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Bonaparte’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Green Heron
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
American Goldfinch
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Blackpoll Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting