Ohio & Michigan May 17 (1 Viewer)

For the past few years I have taken off in May or June with a friend or two leaving my family at home for a short birding break in Europe (3-5 nights). Over the years we have ranged all over Europe and it is beginning to get tricky to find somewhere in Europe with a lot of new birds. This year we looked further afield. Our attention was caught by the increasing reputation of Magee Marsh in Ohio as a place to see new world warblers on migration and in their summer finery rather than the toned down autumn versions at Cape May. It also gave the option to tack on a trip to Michigan to see the rare and range restricted Kirtland’s Warbler.

It was an easy trip to put together. We (myself, Dave Rose and Simon Hitchen) flew direct to Detroit from Heathrow (it would have been cheaper to fly via New York or Chicago but we would have lost half a days birding at each end). Car hire was easily arranged on line and we hired a condo at Green Cove (just ten minutes drive from Magee Marsh) which was cheap but rather tatty with several lights and the wi-fi not working This was not too much of a problem as we were out birding from dawn to dusk. Green Cove is a very easy 1hr 45 minute drive from Detroit airport. Eating options were somewhat limited.

For our trip to Michigan we stayed in Grayling in the heart of Kirtland’s country. This is a 4 hour drive from Green Cove (again very easy driving). We had one night at Woodlands Motor Lodge. This was great accommodation and I thoroughly recommend it to visiting birders. Whilst in Grayling we ate at Spike’s Keg o’Nails. This was by far the best meal we had and they also served good beers.

We decided to guide ourselves as with no language barrier and plenty of information about where to go on the internet (several nights perusing ebird paid off). We joined the free guided walk to see Kirtland’s Warbler from Hartwick Pines State Park. I recommend this as not only does it improve your chances of seeing the bird by taking you right into restricted habitat but is better for the (you also get to learn a lot about the birds and their conservation).

Wednesday 10 May 2017

After an early start and a very pleasant flight (as long hauls go) with Delta we arrived in Detroit at 1pm. Our first stop just 34 minutes from the airport was Antenna Farm in Michigan. Research on ebird had indicated that this was our best chance for Bobolink. Antenna Farm is exactly what it sounds like, a fenced off field containing radio dishes and antennae with lots of long grass. Upon arrival we had our first good look at Red-winged Blackbird, a bird which became very familiar to us on our trip and left the mind boggling about the number of people who had flown to see the female in Orkney, given how extremely common they are! We also started getting used to their huge variety of calls.

A bird landed on the fence within a minute of our arrival - a smart summer plumaged male Bobolink. The first lifer and a much wanted target had given itself up very easily. Over the next hour we saw many more of these charachterful little birds singing and displaying. The white rump was very distinctive in flight. Next “fence bird” was a Sparrow. A splash of yellow on the supercilium identified it easily as Savannah Sparrow. Like the Bobolinks this was another lifer for me and proved very common at Antenna Farm. Unlike the Bobolinks which we only saw at this site it was seen at several other sites during the trip.

A distant soaring raptor was picked up and from its dark belly band was confirmed as a Red-tailed Hawk, a third lifer and although we saw several others it was the only buteo we encountered on the trip. Two Sandhill Cranes flew in but landed distantly and the heat haze prevented any photographs of them. Two birds feeding on the farm track turned out to be Shore Larks although, given our distace from the sea the American name of Horned Lark was more appropriate.

A high-flying hirundine turned out to be our first Purple Martin of the trip and as we walked along Haggerman Road many more hirundines were feeding around us, mainly Barn Swallows with a few Sand Martins and Tree Swallows thrown in for good measure. The latter bird was another lifer for me.
A Turkey Vulture flew low above us allowing splendid views and then two large raptors flying above a distant hillock were identified as juvenile Bald Eagles, they were later joined by an adult. Another raptor seen flying and then perched in a tree, this time an Osprey, reminding us of our proximity to Lake Erie.

A rumble of an engine announced the arrival of the local farmer and his tractor along Haggerman Road. He pulled up right beside us. Now at home I would anticipate a volley of abuse or questioning about what we were doing but in America things are a bit different. The farmer was genuinely interested to know what we had seen and talked to us about the nesting Ospreys. This was repeated wherever we went on our trip, non birders would stop and talk to us, ask us what was about, with none of the disdain and suspicion you get in the UK.

Returning towards the farmhouses we had better views of Killdeer and American Robin and two female Brown-headed Cowbirds (my 7th lifer of the trip). We decided it was time to head for our rented condo at Green Cove so made our way back to I75. We had a flyover American Kestrel but decided that stopping on the Interstate slip-road to scope it was probably not wise so continued on our journey!

We headed for Green Cove where a brief hiatus trying to find our condo resulted in 4 new lifers for me. First off a female House Finch on a bush at the entrance to Harris Harbor Drive which was soon joined by a smart red male. This was followed by an American Goldfinch feeding in the grass. As we wandered trying to find our accommodation we came across 3 White-crowned Sparrows feeding on a lawn. Finally, returning to the car armed with better directions a pair of Chipping Sparrows were found around the base of a tree. A nice little burst to get some commoner species on the list.
Following a further hiatus as we struggled to get in to the condo due to a mix up with the lock box code we decided that, a walk around Green Cove would be productive. Outside the condo a large number of hirundines were feeding. As well as the species previously seen at Antenna Farm we were able to pick out a couple of American Cliff Swallows, another lifer.

A look over the Lake Erie inlet produced Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, many Canada Geese and a lifer in a pair of Trumpeter Swans, a somewhat disappointing looking bird, being a somewhat less interesting looking Whooper! A passing local on seeing what we were looking at invited us to come around the back of his condo and “feed the swan” however remembering the “Charlie” safety cartoons of our 1970s childhoods we made our excuses and left. Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles and American Robins were all very common around the inlet.

A front garden bird feeder then kept us entertained for a few minutes with the first Baltimore Orioles and Northern Cardinals of our trip and more House Finches, White-crowned Sparrows, Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds.

Making our way to the lakeshore a flyby adult Bald Eagle was seen and we came across a mixed flock of Ring-billed and American Herring Gulls. There was a fierce northerly wind coming off the lake a big contrast to the sun and heat haze we had at Antenna Farm. Returning towards the condo we scored our first warbler of the trip a smart male Yellow Warbler, it was to prove the commonest warbler of the trip by some distance. In the same bushes we also had a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Anticipating a Goldcrest sized bird, this gave us an identification headache as it is a noticeably larger bird than Goldcrest. We finally confirmed it when we saw the species at Magee the next day.

We ended the day by finding an American Cliff Swallow nest allowing good views of the perched bird and made it back to the condo before the heavens opened with the hope that the bad weather might hold up some of the migrants at Magee.

Dinner was taken at Wild Wings in Green Cove. Sadly I am unable to recommend it!

Interesting.....we landed the same day!! We did Chicago as it was way cheaper then headed to Magee Marsh with forays into Michigan until the 18th
Only in one 'street' in Michigan did we meet some very unfriendly and suspicious locals whilst searching for an ebird Saw-whet Owl but they were the exception by far. Bloody hillbillies

Spring warblers in the US is igh on my bucket list - looking forward to more.

Cheers
Mike

birdboybowley said:

Interesting.....we landed the same day!! We did Chicago as it was way cheaper then headed to Magee Marsh with forays into Michigan until the 18th
Only in one 'street' in Michigan did we meet some very unfriendly and suspicious locals whilst searching for an ebird Saw-whet Owl but they were the exception by far. Bloody hillbillies

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Unfortunately we had to leave on 15th so we decided to pay the extra to gain a bit more birding. Locals were brilliant. If that Magee boardwalk had been somewhere in the Uk there would have been fights!

Thursday 11 May 2017

7am found us standing in the car park at a bitterly cold but dry Magee Marsh. After stopping to admire the Bald Eagle on its nest and a perched Tree Swallow demonstrating how it had got its name we hit the boardwalk. Grey Catbird was also added and proved to be a common bird. Our first warbler was inevitably a Yellow Warbler, this proved to be a very common bird throughout the rest of our visit such that even I had learnt the call before we flew home. We found Yellow Warbler to also be a very confiding bird allowing close views.

Our next bird we originally thought might be a Tennessee Warbler but better views nailed it as a Warbling Vireo my first lifer of the day. This also proved to be a common species, especially at Magee. Looks wise it was somewhat like our Garden Warbler but aurally it was not a patch on the sylviid. Next up was a cracking Red-breasted Nuthatch, a lifer for me and Dave (Simon had seen the Holkham bird). Again this was a species we encountered several times at Magee. Shortly afterwards another lifer, a striking Blue-headed Vireo was added to the list.

Further along the boardwalk a small crowd indicated the presence of two more warblers a cracking black and red male American Redstart and a more subtly coloured Nashville Warbler. The latter proved to be a surprisingly common bird over the next few days, the former was only seen on two further occasions.

Stopping at the first major bend in the Boardwalk we had good views of Green Heron, and picked up our first, rather skulky Veery. We were to encounter many more of these through our trip. At this point we got into conversation with an American birder, who had earlier seen an American Woodcock. He kindly offered to walk back down the boardwalk with us to show us where it was. Unfortunately there was no sign of the Woodcock but our new friend, Dan stayed with us and became our defacto guide for the rest of the day!

Turning another corner we hit a stand of willows and suddenly we surrounded by warblers Each new warbler (nearly all males in fine breeding plumage as the females migrate later) seemed to be more spectacular than the last. Black-throated Blue Warbler was stunning and proved to be quite common with one singing male giving stonking close views. This was followed by Black-and-white Warbler, like a cross between a humbug and a treecreeper. Next Black-throated Green Warbler another stunner although less showy than the “Blue”. My first male Prothonatary Warbler (having seen female in Costa Rica) was not disappointing, a golden gem!

Ovenbird proved to be a right skulker and too difficult to photograph, not so. The came one of our most wished for warblers a flame-throated Blackburnian Warbler with patience good views were had and they were seen several other times. Bay-breasted Warbler we christened “Stonechat” Warbler due to the similarity of its colour scheme to the European bird. This was one of the scarcer warblers only being recorded twice on the trip. Scarcer still was Blue-winged Warbler which gave brief but distinctive views of its black eye stripe. We only saw one during the whole trip. Chestnut-sided Warbler was one I was familiar with from Costa Rica and was seen most days. The most dazzling warbler for my money though was the bright yellow and blue Magnolia Warbler.

In between the warblers came some other lifers; Downy Woodpecker which proved common in any suitable habitat and were usually very confiding, White-throated Sparrow, mostly the tan-striped form (but even the smarter white-striped birds looked dowdy compared to the White-crowed Sparrows) and Rose-breasted Grosbeak, another good looking bird and a much bigger than one than I had anticipated.

More delights awaited at the tower at the end of the boardwalk in a pair of Blue-grey Gnatcatchers and a fleeting Cape May Warbler which left me hoping for better views of another one. Finally a Red-eyed Vireo high in a tree provided a comparison to the many Warbling Vireos we had seen. Before leaving we tried again for the American Woodcock as it was only a short way up the boardwalk from where we had parked. This time we were successful and had great views of the sleeping bird. Very satisfied with a 17 warbler haul and a great supporting cast we headed for Ottawa NWR and lunch.

We just managed to reach the hot dog stand before it shut (at 2pm!) and wolfed down lunch before hitting the Wildlife drive. We stopped at the first flooded field where amongst the many Dunlin and Lesser Yellowlegs were a pair of smart summer plumaged Stilt Sandpipers, a lifer for me. Waterfowl were scarce but a Northern Shoveler was added to the day list. This was followed by our first Eastern Kingbird of the trip.

Moving on to the crowded Stange Road viewing platform, after admiring the first of many Song Sparrows, belting out its song, we quickly located the star attraction a stunning summer plumaged female Wilson’s Phalarope, a much better bird than the juveniles we had seen in the UK. Once again Dunlin and Lesser Yellowlegs dominated but patient searching produced a solitary Least Sandpiper and a solitary Spotted Sandpiper (but surprisingly no Solitary Sandpiper) and a very distant drake Blue-winged Teal. Simon also found an American Pipit. Returning to our car we encountered a Common Yellowthroat, the first of many of this species.

We drove onto another more open pool where we added a small flock of American Wigeon, a handful of Gadwall and several Trumpeter Swans and American Coot. American Bittern and Marsh Wren were both heard but failed to show. A couple of Pied-billed Grebes emerged from the reeds and we had good views of a Muskrat, a mammal we were to encounter several more times.

Towards the end of the drive we came upon a large group of birders scoping something in a tree. Pulling over to investigate we found the source of their interest to be a family of Eastern Screech Owls, 4 youngsters (3 grey morphs and 1 rufous) and a grey adult. A great end to our trip around Ottawa.

We decided to head back to Magee Marsh for some evening birding before dinner. The only new birds we added was a single Lincoln’s Sparrow and a somewhat skulky Wood Thrush but we did get blisteringly good views of Black-throated Green Warbler. Very pleased with a 19 warbler day we finished with dinner with Dan our impromptu guide at Blackberry Corner which provided much improved the fare from the previous night!

sbradfield said:

Unfortunately we had to leave on 15th so we decided to pay the extra to gain a bit more birding. Locals were brilliant. If that Magee boardwalk had been somewhere in the Uk there would have been fights!

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Most definitely!!

sbradfield said:

A high-flying hirundine turned out to be our first Purple Martin of the trip and as we walked along Haggerman Road many more hirundines were feeding around us, mainly Barn Swallows with a few Sand Martins and Tree Swallows thrown in for good measure.

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Great report and glad the natives were friendly!
The Sand Martins were presumably Bank Swallows

John-W said:

The Sand Martins were presumably Bank Swallows

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The way things are going they'll probably get split at some point!

Friday 12 May 2017

Friday started with somewhat warmer weather and a change of venue as we headed for the boardwalk at Maumee Bay State Park and some different birds. Almost immediately on starting the walk we had new species, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Black-capped Chickadee were predictable additions but more exciting fare was provided by a singing male Indigo Bunting. This bird obligingly sat in the top of a dead tree and looked splendid in the morning sun.

A Flycatcher was sighted and was clearly an Empid, but which one? The very strong eye ring lead us to Least Flycatcher. We saw few other empids on the trip and all looked like Least bar one probable Alder/Willow at Magee which went unidentified. Several pairs of Wood Duck were noted in flight overhead and there was a big movement of Blue Jays which somehow we had not seen on the previous day. The new birds were accompanied by more Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warblers and Song Sparrows.

We entered an area of flooded woodland and located an adult rufous morph Eastern Screech Owl sat outside its nest box. There were several Veery, one of which was unexpectedly confiding and we encountered our first Great Crested Flycatcher. A Swainson’s Thrush A side path lead us to another Eastern Screech Owl sat by its nest box. This time a grey morph.
Eventually the woodland gave way to a cattail marsh. Marsh Wrens sang from all around and with patience could be seen, definitely filling the acrocephalus ecological niche. The viewing platform at the end was however disappointing with Lake Erie itself devoid of birds.

Returning to the visitor centre a small herd of White-tailed Deer and a Blanding’s Turtle were encountered and a Palm Warbler and American Redstart shared a tree and the latter in particular gave better views than the one at Magee Marsh the previous day. At the conference centre we enjoyed excellent views of Purple Martins at a large martin house and American Cliff Swallows nesting under the reception car port. We also ran into Dan again who joined us for lunch and offered to accompany us to our next destination Pearson Metropark.

Pearson Metropark was a bit different from your local UK park. No litter, no gangs of hoodies and very few dogs (and those that were present were all on leads) but lots of wildlife. Black-capped Chickadees and Blue-grey Gnatcatchers were common as was White-breasted Nuthatch. The visitor centre had a large “window on wildlife” overlooking some feeders. The next hour was a birding treat but almost too easy. Cracking views of Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Downy Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown-headed Cowbird and White-breasted Nuthatch for starters. A pair of Northern Flickers fed on the grass behind the feeders. Star bird was a simply stunning Red-headed Woodpecker that sat patiently in a bush for its photograph to be taken. Less co-operative was a Tufted Titmouse which made very quick visits to the feeders, just grabbing a seed before flying off into the woods to eat it. It was good to see Chipmunks at the feeders too although the locals were less enamoured with them!

Having had our fill of the feeders we headed off to find a Sora which had been reported elsewhere in the park, pausing briefly for better views of American Goldfinch. We made a short drive to another area of the park a restored wetland where we joined other birders waiting for the Sora to show. The bird did show briefly although not well after half an hour, still any view of a crake is better than none.

We returned to Maumee Bay to try for Swamp Sparrow which Dan had seen earlier but we had no sign of them although a pair of flyover American White Pelicans was a bonus! We also had great views of Marsh Wren and Wood Thrush both of which had hitherto been rather skulky.

Once more in need of refreshment we stopped at Barnside Creamery for excellent ice cream sundaes and drinks (although strangely for a “creamery” they did not have milk for coffee). Scanning the flooded fields behind the creamery as well as the ubiquitous Lesser Yellowlegs and Dunlins there were several Grey Plover, a Spotted Sandpiper and a large flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls a few of which were black-headed adults.

We finished the day back at Magee Marsh but it proved very quiet with only a very confiding Northern Parula and a pair of Wood Duck perched in a tree of note. We returned to Blackberry Corner to eat where our decision to stray away from burgers was a mistake as was ordering the rather sweet local “Buckeye” beer.

Saturday 13th May
We got to Magee Marsh at first light (picking up our first Snowy Egret of the trip along the entrance causeway) but the anticipated crowds were already building. A birder doing a sponsored “big sit” informed us that an Eastern Whip-poor-will was viewable from the boardwalk so we made a beeline straight for it. This bird was inevitably popular but decent views could be had of this small nightjar. A little further up the boardwalk a second bird was located which actually gave better views than the first bird. Otherwise it was generally the same mix of species seen at Magee previously but with the addition of Tennessee Warbler and Least Flycatcher. A very high up Yellow-throated Vireo was another addition and my second lifer of the morning. By mid-morning the boardwalk was getting crowded and with the Biggest Week twitter feed showing some good birds at Oak Openings (another Toledo metropark) we abandoned Magee Marsh, stopping briefly at Black Swamp Bird Observatory to pick up a book I had won in their facebook competition and acquire some souvenir “Biggest Week” clobber.

An hour late Navmii had taken us without problems to Oak Openings, a huge 5000 acre metropark of rare oak prairie habitat. We parked at the Lodge and headed for an area known as “Tornado Alley” where at lot had been seen that morning. As it was now lunchtime and getting fairly hot birds were becoming less active. First bird of interest for us was the stunning Eastern Bluebird a lifer for me and Dave but one that was roundly ignored by the locals! In the tornado damaged area both Great Crested Flycatcher and Eastern Kingbird were hunting. Red-headed Woodpeckers were prominent on dead trees and a Northern Flicker was seen in flight. After giving us the run around a couple of skulky sparrows proved to be Field Sparrows. Then we connected with one of our key targets for Oak Openings, Summer Tanager. This was a smart male but was rather flighty.

Returning back down tornado alley we encountered a singing male Eastern Towhee and had great views of singing Song Sparrow and Field Sparrow. A short drive took us to Girdham Road, a renown spot for some scarcer sparrows. Almost immediately on arrival we encountered 2 Lark Sparrows feeding on the verge of the road. Sadly there was no sign of any Henslow’s Sparrows and after an hour with no sign we decided to move onto Sager Road for Grasshopper Sparrow.

This resulted in another wait – about 45 minutes during which time we saw our first Eastern Meadowlark, but this time patience paid off and we were rewarded with distant views of Grasshopper Sparrow singing on top of the scrubby bushes. A walk down Sager Road failed to produce the hoped for Blue Grosbeak but we did have an all too brief encounter with a male Orchard Oriole and saw what were surprisingly our first American Crows.

We had one last place to go at Oak Openings, following a tip off we headed for Manore Road where a singing Prairie Warbler had been reported. We found this quite quickly, as it was belting out a quite Yellowhammer-like song (the bird also vaguely looks like Yellowhammer with its yellow and black face pattern). The warbler gave good views as it made a circuit of the trees around the clearing singing from each in turn. Oak Openings had provided me with a further 7 lifers.

It was now late afternoon so we made the hour’s journey back west towards Magee, stopping at Boss Unit, a part of Ottawa NWR consisting of a viewing platform over flooded fields. Unfortunately due to very heavy rain the previous week the water was too high for waders and we saw only a pair of Blue-winged Teal and an American Kestrel on roadside wires. We headed for Magee Marsh for the evening via another healthy ice cream sundae at Barnside Creamery (which still had no milk!).

Magee was again quiet but at least the crowds had gone allowing a better look at one of the Eastern Whip-poor-wills which had not moved. A family of raccoons provided entertainment and the "ahh factor". As evening closed in we concentrated our efforts on staking a part of the boardwalk where Northern Waterthrush had been seen as apart from being a new species for our trip would be a lifer for Dave. Just when we had given up the bird put in an appearance, making our warbler haul for the week 22. We predictably celebrated with burgers at Blackberry Corner.

Good stuff, Simon. This report has added yet another must do place to my ever growing list of places to go! Having googled it a bit the crowds seem to be an issue at the peak time - was it crowded enough to be a problem?

Thanks Pete. I had the same concern about crowds as I do not like lots of people around, especially when I’m out birding!

The only time the Magee boardwalk got a little too crowded for our liking was at weekends. Certainly by mid morning Saturday we had had enough. However the crowds were very good natured and polite. If a boardwalk got that crowded in the UK it would probably have ended in a fight.

The biggest crowds we ran into were at the Whip-poor-wills but even there people were very good at taking turns and moving out the way once they had a look. There didn’t seem to be that element of the big lens brigade that needs to stand in prime position for hours to get the perfect shot. There is a general request that people do not take tripods on the boardwalk (you don’t need one anyway) and this was universally complied with (call me cynical but I doubt that this would happen in the UK) and helped the flow.

Away from Magee there were no huge crowds and with such good birding available at Pearson, Oak Openings, Maumee Bay etc it is easy to find some peace and quiet and still get good birds.

Sunday 14th May

There was some debate as to whether we should start our last day in Ohio at Magee or head straight for Oak Openings to try again for Henslow’s Sparrow. With Southerly winds we decided that we should at least start at Magee. This we duly did but whilst there was an increase in warbler numbers from previous days the only new species was a pair of Scarlet Tanagers so we moved on to Oak Openings arriving at the Henslow’s Sparrow site by 9.30. Sadly a further 45 minute wait produced no sign of the birds so we headed for the Mallard Lake area to try for Hooded Warbler.

A 90 minute walk through the woods however produced little other than Swainson’s Thrushes, Chickadees and Nuthatches. The best bird of the morning came about due to the need to take a toilet break before the 4 hour trek to Michigan, as a pair of Eastern Phoebes had made their home around the visitor centre!

A 3 hour drive with a quick break for lunch took us to Nayanquing Point in Michigan on the shore of Lake Huron. Immediately on arrival we picked up a singing Swamp Sparrow, it was good to catch up with this bird having missed it at Maumee Bay. Great views were enjoyed of Caspian Terns fishing however all the smaller terns were Common Terns and we did not find a Forster’s.

Climbing an observation tower we scoped a very distant Yellow-headed Blackbird, Nayanquing’s star bird. Even at a great distance the almost fluorescent yellow head was very striking. From the platform we could scope a few more waterfowl than we had seen previously, including a single Green-winged Teal. Simon had a brief glimpse of a Wilson’s Snipe but most waders were too distant to identify. A pair of Sandhill Cranes also showed distantly.
We walked south down a lakeside creek hoping for better views of Yellow-headed Blackbird but were to be disappointed however we did see that most unwanted bird – a Mute Swan. These are causing some problems in the Great Lakes region and are hampering the recovery of Trumpeter Swan so it was not the most welcome addition to our list. A distant ringtail Northern Harrier was a much better bird. A possible distant flyby American Bittern remained sadly just possible rather proven.

Returning to the viewing platform we did pick up a couple of closer (albeit still distant) Yellow-headed Blackbirds and had a fleeting visit from our only Belted Kingfisher of the trip.

Making our way back to the main road we pulled off where we thought we could get a better look at the wader flock we had seen distantly from the tower. This paid off as the flock was a real mix. Along with the usual Dunlin and Lesser Yellowlegs there were several Short-billed Dowitchers in their summer finery. This was a lifer for me, as was a single American Golden Plover which obligingly cleared up any doubts as to its id (given there were several Grey Plover present) by flashing its white axillaries. Also in this mixed flock were a few Least Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers, Killdeer, 2 Wilson’s Phalaropes, 3 Ruddy Turnstones and several White-rumped Sandpipers. With more time I strongly suspect Pectoral and Semipalmated Sandpipers would have been wheedled out but we still had over an hour to go to get to Grayling so tore ourselves away.

We arrived in Grayling in the early evening and found our accommodation at Woodland Motor Lodge to be of a very god standard and excellent value for money. Food options in Grayling on a Sunday night were very limited but going on a recommendation from the motel reception we ended up at Spike’s Keg O’Nails. This was a characterful bar and served by far the best burgers we had on our trip and that rare beast a decent American ale!

Whilst at Nayanquing we saw a mammal I have not so far been able to identify. Please can anyone tell me what the fat meerkat like thing in the photo is? It had a bushy tail so not a muskrat.

sbradfield said:

Sunday 14th May

Whilst at Nayanquing we saw a mammal I have not so far been able to identify. Please can anyone tell me what the fat meerkat like thing in the photo is? It had a bushy tail so not a muskrat.

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You have a very nice shot of a Groundhog (Marmota monax), a large rodent common in the eastern US.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog for details.

They are not popular with farmers, because their burrows interfere with the farming machinery, plus they have hearty appetites.

Thank-you! I should have recognised it from the film!

Monday 15 April

So far it had been a very successful trip but today was always going to be the crunch day. No matter how great the last 5 days had been if we dipped Kirtland’s Warbler having made the effort to get to its tiny (in world terms) breeding area it would be a disappointing end to the trip. With the general hold-up in migration due to weather patterns we had a real concern that birds might not be back in sufficient numbers (if at all) for us to see them. This was also the first guided walk of the season so there was a slight nervousness as we arrived at Hartwick Pines state park....

On arrival at Hartwick Pines the first attraction were the feeders which had both Rose-breasted and Evening Grosbeaks. The latter was a lifer and a stunning bird, structurally like a beefed up Hawfinch but with a lovely green and yellow colour scheme. Black-capped Chickadees and White-breasted Nuthatches were also on the feeders.

Following a brief but interesting video and talk about the warbler, its very specific habitat needs and the conservation effort which has brought it back from the brink in the 1970s we headed out in a convoy of cars to some Jack Pine habitat, seeing a roadside Wild Turkey en route. Almost immediately on arrival we heard a singing Kirtland’s. We had been told that “they sit on top of pines singing”. Sadly this one had not been told this and it completely refused to show. After 45 minutes during which time we saw Nashville Warbler, many Chipping Sparrows and another Wild Turkey but had only heard the Kirtland’s we moved on to take a look at a Cowbird trap.

The parasitic Brown-headed Cowbird had been a major threat to the warbler with at one time over 70% of nests being parasitized. Traps were set up and a programme of Cowbird removal began and now less than 10% of nests suffer from Cowbird ingress and the eradication programme is being scaled back. Whilst looking at the trap another Kirtland’s was heard. This bird was marginally more cooperative, sitting up briefly to give a tickable view but we had hoped from better for such a special bird.

Driving in convoy again our guides moved us on to another Jack Pine area. Once again warblers could be heard but not seen. Another 45 minute ensued before we had views of a warbler low in a Jack Pine. Finally a Kirtland’s Warbler flew right into the top of a nearby Jack Pine and started singing, finally giving us the superb views of this rare bird we had so hoped for. Huge smiles and handshakes the guides. This was the end of the trip we had hoped for.

Well not quite the end. Although the Kirtland’s mission had taken considerably longer than we expected (it was now 11am) we still had time to get some more birding in. We headed back towards Grayling and drove down South Staley Lake Road (actually a gravel track) in search of Upland Sandpiper. We drove the road a few times but failed to turn any up, although we did add several singing Brown Thrashers.

Grabbing “lunch” at a petrol station we returned to Hartwick Pines for a final couple of hours before we would have to start the 3 hour drive back to Detroit. After enjoying more views of the Evening Grosbeaks at the visitors centre we walked the “Old Growth” trail, where we encountered moquitos, lots of mosquitos. Having not seen a single one so far on the trip none of us had repellent on so we got shredded. Compensation was provided by a drumming Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

We moved on to Bright and Glory lakes. Despite searching we were unable the hoped for Hermit Thrush but just as we were leaving I had a Pileated Woodpecker land in a nearby dead tree but flew off before the others could see it. As this would be a lifer for Dave we played its call and this immediately got the bird to return so we could all see it. Whilst we were watching the woodpecker Simon picked up a singing Pine Warbler, our 23rd and final warbler of the trip. This was a confiding bird and great views were enjoyed. Finally just as we were putting our optics away for the journey back a Hairy Woodpecker called and then gave brief views, the final bird of the trip and another lifer. 3 great birds in 5 minutes to put the seal on our trip.

Between us we saw 149 species (+1 heard only), which included 71 lifers for me in our five days. Throughout our time in Ohio the locals were complaining that it was the “worst year ever” and “it’s usually much better than this” as a result of the poor weather delaying migration and there were certainly species we expected (Wilson’s and Blackpoll Warblers most obviously) which we did not see so it must be extraordinary in a good year!

We went to Chase Bridge Rd for our Kirtland's and had at least 4....one showing down to 20ft....amazing birds!