HUGE flock of Long-tailed Ducks, and Western Grebes

Had the opportunity to spend the majority of Monday on the lakefront, checking gull flocks and waterbirds from Holland to Muskegon. A clear highlight was a pair of Western Grebes at the Muskegon lake channel, only my second and third for Michigan (!). Further, since returning to Michigan in 2003 this is the first fall in which a chasable Western Grebe has been present in SW Michigan, and not only 1 such bird has done so. This is at least the 5th or 6th separate report. It was also shocking given that I was aware of a single Western Grebe having been reported at this location from the evening prior, but not 2.



Another highlight was the gigantic offshore flock of Long-tailed Ducks at Grand Haven Pier totalling conservatively 3,500 individuals, likely many thousands more. The flock was circulating north to south in the air, landing on the water, foraging and drifting north, then flying south again. In a single swipe I estimated 2,500 flying birds, but most were on the water during this time, and I could not count them. The birds were about 1-1.5 miles offshore, and at some point someone needs to get a boat or aircraft out there to get a good handle on this amazing phenomenon. Here is a digiscoped video of these birds:



It appears that there are very few data on these large flocks in Lake Michigan, except for shoreline counts by birders which occasionally document up to 20,000 to 30,000 individuals. It seems we have no idea what the total number of birds using the lake is, nor how far out into the lake they go. This is especially important because wind power in the middle of the lake is already being proposed, and it will be vital to figure out its possible effects on birds such as LTDUs as soon as possible.

Yellow-billed Loon epic chase

Today consisted of no sleep, a 14 hour marathon chase, 5 people stuffed into my Honda Civic, and 1 awesome first state record bird at point blank range. Not to mention the single digit temps and 25mph headwind we faced as we scanned the St. Mary's River. Here are the best photos I managed of this incredible bird:

Yellow-billed Loon (photos) - Sault Ste. Maire power plant

I just received these 2 photos of a Yellow-billed Loon taken by Don Martin. The bird was seen at the Sault Ste. Marie Power Plant on 31 Dec 2009 at 8:40AM. Here is the Mich-listers post detailing the sighting:

"Yellow-billed Loon at the Soo power plant.  We had views at 20 yards.  
When we left at 8:40 it was 75 yards south of the southern property 
line where theblue fence ends and construction fence begins.  I don't 
have the ability to post.  Thought you may want to post the 
sighting.    Don Martin"

Wastewater gulling (& Blue-winged Teal in Dec!)

Had a chance to check the wastewater briefly this morning, and was pleased to find my first ever December Blue-winged Teal for Michigan along the center dike, a drake.

Also was treated to six gulls species including Glaucous, Bonaparte's (only 1, a youngster), Herring, Ring-billed (still 350+), Iceland type (not seen well enough to be positive thayeri was ruled out), and Thayer's. The Thayer's was a nice adult seen at close range near the dump, allowing for close study:

Note the black subterminal markings on p5, a sure sign of thayeri in any adult kumlieni/thayeri candidate.

Finally, I also had a strange Ring-billed Gull adult with a black bill with a small yellow tip. Not sure what to make of this.

Arctic Tern in Berrien Co.

Ancient Murrelet

Well, Tim Baerwald has done it again, with an Ancient Murrelet at the now famous Tiscornia Park. Much to my amazement this bird stuck around long enough to allow me to get it (1.75 hr drive!). Plus, it lingered at least until 2PM when I left. Simply amazing.





In this clip you can hear the bird's call note twice (at 6 sec, and 7 sec) just before I say "called".

Franklin's Gull at Muskegon Wastewater

Dave Slager called this morning to report a young Franklin's Gull (he suspected it was a first summer/2nd calendar year bird) out in the middle of the east lagoon. I made a quick run for the bird and was eventually treated with some very distant views as it floated with Bonaparte's Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls. I now think the bird is likely a juvenile, based on the suggestion of brownish tones to the mantle and scapular area, a lack of large white primary tips and the lack of any white between the dark primaries and gray/brown wing coverts, and the apparent lack of any molting flight feathers (inc. tail). I am still looking into the possibility of a delayed 1st summer (second calendar year) which had a very incomplete 1st prealternate molt (which occurs Dec-May, and can include none to all of the primaries) and is still yet to begin its 2nd prebasic primary molt, though this option seems like more of a stretch. The obviously darkish centers to the bird's tertials also seem to suggest a young of the year more than a 1st summer.

As far as viewing the bird is concerned, a good place to start is from the north dike of the east lagoon- looking south to east into the middle of the lagoon. Additional views were had from the west end of the dump on the south dike of the east lagoon: