Spring

I have seen many things these past few weeks, so I will try to minimize it as much as possible. First off, I want to make a list of this year's warblers. Since warblers are the highlight eastern US spring migration, I think I will start with them.

Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Golden-winged Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Blackburnian Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler

Because I will be going to the Tawas Point Birding Festival, and possibly the U.P. in July, I hope to get to 32 species this year.

Some of the notable birds I have gotten in the county this month include Virginia Rail, Black-crowned Night Heron, Marsh Wren, Blue-headed Vireo, Bonaparte's Gull, Cliff Swallow,
and Dunlin. I found a dying bat that I think was a Big Brown Bat, and I also found an American Mink  working on his den.

Next semester, I am going to be taking a Botany class at my local university. There is a possibility that I will be attending the Michigan Botanical Club annual Foray in the Keweenaw Peninsula.

 Northern Leopard Frog

 Muskrat

 Unidentified Egg Mass

 Big Brown Bat

 Yellow-rumped Warbler

 Eastern Garter Snake

 Northern Water Snake

 Mute Swan

 Northern Harrier (At Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore)

 Trumpeter Swan (At Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore)

 Red-breasted Merganser (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore)

 Common Map Turtle

 Sora

 Pine Warbler

 Sandhill Crane

 Song Sparrow

 Ruby-throated Hummingbird

 Rose-breasted Grosbeak

 Northern Waterthrush

 Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

 Scarlet Tanager

 Wood Duck

 Blackburnian Warbler

 Golden-winged Warbler

 Black-throated Green Warbler

 Chestnut-sided Warbler

 Black-and-white Warbler

 Indigo Bunting

 Hooded Warbler

 American Mink

 Yellow Warbler

 Spotted Salamander

Eastern Box Turtles

2014 County Year List: 153

Birding And Herping Are Hard To Do At The Same Time

I apologize for not posting in a while. With that said, I have a lot to cover in a very short time. I has been many weeks since my last post, and things are quickening pace. The frogs are already out in force, along with the snakes, and spring migration. Back in March, a Cackling Goose was found near the southern boundary of the county. I tried for it, but was too late. As a consolation prize, I did see Tundra Swans and Rough-legged Hawk. On March 30, The Michigan Young Birder's Club met at Maple River State Game Area in the central portion of the southern lower peninsula. A whole day of birding yielded 58 species (over 60 for some of the group). We saw many species including, Greater White-fronted Goose (Lifer), Red-necked Grebe, Northern Harrier, Northern Shrike, Eastern Meadowlark, Ring-necked pheasant, Greater Yellowlegs, and many more. In addition, I heard my first herp for the year; Western Chorus Frog.  A field trip with my Zoology class took us to a pit stop at our professor's house where I saw Eastern Screech Owl. Later, I saw Vesper Sparrow and American Woodcocks at Luton Park. Common Loons are everywhere now; 6 at Reeds lake, 4 at Versluis Lake, and 1 at Bostwick Lake. On my way to Saul Lake Bog the other day, I saw Rusty Blackbirds. Field Herping is in full force now. Some of the species that I have found include, Blue-spotted Salamander, Eastern Red-backed Slamander, Northern Green Frog, Eastern American Toad, Northern Spring Peeper, Wood Frog, Eastern Garter Snake, Northern Ribbon Snake, BLUE RACER, and Midland Painted Turtle. This long paragraph was written VERY quickly, so I apologize for errors and the "choppiness" of the events. This is a summary of the past few weeks. I forgot to mention, that the female Red-shouldered Hawk stays on the nest 24-7 now, so I will be looking for chicks soon. As the title reads, birding and herring is hard to do at once. I have a backpack will some gear, net, snake hook, binoculars, and the camera with me at all times; mobility has been substantially lessened. Last year, I focused on Pickerel Lake Park Nature Preserve. I have a fairly large list there, and now am going to focus on the Cannonsburg SGA, Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve, and Luton Park. Now, for the pictures (and there are a lot of them):

 Pileated Woodpecker

 Rusty Blackbird

 Blue-spotted and Eastern Red-backed Salamander

 Vesper Sparrow

 What Flower?

 Northern Ribbon Snake

 Liverwort

 Blue Racer

 Northern Harrier

 Northern Shrike

 Northern Harrier

 Northern Shoveler and Green-winged Teal

 Rough-legged Hawk

 Horned Lark

 Bald Eagle

 Trumpeter Swan

 Greater Yellowlegs

 Eastern Screech Owl

 Bald Eagle

 Skunk Cabbage

 American Kestrel

 Muskrat

 American Woodcock

 Blue-winged Teal

 Common Loon

Michigan Year List: 102

Kent County Year List: 94