A New Year

Hello there, its been a while. Obviously I'm not good with this whole blogging thing. I don't keep it up to date, and I apologize for that (If anyone is actually reading this). The last I wrote here was my plannings to go to the Peruvian Amazon. I have not changed in my determination to go there, but I believe it may take a while longer than I had hoped. I've been busy between college and work, and have only been able to gather a little under $500 for the trip. Hopefully, with continued saving, I will be able to finally make it in a few years from now. Fixing problems on my car have made a dent in the Amazon savings.

2015 ended well. In the spring I went with my family to California. I had a chance to see many new birds including White-headed Woodpecker, American Dipper, Hermit Warbler, Brandt's Cormorant, Heerrmann's Gull, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, and many others. In the summer I was able to go on a mission trip to Russia. That was a really awesome experience. I even was able to get a dozen life birds as well. They included Eurasian Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Eurasian Jackdaw, White Wagtail, European Robin, and a few others. In the fall I started my first full-time semester at Cornerstone University. The semester went pretty well, but I wasn't able to get much birding in.

Now that 2016 has come around, new opportunities have taken center stage. I was hoping this summer to start working in the field I was going to school for. I've been a line cook at a local restaurant for a couple years, and have been itching to start gaining experience in wildlife biology. Fortunately, an opportunity has come. This summer I will be a research associate at the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. I will be spending the summer researching how vegetation affects grassland bird biodiversity and nesting success. The target species of study will be Henslow's Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, and Upland Sandpiper. It won't be final until the grant proposal has been accepted, but chances are high that it will. I am looking forward to May, and am praying that this spring semester goes by quickly.

Once the summer research begins, I will try to make a post every week with photos and maps describing our work. It will be my first paid research position, and I will make the most of it.

Preparation Update

I just purchased a used Garmin eTrex 20 GPS for almost half the normal price. It works well and is almost brand new. I also found my machete to add to the list of gear items that I already have. On Thursday, I will be submitting an application for a passport, hopefully it will come by April. As of now the target date for the trip is the summer of 2016.

Preparation

I'm starting to plan my trip to the Amazon. I have just purchased field guides that I will need.

Birds of Peru: Princeton Field Guide
Reptiles and Amphibians of the Amazon: an Ecotourist's Guide
Neotropical Rainforest Mammals: a Field Guide

My next step will be getting a passport and possibly a handheld GPS. Other items to be purchased include a headlamp, rain pants, rubber boots, field shirt, machete, extra camera batteries and memory, DEET, Lifestraw water filter, and iPhone Lifeproof case. In addition, I will also try to learn more Spanish from my co-workers, along with research survival tips. I have decided that the Peruvian Amazon will be my destination, because of the ecosystem diversity, and the possibility of new species discoveries. The next decision is whether to go to Iquitos or Cusco; Picaya Samiria National Preserve or Manu Biosphere Reserve. I'd like to join a real research expedition, but I have not found one yet, so it may be that I'll be just a tourist. One may show up though because it may be a couple years till I'll have the funds to proceed.

A quick side note: I forgot to mention in my last post, that in May I will be going with my family to California for my brothers master degree graduation. We will then visit my grandparents, and that means we will be stopping at Yosemite!

2015

Okay so, its been a while. I never got around to making a post of my roadtrip to the U.P., and I apologize for my laziness. I had a good trip and got two new life birds; Sharp-tailed Grouse and Evening Grosbeak. In addition, I saw Moose, Pine Marten, and Boreal Chickadee. In August, I saw a Short-billed Dowitcher at the Muskegon Wastewater. In December, I found my first ever Snow Goose at Versluis Lake. I ended my 2014 Michigan State list at 222 species, and my Kent County list at 174.

Now 2015 has come. I had planned a Cannon Township big year, but I have not been diligent with it at all. I am at 30 species, when I hoped to be around 45 by the end of this month. This is my last semester of high school, and I will finish with 33 college credits. In "celebration" of finishing, I am in the process of planning a backpacking trip somewhere in the U.P. with a few friends in June. Furthermore, I would like to further pursue the reality of going to the Amazon Rainforest, which has been a dream of mine. I will be saving money starting now to actual go there in the near future. As you see on the right of the page, I have set up a "gofundme" page if anyone would like to help me in my quest to explore the most bio-diverse place on the planet.

JUNE

Of all the months, June is my favorite. Specialty breeding birds, warm weather, sunny days, etc.. I was able to assist the tour guide for the Pre and Post birding tour for Cerulean Warbler Weekend. Outside of those two days of birding, I have not been able to get out much. I made a few trips to Siedman Park and the Cannonsburg SGA, which gave me Acadian Flycatcher, Alder Flycatcher, and the second ever (known) Prairie Warbler and Blue-winged Warbler hybrid. The Pre-event Tour was on June 5 and started at the Otis Farm Bird Sanctuary. I had my life Yellow-billed Cuckoo there.  Soon after, we had good looks at the Cerulean Warbler. Later in the day, we headed over to the Allegan SGA. We had Grasshopper Sparrow, Bobolink, Dickcissel, and many others. Our total for the day was 73 species. The Post-event tour was on June 9. The day before, I saw a Olive-sided Flycatcher at Otis Farm. On the June 9 trip, we had Red-headed Woodpecker, Prothonotary Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Worm-eating Warbler. The tally for the day was 80 species. I have found 32 of Michigan's 37 warblers. All that is left is Connecticut, Yellow-throated, Prairie, Kentucky, and Yellow-breasted Chat. I do not think I will make it to 200 species for the county or get all the warblers now. In July I am attending a Botanical Foray in Houghton, Michigan. I will bird on the way up and hope for Black Tern, Evening Grosbeak, Le Conte's Sparrow, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Spruce Grouse, Connecticut Warbler, Yellow Rail, Western Fox Snake, Mink Frog, Boreal Chickadee, and Black-backed Woodpecker. I will be lucky and happy if I get 20% of that list. If anyone has good locations for those species, let me know. So far I have Pike Lake for BBWO, Seney NWR, for YERA/mink frog, Munuscong SWA for LCSP/STGR, Tahquamenon for SPGR, Peshekee grade for BOCH, FS 3344 for COWA, Houghton Lake for BLTE, and Hartwick Pines for EVGR.

 Hooded Warbler

 American Redstart

 Prairie x Blue-winged Warbler Hybrid

 Wild Lupine

 Hooded Warbler

 Red-eyed Vireo

 Yellow-throated Vireo

 Cerulean Warbler

 Common Loon

 Bobolink

 Grasshopper Sparrow

 Common Snapping Turtle

 Olive-sided Flycatcher

 Blue Flag Iris

 Distant Prothonotary Warbler

 Red-headed Woodpecker

 Dickcissel

 Louisiana Waterthrush

 Eastern Hognose Snake

Different Eastern Hognose Snake

Michigan Year List: 210 Species

Kent County Year List: 163 Species

Tawas Trip

         On May 15, I began the journey northeast up to Tawas, Michigan for the Tawas Point Birding Festival. I was able to get a ride with Ranger Steve Mueller, a very well known naturalist in Michigan, and his soon to be son-in-law. As we were driving some back roads, we had a Ruffed Grouse fly right across the rode. After pulling over though, we could not relocate it. That was only the second Ruffed Grouse I had ever seen. Our next stop on the way to Tawas, was in the Missaukee Fletcher Plains area. We tried for Clay-colored Sparrow, but only could get Vesper Sparrow. Near the trail head of the Missaukee trail, we had many warblers and a lone Great Crested Flycatcher. Because we were in the area, we made a stop at North Higgins Lake State Park, a state park that I had never been to. The woods along the lake were full of song. Common Loons were on the water and about seven different species of warbler were in the cedars along the shore. Our last stop on the drive was at the Houghton Lake Flooding area. We had hoped for Black Tern, but came up empty (Except for an Osprey sighting). We arrived in East Tawas around 4:30. After dropping my backpacks off at the house I was staying at, I went to the harbor park right by the festival headquarters. It wasn't long before I picked up Lincoln's Sparrow, Common Tern, and Spotted Sandpiper. From there, I started by 4 mile walk to Tawas Point State Park. During the walk, I saw Veery, Bay-breasted Warbler, Mourning Warbler (Lifer!), and many others. After entering the state park around 6:30, I ran into Sarah Toner (one of Michigan's top young birders) who was just starting her walk. After "joining forces" were saw many birds, including Great Egret, Long-tailed Duck, Piping Plover (Lifer! and Endangered), Caspian Tern, Purple Martin, Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-thoated Blue Warbler, Canada Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Orchard Oriole "to name a few". About 8:00, I started my 4 mile walk back to the headquarters. I'm glad I did, because I flushed a Ruffed Grouse, unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me. It was a good day. 100 species of bird, 23 of them warblers.
         Friday morning, I walked out of the house I was staying at at 6:30, and heard for the first time an American Bittern calling (It was at Tawas Lake). If you have never heard the American Bittern on a cold dawn, then I suggest that you should try. I got a ride to the state park and arrived around 7. I hadn't signed up for any tours till 10, but someone was not able to come for the earlier walk and let me go in her place. The highlights for that walk included Merlin, Philadelphia Vireo, and a female Summer Tanager (Lifer!). On the 10 o'clock walk, I saw a Red-throated Loon (Lifer!). Afterward, I again walked four miles back to headquarters. During that walk, I heard a Ruffed Grouse drumming for the first time, saw Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Gray-cheecked Thrush. Wendy Tatar, the program coordinator for Michigan Audubon, let me come to the festival banquet. After eating, a talk was given the the authors of The Warbler Guide. Ranger Steve met up with me when it was done, and we went to Tuttle marsh to try for some nocturnal species. The trip yielded Barred Owl and Sora.
         Saturday morning, I met with some of the members of the Michigan Young Birders Club and we walked all over the state park. Some of the highlights were Northern Mockingbird, Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, Brown Creeper, Golden-winged Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, White-throated Sparrow, and Bobolink. Between 1 and 5, 5 of the young birders gave their own presentations. We did some more birding, and then went to the Tally Rally. I think the official number for the festival up to that point was 184 species. I went to Tuttle Marsh again with Ranger Steve and had a much more successful trip. We saw/heard Common Nighthawk, Veery, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, American Woodcock, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Trumpeter Swan, a possible Cackling Goose, Virginia Rail, Sora, American Kestrel, Eastern Screech Owl, Sandhill Crane, and on top of all that, I saw my first live Porcupine.
       Sunday finally arrived (Talk about nonstop birding!). Today was going to be the Kirtland's Warbler tour. It did not disappoint. We had Trumpeter Swans on nest, Cliff Swallows, Kirtland's Warbler (Endangered), Common Raven, Red-headed Woodpecker, Wild Turkey, Hermit Thrush, and Field Sparrow. The drive home then came. We tried again for the Black Terns at Houghton Lake flooding area, but couldn't find them. We had Cooper's Hawk and Tundra Swan on the drive home (Though the Tundra Swan was debated because of how distant it was, and we all did not agree on the I.D.). Overall, I had 146 species in these four days, 26 of them warblers.
       I apologize for such a long post, but I wanted to add a couple things. First off, it won't be long before the Red-shouldered Hawk eggs hatch. Second, in June I will, like last year, be co-leading tours for the Cerulean Warbler Weekend. Lastly, I may be going to the Keweenaw Peninsula in July for a botanical foray; I hope that works out! Now for the pictures...

 Male Orchard Oriole

 Merlin

 Female Indigo Bunting

 Male Cape May Warbler

 Brown Thrasher

 Chestnut-sided Warblers (That is not a reflection)

 Wilson's Warbler

 Clay-colored Sparrow

 Piping Plover

 Northern Parula

 Another Wilson's Warbler

 Male Baltimore Oirole

 Male Black-throated Blue Warbler

 Another Cape May Warbler (Look at all those insects!)

 Common Loon (Left) & Red-throated Loon (Right)

 Eastern Kingbird 

 Northern Rough-winged Swallow

 Gray-cheecked Thrush

 Ring-billed Gull

 Male Trumpeter Swan

 Male Blackburnian Warbler

 Distant and cropped Red-headed Woodpecker

 Kirtland's Warbler

Kent County Year List: 160 Species
Michigan Year List: 198 Species