From the (but not always) File : Bobcat 9/29/2023

   Yesterday just before noon as I stepped out the front door with my dog Nico, I noticed a large brownish cat a few feet from the driveway.  Nico, who was focused on a squirrel, didn't notice that a Bobcat also was interested in the same squirrel. 

   Fortunately my camera was around my neck and I was able to fire off a few shots as the wildcat rose to stalk the squirrel.  

   At that point Nico took notice and abruptly the mission of both cat and dog changed as they renewed the classic ancient rivalry.  Nico sprinted toward the Bobcat who in turn high-tailed it to the tree-line out of the dog's range. 

  Bobcats range in size from 15 to 30 pounds but looks must be deceiving because this thing looked way more than 3 times bigger than my 11 pound cat.

  On second thought their heads appear to be the same size.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow - Yard Bird 194 5/18/2023

 

  A slight Eurasian invasion is taking place around my yard this week.  On Sunday, a Eurasian Collared Dove got my attention as it briefly landed in under my feeders.  Just after I got my binocs on it, it took off and landed in one of my ash trees.  I was able to get a few photos of it before it again took flight only to disappear in my neighbor's yard.

  This was only the third record of this species in Mason County . The second record occurred two summers ago.... also in my yard.

   This morning on my daily bird rounds, I was making my first lap of my property and noticed an odd sparrow on my firepit bricks. I took a couple quick photos and forwarded one to Brian Brosky, who confirmed my suspicion that it was a Eurasian Tree Sparrow,  This was not only a new bird for my yard list (#194), according to Dave Dister it is also a first for Mason County (#317). 

   Besides the new yardbird I also had a nice assortment of warblers here today.

Blackburnian

Blackpoll

Cape May

Common Yellowthroat

Chestnut-sided

Magnolia

Wilson's

  Other birds that posed for photos were

Indigo Bunting

Lincoln's Sparrow

  Lastly, over the weekend the annual Mason County Spring Migration Count took place.  I again covered Riverton Township. The target bird at my first stop on Conrad Rd is always the Blue-winged Warbler. They did not disappoint as I totaled 3 singing males.

  When I got home I noticed that a little raptor migration was going on.  Besides Turkey Vultures and Red-tailed Hawks, 10 Broad-winged Hawks also flew over.

  Most surprising of all was a flock of nine American White Pelicans that joined the thermal-riding party.

Fork-tailed Flycatcher at Ludington State Park 5/11/2023

 

  Around 3 this afternoon I got two phone calls, first from Brian Brosky and then Levi Wilson relaying that Levi and Nolan Kerr found a Fork-tailed Flycatcher along the Lake Michigan shoreline, about a mile and a half south of the entrance to Ludington State Park.  This is only the 8 record of this species in Michigan and the first for Mason County.  Not surprising, considering the birds normal range.

   That's right the bird's home is in Central or South America.  

    Their monumental flycatcher discovery overshadowed my bird of the day, a Prothonotary Warbler in my yard.  It is the 193rd species on my yard list.

   In terms of cooperation this beautiful warbler was hot and cold.  As I sat out on our deck with my wife Kelly, this little guy landed on the edge of the deck three feet from her. It stood there for a few seconds looking at us as I stared back in amazement.  It then flew to a nearby maple and waited for me to come out and take some adequately-lit photos.  The cooperation ended there though, as it took off and was not refound despite the efforts of Brian Brosky, Suzie Knoll and myself.  

   The discovery of yardbird number 192 occurred just yesterday morning when I spotted a Golden-winged Warbler fueling up on insects high up in the trees.  I was able to get some passable ID photos of it.

 Fortunately it returned in the early evening at a closer distance with better lighting.

  In case you were wondering how we got from 190 yardbirds in the last post to 192 that the Golden-winged Warbler represents, last Thursday I spotted a pair of Red-necked Grebes that I estimate were 2000' offshore on Lake Michigan. 

   

   I had always thought that Red-necked Grebes might show up on the lake one day but I was surprised that it occurred on May 4 rather than in the winter or early spring. 

 

Lark Sparrow Yardbird 190

 

   Shortly after 2 pm this afternoon I noticed a light-colored sparrow in an ash tree across the driveway.

 A quick look through the binoculars revealed a Lark Sparrow, a species of the grasslands and prairies of the West and Great Plains.  

Lark Sparrow Range Map 

    Despite being off course it has made itself at home by cleaning up under my feeders often enough to allow half of Mason County's top 12 ebirders to stop by and add it to their year and/or life county list.

Brant in Pentwater 11/10/2022

Yesterday, a rare Brant appeared a couple miles down the road at the Pentwater north pier. It was discovered by fishermen at the pier during the afternoon and word quickly spread to the birding community. Brants have been recorded fewer than 100 times in Michigan. Their fall migration route takes them from the Arctic through Hudson Bay and on to the Atlantic Ocean. Any migration through the Great Lakes region is usually limited to the eastern lakes of Huron, Erie and Ontario. Within minutes of finding out about the bird I gathered up my camera and headed down there. The small goose was very cooperative so I was able to get photos at reasonable close range.

The heavy overcast made for drab photos but today the sun popped out but the goose went AWOL for the morning. On my second attempt of the day I was able to photograph it when it showed up in the noon hour and resumed posing.

During my futile morning wild goose chase a tolerant Snow Bunting was willing to sit for photos.

The highlight on the homefront this week occurred on Tuesday, when I had a brief visit from a leucistic Evening Grosbeak.

Evening Grosbeak Irruption 2022 11/2/2022

Everything about the 2022 Evening Grosbeak Irruption is remarkably similar to the 2020 event. From the predictions of the Winter Finch Forecast, the date of first sighting (10/28/2020 vs 10/27/2022), to the arriving small group not visiting the feeders followed by a couple dozen raiding the sunflower platform a day later. Even the fact that my initial observation both years occurred while I was splitting firewood and heard them vocalizing as they landed in a nearby tree. I'm currently getting 30-50 of the boldly marked finches around and above the yard almost from first light until sunset.

A couple people asked me why I hadn't posted in a while. Truth is that there weren't many inspiring observations this summer. The summer could be defined by two words... Eagles

and Lightning