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

Western Tanager, Hamlin Lake 5/5/2022

 

     Around noon today Randy Dougherty noticed a Western Tanager on the feeders at his Hamlin Lake home. Word of the discover got to me through a text from Brian Brosky.  Traveling from different parts of the county Brian and I arrived at the same time at Randy's house. Though not initially present it showed up a few minutes later just as the Wilson brothers got on site.

  This is only the second recorded visit to Mason County for this species. 

King Eider Ludington Harbor 4/20/2022

  Mason County birding is on fire.  For the second time in a week a county first has been found.  Over the weekend Donna and John Haack found a Yellow-crowned Night Heron and yesterday Grand Rapids area birder Steve Minard found a King Eider just north of the north breakwall of Ludington Harbor. 

  Just before 1 pm I received a call from Brian Brosky relaying Steve Minard's discovery. As quickly as I could, I headed out to the north pier where Brian had already relocated the arctic duck.  The bird was somewhat cooperative as it provided an array of activity all within a relatively short distance of the pier.

Periscoping

Flying

Shaking off water

Feeding

  With the peak of the spring migration coming in the next few weeks let's hope the county's hot streak continues.