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.

Pelicans and So Much More 4/23/2022

 

  A busy bird day was expected Saturday with southerly winds aiding migration in the preceding overnight. While searching for new arrivals in the front yard I noticed two huge white birds over the lake about to disappear behind the neighbor's trees.  I took off in a sprint to the backyard waterfront and was able to get a few photos of a pair of American White Pelicans meandering southward. They are the 101st species that I've seen from home so far this year.  Last year I didn't hit 100 until May 2.

  Other new arrivals for the year were

Palm Warbler

Bank Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

  Also a couple of House Wrens were heard and seen but wouldn't pose for the camera. They brought my yard total for the year to 104.  As I was processing the images in the late afternoon I received a text from Brian Brosky about a Cattle Egret found by Brendan Klick in Grant Twp.  Needing that bird for my Mason County list I grabbed the camera and headed out to Townline Rd where the egret was of course, hanging out with cattle.

  After locating and photographing the bird, I checked the Mason-Manistee-Oceana County Bird Chat on Discord and saw that Brendan Klick also found a Wilson's Phalarope just a mile south of the egret on Beyer Rd.  I was there within a couple minutes and was able to get some distant shots of the phalarope.

  The phalarope is also a first for me in the county. My county list is at 252.

Got My Yard Pelicans For the Year 7/1/2021

 

     The benefits of lakeside living...For the second year in a row I observed American White Pelicans fly by my yard.  This morning 3 of the huge white birds with black wing tips and cartoonishly large bills circled over the bluff as they leisurely flew south.  

   Other birds of interest in the yard lately....

....a continuing Pine Siskin

....Purple Martins finally showing up in late June to check out the house I installed for them, even though it's probably too late for nesting this year.

...and Bald Eagles which are almost an every day occurrence.

Pelicans at PM Marsh 5/26-27/ 2021

   Around 4 PM on Wednesday, Brian Brosky found 18 American White Pelicans at the Pere Marquette Marsh on Business US-31 just south of Ludington.  I got there as quick as I could and saw that they were scattered in a couple of groups quite a distance from the road.  Although the lighting was just about perfect, the photos were less than ideal because of the distance and the distortion of the heat from the sundrenched surfaces.  

  Passing by PM Marsh on Thursday after unsuccessfully chasing a Glossy Ibis at Freeman Marsh, I noticed that the Pelicans were back. This time 6 were much closer to the road and the thick cloud cover with temperatures in the upper 40's minimized the heat distortion that I dealt with the day before.

Snowy Egret From the Yard. 5/22/2020

    WOW. Didn't have a Snowy Egret on my target list of possible yard birds.  But after work this morning while I was scanning the yard through a slight mist, I noticed a white egret flying out over Lake Michigan.  I initially thought the distant bird was a Great Egret but photos revealed the yellow feet that indicated that it was a Snowy Egret. According to Dave Dister it was only the third Snowy Egret ever recorded in Mason County.

   Also added to the yard list today were...

Northern Parula Warbler (#122)

Spotted Sandpiper (#123)

Black-throated Green Warbler (#124)

    New bird not photographed was a Great-crested Flycatcher.  Yard list is now at 125.

    Other birds of interest were yesterday's new bird American Pelican which were represented with a group of six which passed by on the inland side of the house.

  ...and a Magnolia Warbler

Got My Yard Pelican 5/21/2020

   Since I moved to the lakeshore I've suspected that one day I'd add an American White Pelican to my yard list.  I came close on Sunday when I was leaving my worksite a mile up the road and noticed a group of 6 Pelicans off shore from the plant.  I quickly drove home, grabbed the camera and raced back to work but the birds had left by the time I returned.  At the time I thought if I had headed to edge of my bluff I may have been able to get a flyby shot as the small flock moved on.

White speck to the left of center is an American White Pelican

   This morning I did some yard birding after work. From the edge of my bluff I noticed a large white bird off shore from my worksite.

Cropped version of previous photo

      After just a few moment the large bird took flight and fortuitously headed my direction.

Yardbird  #120

   Also this morning while birding the street-side of my property I noticed a motionless doe with a distressed look.  I initially thought she might be injured but a view through binoculars revealed the reason(s) for her anxiety. 

Doe with one of her two newborns.

   Red-headed Woodpeckers are being seen daily, usually flying over but this one stopped for a snack.

  A couple of other photogenic birds also posed for portraits.