Black-Headed Grosbeak- Ludington 1/1/2019

    On Thursday of last week my Christmas Bird Count partner Van Burmeister reported that a Black-headed Grosbeak (3rd Michigan record) was visiting the feeders in his yard.  It was after sunset when I got the word but I made it over there at daybreak on Friday morning,  When I arrived Van and his wife Sally were hosting several birders who had made the predawn journey from across the state.

    As bird stakeouts go this was one of the most hospitable you could imagine.  Coffee, oatmeal cookies and sweet-rolls were offered while we observed the feeders through the sliding glass door. The only thing lacking was the target bird.

    While the morning light progressed and the Grosbeak still being a no-show,  Matt McConnell, Adam Byrne and Linda Ar started canvassing the neighborhood in search of the rarity.  About 10:45 Linda Scribner who had remained inside, received a call from Adam who was observing the bird under one of Van's tube feeders.  I caught a brief glimpse but the bird took off before I could pick up my camera.
 
  Later in the day it was realized that the bird was visiting feeders in at least a 3 block area of the neighborhood.  Over the weekend the bird was seen and photographed by many birders with myself being one of the few exceptions.

  Around noon today I unsuccessfully spent over an hour in my car ( unheated to prevent photo-ruining thermal distortion), staking out the feeders on Dexter St (three blocks north of Van's).  Needing to warm up I headed over to the Burmeister kitchen where the cookies were fresh but the Grosbeak had just left.  Within the hour the bird returned and I was finally able to get some decent photos of young molting male.

    Hopefully it will stick around until its molt is complete and it takes on a more photogenic appearance.  Or it could wander a mile and half north where my feeders are waiting.