Is spring really on the way?

Last week, I mentioned the arrival of Red-winged Blackbirds and this week there have been courting Mourning Doves, arriving Common Grackles, and singing Tufted Titmice to reinforce the progression of the season. Now is also a good time to check out the Hummingbirds.net website to track the progress of our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, which are arriving along the Gulf Coast right now. Also, the Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) in the back yard have now bloomed and, although this is a European wildflower not native to our area, it is always nice to see them bloom, always before the Vernal Equinox. Some years they get covered with snow when blooming...hopefully not this year!

Last summer was highlighted by a lack of insects, which allowed for greater explorations of wetland and bog areas than in most years. The flowers seemed to be relatively unaffected, but some of the birds may have had a tough time finding enough to feed their young. One of the more spectacular flowers in open marshes and wetlands in southeastern Michigan is the Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus palustris), photographed here at the Pte. Mouillee State Game Area. A better name might be marsh mallow...or perhaps not!

Smaller, but no less interesting plants in the marsh include the uncommon Monkey Flower (Mimulus ringens), which has many colorful relatives in the western U.S.

Much less conspicuous is the Marsh Bellflower (Campanula aparinoides).

I didn't spend too much time in prairie habitat in summer and fall 2009, but did search through some open fens, where in addition to getting a case of poison sumac, also found some other interesting flowers including the Prairie Phlox (Phlox pilosa).

In the wetter areas of this fen, the robust Water Smartweed (Polygonum amphibium) was found.

 And Michigan's most attractive species of milkweed, the Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) was fairly common in the fen areas that were explored in summer of 2009.

In the woodlands, the weird and wonderful saphrophytic Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) was a replacement for the Squawroot from spring.

An unexpected flower in the woodlands in summer is the aptly named Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus), which commonly grows in light gaps in deciduous woods.

A trip to southeastern Ohio to give a hummingbird presentation in July allowed us to explore some new areas for flowers. The gangly American Ipecac (Gillenia stipulata) is uncommon in Michigan but was easy to find here.

Common in Michigan wetlands, but interesting nonetheless, is the appropriately-named Turtlehead (Chelone glabra).

A very rare wetland species in Michigan is the Water Willow (Justicia americana), as we are near the northern edge of its range, but it was quite common at Lake Alma State Park, Ohio.

One of the flowers we really wanted to see in southeastern Ohio, as it does not occur in Michigan at all, was the Purple Fringless Orchid (Platanthera peramoena). With the help of a friend at the Ohio DNR, botanist Jim McCormac, we had a dozen "historical" sites to check where the species had been reported in the 1960s. This species seems to be closely tied to floodplains. We lucked out at two locations, one in a ditch along the highway through Lake Hope State Park where we were staying, and along the lakeshore at Lake Alma State Park. It was quite a striking orchid...

Later in summer and into early fall, the woodlands had fewer interesting plants but there were still a few, including a saphrophytic orchid species, the Spotted Coralroot (Corallorhiza maculata), represented by just a single plant at this locale.

And the Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema atrorubens) had begun fruiting with its bright red bunch of fruits where the spadix had been in spring.

A short, but large-flowered aster species, the Large-leaved Aster (Aster macrophyllus), was also in this woods.

But once again I was drawn to the bog, where orchids and other interesting plants are found. One of my favorite orchids is the Grass Pink Orchid (Calopogon tuberosus), which bloomed nicely in 2009.

Often associated with the Grass Pink is the Rose Pogonia Orchid (Pogonia ophioglossoides), a smaller species that grows lower to the ground, with a single flower per plant.

Of course with beauties such as these, it may be easy to see why orchids hold a fascination with some people, including me, but some species reveal their beauty only if you get down on your hands and knees to examine their tiny, fairly colorless flowers. The Club-spur Orchid (Platanthera clavellata) is one of these. It is odd in two ways. One is that the lower lip is saw-toothed at the end, and the other is that the flowers are usually tilted away from what one would consider the "normal" orientation.

Then there are the extremely rare species. If I told you were I'd found this tall, elegant Eastern Prairie Fringed-Orchid (Platanthera leucophaea), I'd have to kill you! Just kidding of course. I'd never tell as it is a Federally Endangered species.

Once summer gives way to fall, members of the Composite family dominate the scene. One interesting flower, which persisted into early October in the bird banding area at Metro Beach until early October, was the Nodding Bur Marigold (Bidens cernua), which has seeds that will stick tenaceously to your clothing.

The latest bloomers are typically the goldenrods and asters, which are notoriously difficult to identify, especially for amaterus like me. So, while I have some confidence that the flower in the photo below, the last flower I saw in 2009 (mid-November), is a Small White Aster (Aster vimineus), I won't argue if anyone else has a better idea what it might be! [March 12 update! A more experienced botanical friend has suggested that this might be Bushy Aster (Aster dumosus), and after reviewing various guides in my library, I agree.]

This concludes the reminiscences of last summer's flowers and as spring arrives this blog will again turn to birds as the main subject. Hopefully this little diversion into the deep, dark, botanical corner of my interests helped you get over your cabin fever.

The end of cabin fever?

Although the male Red-winged Blackbirds singing outside my window, where there are still piles of snow, signal that spring is coming, it is still about two months until we'll see our first major push of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds into Michigan. In the next week or two, the Snowdrops will be blooming in my garden, and we have clearly once again made it through the deepest, darkest depths of winter. But cabin fever can get the best of us, so I thought this might be a good time to look back on some of the wildflower photos I took last year. I'll post in two installments, one with spring flowers and another with summer and fall flowers.

Most years, I spend some time with the spring wildflowers in April, but this year we made a special trip to an undisclosed location to see, and photograph, one of the rarest (and smallest) species of Trillium in Michigan, the Snow Trillium (Trillium nivale) which blooms in early April and is known from only two or three locales in the state.

Another rare Trillium species, found only in one county in the state (but widespread farther south), is the Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum), which blooms during May.

While doing breeding bird surveys in late May at the Barton Nature Area north of Ann Arbor, I was surprised at the abundance of the Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus).

Rich woods are a great place to find wildflowers, and in particular one of my favorite families, the orchids. Some friends who share the same enfatuation were very kind in sharing information on where these blooming jewels were located, and of course whenever possible I returned the favor. One particular location in Washtenaw County is particularly good for an orchid called Puttyroot (Aplectrum hyemale), or sometimes called Adam and Eve Orchid. It is fairly inconspicuous when in flower, consisting of a spike of perhaps a dozen flower each about 1/2 inch wide, but is unusual in that its leaf emerges after blooming and persists all winter.

Another woodland orchid that can be difficult to find is the Showy Orchis (Orchis spectabilis). Not to be confused with the much larger Showy Ladyslipper, this orchid is small, but beautiful.

And in a wet swale, in an open area in this woods, the Yellow Ladyslipper (Cypripedium calceolus) was found as well.

There were other interesting plants in these rich woods as well, including a rather inconspicuous but fairly uncommon plant, the Green Violet (Hybanthus concolor).

A trip was made to southwestern Michigan to see a "lifer" orchid, and one of the strangest species to occur in Michigan. The Lily-leaved Twayblade (Liparis lilifolia) is most common in prairie areas, and sometimes in woodlands, and a good friend in Kalamazoo County had some on his property. Another name I've seen for this orchid is one of my favorite plant names; Mauve Sleekwort.

Each flower is perhaps 3/4 of an inch long, but note the interesting details, including the broad pale pinkish lip, and the narrow hairlike tendrils, which are actually specialized petals, dangling from each flower.

In late spring, bogs become more interesting although very often they can be difficult to access as insects very quickly become a problem. In 2009, the cool conditions seemed to reduce the biting bugs significantly, with the result that "bog trotting" was a very pleasant experience. One bog that I visited several times in 2009 was reached by going through a rich woodland, which contained some interesting flowers, including the odd Squawroot (Conopholis americana) which is saphrophytic, drawing its nutrients from the roots of trees.

Another interesting, and uncommon, plant is the Indian Cucumber-Root (Medeola virginiana). This plant always draws the eye of the orchid-searcher as the whorled pattern of its leaves is very similar to one very rare and one endangered species of orchid. But the blooms of course are very different, looking like small (one-inch diameter) greenish-yellow tiger lilies.

Once in the bog, the vegetation changes dramatically, and among the many carnivorous Pitcher Plants and Sundews one can also find the tiny flowers of the Small Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos), if you're willing to put your chin down into the mat of mosses!

Of course bogs are the domain of orchids, and several species were found here in late spring, including the Pink Ladyslipper (Cypripedium acaule), sometimes called Mocassin Flower.

Perhaps one of the most spectacular orchids in Michigan is the Arethusa (Arethusa bulbosa), sometimes called the Dragon's Mouth.

This ends the first installment of my wildflower wanderings from 2009. Until the next posting, try to stay warm!

100 Eagle Weekend!

This past weekend, February 20 & 21, 2010, I was priviledged to participate in the Birding on Ice event, co-sponsored by a number of organizations including the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Tropical Birding Tours, the American Birding Association, Friends of the Detroit River, Michigan DNRE, DTE Engergy, and Consumer's Energy. I was asked to represent the American Birding Association, which allowed me to attend all events as a local source to answer questions and help with bird identifications. Each of the two days had the same itinerary, which consisted of four field trips and an evening dinner with presentations. Many new birders attended, which was great, as well as a few more experienced observers. The highlight of the day for many was perhaps the presence of Bald Eagles on all four field trips, on both days, resulting in about 96 eagles counted on Saturday and about 115 on Sunday. Many other birds were seen, of course, and a complete accounting is presented below.

The first field trip began at 7:00 a.m. on the beach of western Lake Erie at the J.R. Whiting Power Plant. The idea was to view birds in the warm water channel outflow from the plant, and on the lake, as well as watch the sun rise. Sunrise was at about 7:20, but before then the whistling wings of many ducks could be heard flying overhead, and the distant calls of courting Common Goldeneyes could also be heard. A group of Great Blue Herons decorated the ice edge adjacent to the outflow and numerous ducks and gulls were farther out in the water and on the ice. On Sunday, Josh from Tropical Birding found an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. On Saturday, two Coyotes trotted out from the woods near us and walked far out onto the ice, well beyond the open water holding the ducks, until they were nearly out of sight. Unfortunately, we had to depart at 8 a.m. to make it to the next field trip destination.

The power plant in Monroe was the next destination, as DTE Energy very generously allowed a limited number of birders to come in and view areas normally closed to the public. We passed a groomed field where they were attracting nesting Herring Gulls so that they would not nest on building rooftops, where they can cause expensive cleanup operations and even damage. The gulls appeared to be pairing up, and even poking around with the vegetation beginning to build nests. Some waterfowl were present in some of the ponds, including a Pied-billed Grebe on both days, but once we got to the very broad warm water outflow where it met Lake Erie, we saw many more birds. Great Blue Herons, Belted Kingfishers, and Double-crested Cormorants were found along this channel, which are difficult to find in February in Michigan. On Saturday, a Great Egret was in the channel, which is a very rare occurrence, and quite surprising was the Common Map Turtles basking on branches at the waters' edge, among the cormorants. There were at least three of them on Saturday and about a dozen on Sunday. The air temperature was 35 degrees both days, but the water temperature can very from 45-56 degrees this time of year. This field trip produced the bulk of the Bald Eagles on both days, with about 75 present on Saturday and about 90 present on Sunday. Some of my better photos of this concentration are included here. I'm sure that many other photographers got better images than mine, as I had to focus on helping other see and identify birds.

After spending nearly two hours touring this plant, we next headed north to the headquarters of the Pte. Mouillee State Game Area. Jerry Jourdan was the lead for this locale, and his scouting on Friday determined that the inner ponds were all frozen so the itinerary was changed to view birds around the parking area for an hour or so. An American Pipit, present here since November, was easily found and viewed by all participants. An 11-year old birder from Ohio told me this was his 100th life bird. Surely, many got good photos of this bird. On Saturday, there were Tundra Swans among the more numerous Mute Swans, as well as other ducks including Buffleheads and close Ruddy Ducks. On Sunday, the Tundra Swans had apparently departed this part of Lake Erie, perhaps signalling the beginning of their northward migration.

After lunch, the groups spent a couple hours at Lake Erie Metropark, where good numbers of Canvasback, with a few Redhead, scaup, and on Sunday a good number of Ruddy Ducks were found among the Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, and Mallards along with a few American Black Ducks and Gadwall. From here, some headed into downtown Monroe where a nice dinner was provided to those who registered, along with two presentations by the excellent guides from Tropical Birding Tours. Josh Engel discussed birding options around the United States, by season, highlighting many well-known birding locales and a few lesser-known sites as well. Iain Campbell, co-founder of Tropical Birding Tours, presented options for world-birding, how to maximize your effort and expenses, to see as many birds as possible, depending on your level of interest. Both presentations were very well done, informative, and with numerous wonderful bird photos, which surely stimulated interest among the groups to travel to see birds.

Birds seen during this weekend, by my best accounting, included:

CANADA GOOSE- Both days. A few at all locations.
MUTE SWAN - Both days. Most were at Pte. Mouillee with a few at other locations.
TUNDRA SWAN - Saturday only. Most were at Pte. Mouillee where perhaps a couple dozen were seen.
GADWALL - Both days. One or two at the Whiting Plant, Pte. Mouillee, and Lake Erie Metropark.
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK - Both days. A few at all locations.
MALLARD - Both days. A few to dozens at all locations.
CANVASBACK - Both days, but fewer birds were in close on Sunday. Hundreds were at the Whiting Plant and Lake Erie Metropark, and smaller numbers at Pte. Mouillee.
REDHEAD - Both days. A few among the Canvasback flocks.
LESSER SCAUP - Both days. A few among the Canvasback flocks, though few could be identified to species. Individuals in flight at Pte. Mouillee and at fairly close range on the water at Lake Erie Metropark provided identifiable views to some participants.
BUFFLEHEAD - Both days. A few at all locations.
COMMON GOLDENEYE - Both days. Dozens at the Whiting Plant and Lake Erie Metropark (especially Saturday), and a few at other locations.
HOODED MERGANSER - Both days. A few at the Whiting Plant and Lake Erie Metropark.
COMMON MERGANSER - Both days. Dozens, or more, at the Whiting Plant and Lake Erie Metropark, and a few at other locations.
RUDDY DUCK - Both days. A few at the Whiting Plant, Pte. Mouillee, and Lake Erie Metropark on Saturday, and more than 100 at Lake Erie Metropark on Sunday.
PIED-BILLED GREBE - Both days. One or two at the Monroe Plant.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT - Both days. Only at the Monroe Plant, where perhaps 30-40 were roosting along the warm water outlet.
GREAT BLUE HERON - Both days. 65 on Saturday and 25 on Sunday at the Whiting Plant. Perhaps 20-30 at the Monroe Plant both days. A few at Pte. Mouillee and Lake Erie Metropark.
GREAT EGRET - Saturday only. Along the warm water outlet at the Monroe Plant. Very rare in winter in Michigan, but perhaps increasing?
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON - Sunday only. One immature flying overhead at first light at the Whiting Plant was seen only by me. At least one along the warm water outlet at the Monroe Plant.
BALD EAGLE - Both days. Seen at all locations, with more on Sunday at the Monroe Plant and Lake Erie Metropark and fewer at the other locales.
NORTHERN HARRIER - Sunday only. Seen by early-arriving attendees at Pte. Mouillee.
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK - Both days. One flew very close to the group, twice (!), at first light on the beach at the Whiting Plant on Saturday, and one was perched in a tree near the entrance at Lake Erie Metropark on Sunday but probably not seen by participants.
COOPER'S HAWK - Saturday only. One along I-75 on the way to the dinner in Monroe, so probably not seen by participants.
RED-TAILED HAWK - Both days. Only along I-75 between tour locations, possibly not seen by participants. Several on Saturday, only a couple on Sunday.
AMERICAN KESTREL - Both days. Only one each day along I-75 between tour locations, almost certainly not seen by participants.
RING-BILLED GULL - Both days. A few at all locations.
HERRING GULL - Both days. Dozens at all locations, but hundreds at the Monroe Plant where they appeared to be pairing and beginning nest site selection.
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - Sunday only. An adult found by Josh Engel at the Whiting Plant, about two minutes before we had to leave!
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL - Both days. A few at all locations.
ROCK PIGEON - Both days. Many at both power plants and along I-75.
MOURNING DOVE - Both days. Only a few seen flying over at each site, but a few perched along I-75.
BELTED KINGFISHER - Both days. One seen well in the scope, probably the same female, along the warm water outlet at the Monroe Plant.
DOWNY WOODPECKER - Both days. Only one or two at the Whiting Plant and Lake Erie Metropark.
HORNED LARK - Both days. A few calling overhead, but not seen, at Pte. Mouillee, and perhaps elsewhere. Almost certainly not noted by participants.
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE - Both days. A couple at Pte. Mouillee and Lake Erie Metropark.
AMERICAN ROBIN - Both days. A few, including singing individuals, at the Whiting Plant and Lake Erie Metropark.
EUROPEAN STARLING - Both days. Mainly at the plants and along I-75.
AMERICAN PIPIT - Both days. Seen well by most participants, even in the scope, as it fed along the perimiter of the parking lot at the Pte. Mouillee headquarters. This bird has apparently been present since November, and is one of very few (if any?) February records for the state, and the species has never successfully over-wintered here.
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW - Both days. A couple to a few at the Whiting Plant, Pte. Mouillee, and Lake Erie Metropark, though not very cooperative.
SONG SPARROW - Sunday only. A couple were singing feebly from the marshes along the road to the beach at the Whiting Plant.
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW - Both days. A few at Pte. Mouillee.
DARK-EYED JUNCO - Both days. A few at Pte. Mouillee, and along Campau Road.
NORTHERN CARDINAL - Both days. A few, including singing individuals, at all locations.
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD - Both days. A couple singing males at the Whiting Plant, and perhaps elsewhere.
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD - Saturday only. A flock of 8 males was at the corner of Jefferson and South Huron River Drive on the way to the Pte. Mouillee field trip after lunch. Not seen by anyone else.
HOUSE FINCH - Both days. At least one singing male at Pte. Mouillee, but probably not heard by participants.
HOUSE SPARROW - Both days. Mainly at the plants. Likely not seen by participants.

47 species total.

Results of a special bird list in 2009

Some of you may remember that in 2009 I was keeping a separate list of birds seen and identified using only my eyes and ears; in other words "naked birding". My rules were fairly strict. I had to be able to identify the species based on what was only visible to my naked eye, or based on vocalizations heard without any enhancement. For example, if a species was seen and identified in binoculars but the field marks could not be made out without binoculars, the species was not counted. Also, any bird held in-hand for banding could not be counted.

The list totalled 232 species, with most of my birding done in Michigan and Ohio, but a trip in November to the central Atlantic Coast contributed 10 species to this total. I won't include the entire list here, but have included highlights and frustrations from the past year's efforts, in taxonomic order. Purists may argue that this blog posting in particular should not have photos, but seriously, wouldn't this just be the most boring post without them?

BRANT
A very rare species in Michigan, it is always nice to go to the Atlantic coast in late fall or winter to see numbers of this goose. They were quite tame at Barnegat Lighthouse, New Jersey, allowing great close views and photo opportunities.

RING-NECKED DUCK
Belle Isle is a great place to get close to waterfowl, from the comfort of your car. The subadult male Ring-necked Duck in the photo below was found on the Christmas Bird Count on January 1, and was one of the first species on the list for the year.

LONG-TAILED DUCK
There were two great opportunities in southeastern Michigan in 2009 for great views of Long-tailed Ducks. First, an adult male was found by Tom Pavlik in a small unfrozen pond in White Lake Township, Oakland County, in early February.

Then, on Belleville Lake, Wayne County, a small group of females and immatures swam close to shore in early March.

COMMON LOON
Low flyovers, including birds calling in flight (!) in mid-April at Metro Beach Metropark, Macomb County provided the first chance to add this species to the list. Later in the year, the individual below was very cooperative for the camera at Kiptopecke State Park, Virginia.

NORTHERN GANNET
It is always nice to see this species flying over the road, along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, Virginia.

BROWN PELICAN
Luckily, a few were still far enough north to be seen in Virginia in November.

CATTLE EGRET
Two were a surprise on the lawn in front of the park office at Sterling State Park, Monroe County while birding there on my birthday.

WHITE-FACED IBIS
A disappointment. Despite record numbers of this species in the state in spring 2009, and my being able to see two of them, neither the individual at Lake Erie Metropark, Wayne County, nor the one in Washtenaw County (first county record) came close enough for field marks to be seen, so could not be added to this list. At least they could be tallied on my other lists!

BROAD-WINGED HAWK
This one flew right in front of the car and landed on a signpost along the I-275 freewsay in early April in Canton. Quite a surprise.

GOLDEN EAGLE
Another disappointment. I had too few chances to attend the hawkwatch at Lake Erie Metropark this fall, so had very few chances to even see this species, and none were low enough to identify without binoculars.

RUDDY TURNSTONE
Easily seen at Barnegat Lighthouse, New Jersey in November.

PURPLE SANDPIPER
Many were easily seen at close range along the jetty at Barnegat Lighthouse, New Jersey.

DUNLIN
This species was seen at close range in Michigan more than once, but the most spectacular sighting of the year came at the Mispillion Bay Wildlife Area in Delaware with thousands of birds wheeling around on the mudflats there. The DuPont Nature Center, where the photo below was taken, is a great place to see thousands of Red Knot in May.

AMERICAN WOODCOCK
It is always fun to sit in the pre-dawn darkness at Oakwoods Metropark, Wayne County, and listen to the courtship activities of this species. Always an audio highlight of the year. This year, many were calling on March 19. Here is one of many recordings made that morning.

ANCIENT MURRELET
It was a thrill just to see this species in Michigan at all, as this was only the 7th ever, but it was even more special as the bird came so close to shore that binoculars were not needed for identification. Vocalizations were even heard!

CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW
Another rare species in Michigan, this one has been coming to Berrien County for the past few years and allowed me to obtain recordings, which I posted links to in a previous blog posting, but for those who missed it, click here.

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD
What can I say? My favorite bird, so seeing one is always a highlight. This year, one at Crane Creek State Park, Ohio on my birthday (April 27) was the earliest I've ever seen one and a welcome addition to this special list.

RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
Yes, I banded five of these in 2009, two in Michigan, two in Ohio, and one in Indiana. But the one in Shreve, Ohio in late October was a nice adult male that was easily identified without optical aids as it visited the feeder, as was the adult male in Indianapolis later in the year.

OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
It was disappointing and yet exciting to band one in mid-August at Metro Beach Metropark, Macomb County. It was the first I've ever banded, but rules are rules and it could not be counted for this special list.

FISH CROW
Michigan's first ever showed up in spring and lingered all summer into fall. In early June, I spent several hours with these birds, which numbered at least 5 individuals and more likely 6. I obtained recordings which I posted links to in a previous blog posting, but for those who missed it, click here. For other audio highlights from 2009, you may want to revisit my blog posting from July 4, 2009.

TREE SWALLOW
There were many opportunities during 2009 to add this species to the list, but the most wonderful experience came in August when large flocks, many of them brown-backed immatures as in the photo below, were swirling around just after sunrise in the marsh.

RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH
The winter of 2008/2009 will be remembered for many interesting species, two of which are described below. But cooperative Red-breasted Nuthatches are always a delight, and while chasing crossbills and siskins, the one in the photo below provided entertainment as it fed on the cones in a Wayne County cemetery.

BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH
Another delightful species, and it was nice to see these so close, and so numerous, at the northern end of their range at Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware.

BROWN CREEPER
Rarely seen in our yard in Inkster, Wayne County, the one that has decided to overwinter has proven quite special as it worked our Redbud Tree only a few feet in front of me as I stood in the living room window in mid-December, and has provided repeat performances since then, though not for the camera!

ROCK WREN
I am rarely among the finders of rare birds in Michigan, so this one was astounding to run across on June 7 at the Port Huron State Game Area, St. Clair County. A 9th state record, this cooperative bird was even singing occasionally, and approached to within 8-feet, allowing naked-eye identification.

AMERICAN PIPIT
The first to be added to this list were flyovers at Lake Erie Metropark on October 12, but the most memorable experience in 2009 was driving the dikes at the Muskegon Wastewater System on October 17, providing my best-ever opportunities for photographing this sometimes difficult species. Two of the many great shots obtained are below.

SMITH'S LONGSPUR
The flock of 40-60 birds in Berrien County in April 2009 was an astounding number, given that mainly individuals have been the norm until now, and was a new state bird for me so I just had to go. They were singing, and so I was quickly able to add this species to this special list based on my recognition of their song. But, later, one breeding-plumaged male burst into song only about 30 feet behind us, giving great views, but being too camera-shy to stay their long enough for a photo.

PURPLE FINCH
My favorite place to see Purple Finches in southeastern Michigan is at the Eddy Discovery Center at Waterloo State Game Area, Washtenaw County. The place didn't disappoint, and I got the photo below of a male in the trees above the feeders on January 2.

PINE SISKIN
This species didn't get as much attention as the next species, but amazing numbers were present in the south, and even lingered to breed. The one in the photo below was at the same Wayne County cemetery that provided photo opportunities for the Red-breasted Nuthatch above and the crossbills below. Another highlight was hearing the jubilant song as they prepared to breed, recorded here at the Waterloo State Game Area, Washtenaw County.

WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL
The lure of the Loxia has drawn many birders into Michigan's Upper Peninsula. But the winter of 2008/2009 saw an irruption of this species into southern Michigan, and beyond, that allowed for many opportunities to view these tame birds at close range. Flocks of 100+ were at several locations, including the Brighton State Recreation Area, Livingston County where the first photo was taken. Many birders saw their first at the Tyler Road Cemetery in Van Buren Township, Wayne County, and this flock provided many hours of entertainment to photographers as well. Such an irruption may not occur again for decades.

They could easily be located by their calls; click here for one of many recordings, but also by the crunching noises as they fed on the cones!

2009 Hummingbird Banding Report

I have finally uploaded my 2009 hummingbird banding report. Many highlights and lots of interesting information.

Go to: http://www.amazilia.net/MIHummerNet/2009_Hummingbird_Banding_Summary.pdf

Uncle Budd

On Friday, August 28, 2009 Bernard (Budd) Chartier passed away at the Veterans Home in King, Wisconsin. Not only was he my uncle, but my godfather, and probably the main reason I got interested in birds. There is so much to say about the last 50 years I've known him, so I'll try to be brief.

Uncle Budd was born on April 4, 1921 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where I was also born. He was the second oldest of four brothers, including my uncle Cliff (deceased), uncle Ed, and my dad George. Here he is (on the right) in a photo, probably taken in the late 1920s at the height of the depression, with his brother Clifford, behind the house that my grandfather, Joseph Chartier, built himself and where Uncle Budd lived until he was in his late 70s.

Uncle Budd was the birdwatcher in the family; everyone knew this but I am not certain at what age this interest began. My dad talks about Uncle Budd taking in injured birds like American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, American Goldfinches, and even an Eastern Screech-Owl, rehabilitating them and releasing them back into the wild. This was in the 1930s and early 1940s, long before there were licensed wildlife rehabilitators. Among his favorite birds were the Cedar Waxwing (they have "perfect plumage"), Purple Martin, and Tree Swallow ("their wings are so graceful, perfect"). Here is a drawing that Uncle Budd did, perhaps before I was born in 1957, of a Tree Swallow rendered with colored pencil.

Birds and music go together, and Uncle Budd taught himself to play the piano on an old upright that the family inherited probably in the late 1920s. He was able to play many other instruments as well, but for many years could not read music! He was able to play lengthy classical pieces on the piano from memory, even when he was into his early 80s before his memory began to let him down. He was able to imitate many birds, including the complex songs of American Goldfinches. Uncle Budd wrote a song for our wedding in 1979 and honored us by playing it for us at our reception. Unfortunately, we don't have a recording of "our" song from the reception (we were busy!), but my parents did get cassette recordings of Uncle Budd's piano playing in 1986 and 1991. I have recently converted these tapes to digital format and am still working through the files to determine the titles of each piece. Here is one sample from 1991, when he was 60 years old; a little past his prime but still way better than I could do!

Uncle Budd playing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata

In the early 1970s, both of my grandparents passed away, and Uncle Budd wrote the following song to honor their memory, recorded here in 1986.

Uncle Budd playing dedication to Joseph and Elizabeth

Even when he was in his 80s, he would entertain the staff at the Veterans Home, which they greatly appreciated as nobody had ever played the piano before.

Uncle Budd served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1946 in World War II, with his basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma where he told of enjoying the graceful aerial flights of the Scissor-tailed Flycatchers there. When I was a teenager, I painted a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher for his birthday. He was then shipped overseas, into the Pacific theater where he served first in New Guinea, then on to Morotai in the Moluccas, and finally to the Philippines.

Uncle Budd's "war stories" probably more than anything else, is what got me interested in birds. He never talked about the horrible things that certainly happened during his service. Instead, he talked about the head hunters in New Guinea who were friendly and sociable during the day, but were apparently very covetous of his red hair! He vividly described the wonderful jungles of these paradises that war had inadvertently sent him to see, including many colorful species of parrots, which were among his favorites. A copy of Cooper and Forshaw's Parrots of the World was one of his prized possessions and I was mesmerized as he paged through the plates, pointing out the wonders he'd seen. Eventually, I got my own copy of that book and it is still on my shelf. It wasn't until field guides for these areas were available in the 1990s that I was able to give these to him as birthday presents, allowing him to recognize a few birds from so many years ago. He described the ponderous, soaring flight of the Palm Cockatoos in New Guinea, as well as the white cockatoo that was "rescued" from a nest that he purchased from one of the locals, which he trained to be his pet...one with a luxurous jungle to roam around in, coming back to Uncle Budd when he whistled. On Morotai, which he said was his favorite place and where he'd love to live, he raised a species of racket-tailed parrot that was similar to others in the region, but was different enough that it might at least have been an unknown subspecies. His description of another large, harrier-shaped parrot, can be found in no field guides today. Who knows what may have been in those relatively unexplored forests back in the 1940s? To this day, in some strange way, I view all the birds in the wild almost as my pets too, and I try to visit them as often as I can.

Uncle Budd's stories sparked my imagination and curiousity, especially about birds, though I still remember fondly the enthusiastic conversations about UFOs, Von Daniken's latest book, or the great beauty of Zha Zha Gabor! His great sense of humor, and hearty laugh, was infectious.

It is part of the job of a godfather to guide their godchild through life in some way. I was very lucky to have such an enthusiastic birdwatcher as my uncle and godfather, and he surely got me interested in birds, and influenced me greatly in my life, even though he probably didn't know he was doing it. At the age of 17, I saw my 300th life bird, a Yellow-headed Blackbird, in Uncle Budd's backyard. I now realize that it is very important for young people to have someone to spark their curiousity about the natural world, and I now try to do this myself whenver I can, whether it is doing programs on hummingbirds locally, or teaching the 4th graders in West Bloomfield about bird banding and the scientific method. I am grateful that Uncle Budd was a part of my life, and I'll miss him. I'm sure that now he's enjoying all of the birds in paradise. Here's one last musical piece from him. Goodbye Uncle Budd.

Uncle Budd playing One Last Goodbye