The first several trips I took in search of birds for my Big Year were forays into the field tied to other errands, which helped ease my guilt over driving all over the place to look for birds. My trip to Reeds Lake was done as a side trip to Lori's doctor's visit, at a facility a half mile from the lake. On January 8th, we combined a trip to Costco on the west side of Grand Rapids to a hunt for a Smew, a Eurasian merganser that had been reported on Allegan Lake, about 20 minutes farther south.
As with so many rarities, we found the Smew thanks to the group of birders already there with scopes and binoculars. At first it was hidden behind a dock, but came out within minutes, and I took some photos with my iPhone and scope (digiscoping). It is a species that is often purchased and bred by bird fanciers, and it is likely this is a bird that escaped from a collector rather than one that got here of it's own accord. If I was doing some sort of a formal list that would matter, but in this case I'm not going to sweat it too much. I also added Bonaparte's Gull at the lake, and an American Kestrel on a wire along Fruit Ridge Ave on the way home.
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| Smew, Allegan Lake, January 8 |
January 9th was the coldest day of the season (9°!), so we stayed home with fires blazing in the wood stoves. I wondered how the cold temps would affect the lakes in the area--one of the reasons we were able to see birds like the Smew is because it's been relatively warm here so far this winter. While highs in the 30's and lows in the 20's don't sound all that warm, it's still 5° to 10° above average for January, and it's been enough to keep lakes, most rivers, and even the shoreline and bays of Lake Michigan mostly ice free.
By January 10th the weather had warmed, and I had been alerted by a friend of a flock of Bohemian Waxwings--a totally new bird for me, one I'd been wanting to see for years--in the Pigeon River Country of Northeast Michigan. I think she was out looking for one of the elk herds the Vanderbilt area is famous for but found birds instead. Upon checking eBird I saw that this was near Inspiration Point, a known spot for waxwings as well as Pine Grosbeak, another not-so-easy-to-find Michigan bird. It was a three hour drive, but Grayling was right on the way, and I needed to restock prints at the AuSable Artisan Village, a gallery I had just rejoined in the fall. It was the perfect excuse to go look for birds.
After many detours and the GPS taking us down Forest Service two-tracks, or trying to take us down roads that literally no longer existed, we finally found the spot. I slowed as we neared the road for Inspiration Point because I could see birds flying all over the place. Across the road was a pullout, and I stopped before we reached it to get my gear and put some spikes on my boots, and there by the side of the road was a Pine Grosbeak, calling from a tree right next to the car. I pulled up into the turnout and saw the area lined with crabapple trees, still with fruit, and they were FULL of birds.
I parked the car near one tree and got out and stood in the open with my camera. The birds could not have cared less. They moved from tree to tree, eventually landing right next to the car where Lori had a clear view. They flew overhead and I could hear the sound of their wings.
This was only my second time seeing Pine Grosbeak, and I was able to get much better photos this time around (though I'd still like better). They are such gorgeous finches in raspberry and terra cotta, with those bold wingbars and blue-gray backs.
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| Male Pine Grosbeak, a Northern Michigan specialty |
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| Female Pine Grosbeak picking at crabapples. |
But the show stopper for me was the big flock of Bohemian Waxwings. In most places in Lower Michigan one sees Bohemian Waxwing as an individual or two mixed in with a flock of Cedar Waxwing. To find a flock of nothing but Bohemians was a bit overwhelming. I didn't know where to look, but settled on birds that were next to the car as the lighting was better for photos.
Oh my.
As we turned and headed for home (this time on actual, plowed roads!) we saw a Ruffed Grouse fly across the road. A moment later I realized there were several birds along the road near a little wetland where there were also crabapples. I tried stopping quickly and the anti-lock brakes kicked in, grinding and crunching and not really stopping us, even though I was only going about 10 miles an hour. We finally came to rest about 40 feet away, and I managed a few photos before the birds spooked and flew into the woods.
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| Ruffed Grouse heinie. |
We ended the day with three new species for the year, one lifer, and a boat-load of photographs. There were at least 50 waxwings in the flock and another 20 grosbeaks, and we counted seven grouse in the covey. Well worth the three hour drive!
Allegan Lake, Jan. 8
48) Smew (lifer)
49) Bonaparte's Gull
50) American Kestrel
Inspiration Point, Jan. 10
51) Pine Grosbeak
52) Bohemian Waxwing (lifer)
53) Ruffed Grouse
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