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| Will Weber, Allen Chartier, April Campbell, Spence Vanderhoof at Erie Marsh. Image courtesy of Guadalupe Cummins |
Sunday, December 18, 2022 marked the 53rd Monroe, MI Christmas Bird Count. The count coincided with the 123rd National Audubon Society CBC. This year's count took place under cloudy skies, light snow and cold winds blowing from the WSW at 5 - 15 mph. Inland waters were mostly frozen while moving waters (Lake Erie, canals and rivers) were mostly open. Twenty-seven hardy souls braved the dark skies, snow and wind to tally 33,508 birds of 78 species.
My day started at 6:30 am when Pat Rydzewski and Tom Mulcrone arrived at the house for a day that would cover Area 4 of the count circle and the Monroe Power Plant. For the first time in forever we'd start the power plant survey at 10 am instead of noon. And, since Area 2 participants (Allen Chartier and company) would be starting their count at Erie Marsh, I offered to survey Lake Erie from the location of the (former) JR Whiting Power Plant first thing in the morning. So, Pat, Tom and I picked up a quick breakfast at McDonalds and headed to the foot of Erie Rd. in southern Monroe at 7:30 am.
Despite spotting scopes the skies were too dark to differentiate most of the ducks covering the waters of Lake Erie. Most were Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead and Common Mergansers but all we could do was count the many rafts of "ducks" that numbered 7000+. Several Bald Eagles were the first identifiable birds of the day while hundreds of mostly Ring-billed Gulls swirled overhead. We were able to identify one Great Black-backed Gull on the water.
We then headed to Luna Pier where thousands more ducks awaited us on Lake Erie. Luckily, they were much closer and more readily identifiable: Lesser Scaup (4700), Common Goldeneye (1500+), Bufflehead (250+), Mallard (200+), Canada Geese (300+) and Common Mergansers (300+). Several Bald Eagles, a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Greater Black-backed Gulls made the bitings winds worth braving.
With light snow falling we only had a short time before heading to the DTE Monroe Power Plant so we drove through the town of Luna Pier expecting to pick up hundreds of European Starlings and House Sparrows. We saw none. Surrounding fields were also conspicuously absent of passerines like cardinals, chickadees, and even mourning doves. Luckily, our luck would improve once we arrived at the power plant.
As we pulled into the small natural area parking lot just before the plant entrance I spotted a pair of Black-crowned Night Herons through the fence. The birds were roosting along the near bank and were visible only through breaks in the vegetation. Patricia got out of the car to see if any pics were possible, but could only count them as they flushed from their morning roost. 17 birds total!
As we drove into the plant I spotted the first 2 of 12 Great Egrets along the west shore of the warm-water discharge canal. Overhead the first of dozens of Bald Eagles soared.
Pat, Tom and I arrived at the parking lot inside the DTE Monroe Power Plant and met Mike Kozlowicz, maintenance engineer, who would be our host for the morning survey. We were soon joined by Todd and Karen Palgut and Justin Labadie. Together we all piled into Mike's van and drove around to the intake canal off of the Raisin River. An American Coot was among a dozen Mallard inside the intake.
We began to count Bald Eagles as soon as we reached the Raisin River. Out along the Lake Erie Shoreline the waters were relatively quiet. As we scoped the waters I spotted a Common Loon swimming several hundred yards away. Behind us near the coal piles the warehouse roof held a half-dozen Great Black-backed Gulls.
Out at the mouth of the warm-water discharge canal we got out and walked. While Pat and Tom counted Bald Eagles I counted Double-crested Cormorants roosting along the far shore; 1200+!!!!
After surveying the canal we drove over to the fly-ash Onsite. There we surveyed the woods near Plum Creek and found dozens of Great Blue Herons, Bonaparte's Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, more Bald Eagles, and the first passerines of the morning: White-throated Sparrows and American Tree Sparrows. While tromping through the woods Todd commented on the number of American Lotus pods scattered throughout the woods; they were a long way from the lotus beds along Plum Creek.
We then drove up onto the burm and found almost 200 Hooded Mergansers swimming among dozens of Gadwall, American Black Duck and Mallard in the large lake. Out in the flats a Northern Harrier was cruising the phragmites looking for a meal.
After lunch Pat, Tom and I returned to Luna Pier to look for a Long-tailed Duck that was reported yesterday. Though we would strike out Justin found 2 a short time after we left. We would drive around the rest of the area looking for anything with wings. Lucky for us we spotted several Northern Harriers in the fields.
With light waning we packed up and headed to dinner at the Michigan Bar and Grill in Monroe. We would catch up with the rest of the CBC participants and share sightings.
Area 2 participants Allen Chartier, Will Weber, April Campbell, Guadalupe Cummins and Spence Vanderhoof started their day at Erie Marsh. Highlights for them included 297 Green-winged Teal flying in tight murmurations below 700+ scattering Gadwall from the sulfur ponds. They also had 3 Sandhill Cranes and 6 late-season Killdeer. Allen was asked to submit separate lists from multiple locations, so he shared his eBird lists from each: https://ebird.org/tripreport/92466?view=checklists
Two Carolina Wrens, 7 American Kestrels and 60 Horned Larks were the highlights of Dennis and Kathy Rohmyer, and Renee Conklin in Area 3.
Ethan Urban found a Chipping Sparrow among numerous Dark-eyed Juncos at the cemetery in Area 4.
Karen Wade photographed a juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker in Area 5. Anne Smith, Jackie Copeland and Dave Mendus all agreed it was the highlight of their day.
Bobby Irwin and Justin Labadie both found the flock of American White Pelicans that were initially pointed out to us by Mike Kozlowicz at the Monroe Power Plant. Though we missed them, Justin was able to report a flock of 9 birds near Sterling State Park. A Horned Grebe was also a nice find.
A Pileated Woodpecker was the highlight for Bob Pettit, Brant Georgia, and Larry Ludwicki in Area 7.
John and Kathy Flora, and Dan Schwab in Area 8 get credit for finding the majority of passerines that appeared to disappear from the count circle on this cold, windy and snowy day.
Once again we appreciate the efforts of the participants for braving the cold and wind to help make this Christmas Bird Count another success!
Below is the breakdown from each Area. Note that we had a count-week Wilson's Snipe. Brian Beauchene found a flyover snipe at Erie Marsh on Monday, Dec 19th.
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