Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas II
Wayne Co.

Atlas results for 2004
Sixteen people submitted data for 2004 (Daryl Aspery, Dave Best, Tom Carpenter, Allen Chartier, Julie Craves, Paul Cypher, Andy Dettling, Dave Mendus, Joanne Mittlestat, Darrin O'Brien,Todd Palgut, Tom Pavlik, Walt Pawloski, Bill Rapai, Bruce Szczechowski, Clifton Tally, Judy Yerkey).

  The cumulative (2002-2004) totals for the county now stand at:
 

  • Number of species:  123 with codes of confirmed, probable, or possible.
  • Number of species confirmed: 89 (up from 78 in 2002).
  • New species added this year: 
  • Cattle Egret. A group of up to 17 birds, some in high breeding plumage, kept Walt Pawloski busy for a few weeks in June.  The birds were near Crosswinds Marsh (T4S R8E block 4) and Oakwoods Metropark (T4S R9E block 4).  Despite heroic efforts, evidence of nesting could not be found, and the birds disappeared in late June.
  • Chestnut-sided Warbler. A singing male in T4S R10E block 2 on 27 June was tantalizing.
  • Mourning Warbler.  Three territorial singing males, also in T4S R10E block 2, were present for most of the summer, but couldn't be elevated past "Probable."
  • Species that were elevated to "Confirmed" this year were:
  • Hooded Merganser.  First confirmed Wayne Co. breeding record in decades, maybe ever.  T1S R8E block 2.  Interestingly, this brood was in a large pond at a new subdivision complex.
  • Bald Eagle.  The pair at Crosswinds Marsh finally successfully raised chicks.  T4S R8E block 4.
  • American Kestrel
  • Sora
  • Eastern Screech-Owl.  Represents probably the earliest nesting for this species in Michigan, if not the Great Lakes, with an egg date estimated at 1 Februarly.  Dearborn, T2S R10E block 1.
  • Chimney Swift
  • Belted Kingfisher
  • Alder Flycatcher
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch.  Joanne Mittlestat had a brood in her Huron Twp. yard this year (T4S R9E block 4).  In addition, a pair was in Plymouth through the period (T1S R8E block 4) and a male in Wayne (T2S R9E block 3) was, too, but nests or young were not found.
  • Brown Thrasher
  • Eastern Towhee
  • Clay-colored Sparrow.  There has been at least one singing male Clay-colored Sparrow at Oakwoods Metropark (T4S R9E block 4) for several years.  This year, Walt Pawloski found a juvenile bird.
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • There are a total of 76 Atlas blocks in Wayne Co.  Fifty-one have received some coverage; 16 have received over ten hours.
  • Species recorded in most blocks: European Starling (38 -- and we haven't even really tackled all the Detroit blocks yet).  Runners up: American Robin (35), House Sparrow (34), Red-winged Blackbird (33), and Northern Cardinal and Common Grackle (32).
  • Species confirmed in the most blocks: European Starling (35).

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    After a review of various reports on nesting birds along the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair, including data from the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas project going on right now, it was decided that we have no evidence that Double-crested Cormorants, Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, or Forster's Terns are nesting on the Michigan side of the river or lake.  Sightings previously listed for these species have all been changed to "Observed" until stronger evidence is found.

    For more details: 
    -- View a complete list of species and the number of blocks they were found in
    -- Click on a quarter-township to view which blocks had which species

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