May 2007:
30
May:
A few lingering migrants are still around: Black-throated Green Warbler,
Magnolia Warbler, and Swainson's Thrush (today); Northern
Waterthrush and Blackpoll Warbler (yesterday).
25
May:
Migrants today included Blackpoll Warbler, Canada Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, Swainson's Thrush, Gray-cheeked Thrush, and Lincoln's Sparrow
(4) -- all banded; and Magnolia Warbler, Veery, and Common
Yellowthroat. Yellow-billed Cuckoos are heard daily.
21
May:
Two calling Sandhill Cranes flying over campus provides our only
date between mid-April and fall. Also late was a Peregrine Falcon
on the ledge of an office building at Fairlane Town Center.
White-throated Sparrow and Yellow-rumped Warbler were both recorded
today.
20
May:
Today, there were more birds around, though hardly enough to qualify as
a "wave" any year but this one. The most unusual was the number of Ruby-crowned
Kinglets. There were four on campus (including one singing) and two in
east Dearborn in the evening. The typical departure date for this species is
16 May, and our latest date is 22 May. White-crowned Sparrows usually
depart between 20-23 May, but today there were at least six on the survey, and
four were banded. White-throated Sparrows have a typical departure date
of 19 May, but several were on campus, and another in east Dearborn. Red-eyed
Vireos were also clearly around in higher numbers. Fourteen warbler
species were recorded today.
18 May:
A singing Connecticut Warbler was near the organic garden this
morning.
17 May:
Still ANOTHER Orchard Oriole was found on the concrete
channel of the Rouge River, this one a young male near Michigan Avenue (the
others have been older males).
16 May:
Slow-motion, Migration "Lite" continues. Today, the
first Philadelphia Vireo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and Yellow-bellied
Flycatcher were seen, otherwise...low numbers of a wide
diversity of species.
14 May:
Two flyover Bobolinks were unusual for campus. Yet
another Orchard Oriole was spotted in east Dearborn, hanging around a
Springwells Park feeding station with juicy oranges.
12 May:
The North American Migration Count was held today, with all of UMD
being covered. We had 80 species (20 warblers). The best bird was a briefly singing male
Cerulean Warbler at Fairlane Estate near the boat house. Overall, we had only one really good warbler flock.
Tennessee Warblers dominated, with 22 individuals for the day on campus.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, with 15 birds, was the only other warbler species with double-digit numbers. Incredible!
Yellow Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, and American Redstart are also still very scarce.
Empidonax flycatchers, with the exception of a few Leasts, were still absent, although an
Eastern Wood-Pewee showed up (first spring arrival).
An Orchard Oriole
was found along the Rouge River channel, two miles upstream from the one seen
on 7 May.
11 May:
No new arrivals today, but a singing Clay-colored Sparrow was in the organic
garden this morning. An Orchard Oriole was in east Dearborn.
10 May:
Looks like some more migrants arrived, with Mourning Warbler being a
new spring arrival. A Common Nighthawk, first of spring, was
reported from near Oakwood Hospital.
9 May:
Good diversity this morning before the rain, but numbers decreased since
yesterday, as some migrants probably kept moving on favorable conditions last
night. New arrivals today were Blackpoll Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, and
Gray-cheeked Thrush.
8 May:
Many new migrants arrived today. The highlight was a Prothonotary
Warbler at the south end of Fairlane Lake; it was not singing and could
not be relocated shortly after the initial sighting. A Red-headed
Woodpecker was in the Hickory Meadow. First-of-spring species were Red-eyed
Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Bay-breasted Warbler, Canada Warbler, and
Indigo Bunting. A Golden-winged Warbler was singing a song that
most resembled a Northern Parula or Prairie Warbler. There was a notable
increase in the numbers of Gray Catbirds, Lincoln's Sparrows, and --
for their third wave of spring -- White-crowned Sparrows. Off campus, American
Redstarts were found near Oakwood Hospital.
7 May:
A change in wind direction ushered in some migrants, but there was nothing
around in any abundance. A second-year male Orchard Oriole was
banded on campus, our second in 15 years; and an older male was found along
the concrete channel of the Rouge River. Otherwise, species composition
remained similar to the past several days, except there were many fewer Yellow-rumped
Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and White-crowned and
White-throated Sparrows.
6 May:
Strong east winds continue to impede much migration. Two Swainson's
Thrushes were banded today, and a Scarlet Tanager was also noted.
5 May:
Migrant numbers are diminishing. Green Heron, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and
Tennessee Warbler were new today, but few species are around in good
numbers. A Red-shouldered Hawk ties the late date for this species,
which is more often seen in fall.
4 May:
Another uptick in the numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers, but
otherwise only one or two good clumps of migrants. Chestnut-sided
Warbler was the only new arrival.
3 May:
Numbers of migrants were diminished today. Common Yellowthroat was
the only new arrival. Two Pine Warblers were also seen.
2 May:
An Osprey was around briefly this morning, and a Ruby-throated
Hummingbird today tied the campus early date. The first Spotted
Sandpiper was on the Rouge River channel. Species composition
was similar to yesterday.
1 May:
A Grasshopper Sparrow was in the community organic garden
this morning; this species is not common here and this is also a new early
date for Dearborn. There were many migrants around, with new arrivals that
included multiple Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Northern
Parulas, and Least Flycatchers. Also new were Veery,
Blackburnian Warbler, and Cape May Warbler. The most numerous
species were White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, and
Yellow-rumped Warbler, with more Nashville Warblers also in
evidence.
Apr 2007:
30 Apr:
There was not a huge increase in the number of migrants, with the northeast
winds, but Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, and
Lincoln's Sparrows (two banded and one seen) were new arrivals
today.
29 Apr:
The first Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, and Orange-crowned Warblers
were seen on campus today. Black-throated Green Warbler was found
in west Dearborn. A Common Loon was a flyover.
28 Apr:
Yellow Warbler, Warbling Vireo, and Great Crested Flycatcher
were the new arrivals today.
27 Apr:
Yesterday many migrants had cleared out, but today there was a marked increase
in Yellow-rumped Warblers. Among them were two Palm Warblers
and the first Blue-winged Warbler of the season. A White-crowned
Sparrow was a first near Oakwood Hospital.
24 Apr:
Many new spring arrivals today: Chimney Swifts, Blue-headed Vireo, Northern
Rough-winged Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Brown Thrashers, Black-and-White
Warbler, and Swamp Sparrow. The first Common Terns were seen
on the Rouge River channel. White-throated Sparrows were continued
numerous.
23 Apr:
The first Nashville Warbler was found today. There was a notable
influx of White-throated Sparrows, as well as a small increase in
Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.
22 Apr:
Three Wilson's Snipe were near the organic garden today; there are very
few records on campus.
17 Apr:
The first Savannah Sparrow of the season was found on the Rouge River
channel today.
16 Apr:
A pair of Lesser Scaup at the Ford Rouge Plant ties the late
date. They were keeping away from the 600 or so Double-crested
Cormorants gathered there.
11 Apr:
Things are in sort of a holding pattern with the cold weather. The
first Hermit Thrush was recorded today, and Fox Sparrows are
still present in good numbers, but otherwise much the same as they've been for
a week.
3 Apr:
A Ruby-crowned Kinglet today was a new arrival.
1 Apr:
Spring arrivals today included Eastern Towhee, Yellow-rumped
Warbler, and Great Egret. Six female Red-breasted
Mergansers were on the Rouge River channel, following up on the good find
on March 31. A pair of American Wigeon on a pond at the TPC Golf
Course was only the fourth Dearborn record.
