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Rouge River Bird Observatory |
April 2004:
30 Apr: Lots of White-crowned Sparrows, Gray Catbirds, and Common Yellowthroats around today, and new arrivals Indigo Bunting, Northern Waterthrush, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, and Wood Thrush.29 Apr: New arrivals today were Great Crested Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Baltimore Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Warbling Vireo, and one or two Orchard Orioles (new early date for them). The Cerulean Warbler was refound, as well as a different Prothonotary Warbler.
28 Apr: Two Eastern Wood-Pewees were banded today, and two Eastern Kingbirds were also seen. These are both early dates. A Chimney Swift was also found, and the first Nashville Warbler in east Dearborn.
26 Apr: A Lapland Longspur was a flyover.
24 Apr: Along the concrete channel of the Rouge River, Cliff Swallows have returned. A Greater Yellowlegs was also found, more common here in fall.
23 Apr: An early Cerulean Warbler was found today. The Blue-winged Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, and (presumably the same) Lincoln's Sparrow were also all present.
22 Apr: Both the Blue-winged Warbler and Prothonotary Warbler were relocated today. Look for the Prothonotary on the west side of the lake about midway between the north and south ends; it forages very close to the water. New arrivals today included Gray Catbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Palm Warbler, and Ovenbird.
21 Apr: Both the Lincoln's Sparrow and Prothonotary Warbler were relocated today. A Blue-winged Warbler was a new early date. The first Blue-headed Vireo and Purple Finches were seen. Sparrows were everywhere -- many White-throated Sparrows and Swamp Sparrows, and lesser numbers of Field Sparrows and newly arrived White-crowned Sparrows.
20 Apr: A Lincoln's Sparrow was found on the survey today (a new early date). A Prothonotary Warbler was seen by the north end of the lake.
19 Apr: The first really warm weather of spring brought in a spate of new migrants over the weekend. Today the first Black-throated Green Warbler was found. A Common Loon flew over, and a Rusty Blackbird was singing by the lake.
On 18 Apr, Northern Rough-winged Swallows, a Green Heron, and a Spotted Sandpiper were along the Rouge River channel. On campus, the first Pine Warblers and Black-and-white Warblers were found. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and Broad-winged Hawks were found on 17 Apr; a number of Broad-wings were seen migrating over the weekend.
The highlight of the year so far was Dearborn's first Varied Thrush, found near Edsel Ford High School on the evening of 16 Apr. Despite much searching, it was not relocated over the weekend. This is Dearborn's 256th species, and the third record for Wayne Co.
15 Apr: Banding began today for the spring season, and the only new arrival banded was a Swamp Sparrow. Other new migrants included Barn Swallow and Savannah Sparrow on the Rouge River channel.
12 Apr: The first Ruby-crowned Kinglet was on campus today.10 Apr: The immature Peregrine Falcon was seen at the Ford Rouge plant again today. A Brown Thrasher was along the Rouge channel along with two Great Egrets.
9 Apr: A Bonaparte's Gull and over 300 Double-crested Cormorants were at the Ford Rouge Plant.
6 Apr: Our resident Northern Mockingbird was seen again in the brush dump today.
5 Apr: The first Chipping Sparrow of the season was noted on campus today.
3 Apr: Double-crested Cormorants were on the Rouge River today. An Eastern Meadowlark was along the Rouge channel; they used to nest there but increased development seems to have prevented them from nesting the last few years. An immature Peregrine Falcon was seen at the Ford Rouge plant. A Rusty Blackbird was at the sunflower field at Southfield and Hubbard, perhaps the same one that wintered at the nearby field at Michigan and Mercury. An Eastern Towhee was on campus yesterday.
March 2004:
30 Mar: A Winter Wren was singing on campus today.
29 Mar: A Field Sparrow is found on campus.
28 Mar: Two Horned Grebes were at the Ford pond at Beech and Oakwood today, and two more were along the Rouge River channel near Rotunda. We have only a handful of records for this species. Also at the Ford pond were several Hooded Mergansers and a Pied-billed Grebe. Tree Swallows have returned to nesting locations along the Rouge River channel, where both an American Woodcock and Wilson's Snipe were also found, the snipe being an increasingly difficult bird to find in the city. An Eastern Phoebe was on campus, one was also found along the Rouge channel. Five White-crowned Sparrows were found at the sunflower field on Michigan Avenue, where they overwintered. A Common Redpoll was at an east Dearborn feeder.
27 Mar: The first Golden-crowned Kinglets of the season were widespread today.
26 Mar: Migrant Fox Sparrows have returned to Dearborn.
20 Mar: An Eastern Bluebird was seen along the Rouge River channel today.
12 Mar: Two Wood Ducks were on Fairlane Lake, and two Ring-necked Ducks were on the Ford ponds at Oakwood and Village Road. Yesterday, four American Crows flew over campus -- crow sightings are notable in Wayne Co. the last year!
8 Mar: Dearborn's first Turkey Vulture of the spring was seen today.
6 Mar: A Northern Harrier was seen over campus.
4 Mar: Three Sandhill Cranes flew over campus.
2 Mar: Eight Tundra Swans flew over campus today.
1 Mar: A single Common Redpoll visited the feeders today on campus.
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