Michigan Roots Birding

It has been awhile since I’ve set my alarm to 3:15 AM in order to get an early start on a chase bird. Perhaps, the first time I have done so this year. After doing a 2018 Big Year for the state of Michigan where I racked in exactly 300 species, I decided I would …

4th of July Weekend meant an extra day of birding. A couple great state rarities (Black-bellied Whistling-Duck and Lark Sparrow) were enticing me to chase, I held my stance and did not pursue them. Neither would be continental lifers. Instead, I aimed to up my species lists in the counties surrounding Van Buren. County Bird …

With the summer doldrums in full swing, my usual birding patches are predictable. Less activity means more time looking at other things! One of my favorite alternative critters to photograph are Dragonflies! I spent quite a bit of time photographing Dragonflies at two locations this weekend: MSU’s LTER Experimemtal Farm in Kalamazoo County and Wolf …

Semipalmated Plover – New Buffalo Harbor, MI While songbirds continue to raise their young, some shorebirds are already heading back to their wintering grounds. Although it won’t heat up until August, the unsuccessful breeders may get an early start. This year’s shorebird migration around the Great Lakes could get interesting. Lake water levels continue to …