Diario de ryanlaruffa

Recently I went on a trip with some friends to bird at many great hotspots in Ottawa, Michigan. Our main targets of the day were waterfowl and shorebirds, both of which we found many of.

Our first stop was at Holland State Park, where we were delighted to a mixed flock of Bairds, Least, and Semipalmated Sandpipers. Alongside those was a young Herring Gull that let us get close while it was feeding.

Our next stop was Window at the Waterfront, where there weren't any shorebirds, but plenty of mallards and wood ducks. The coolest find there was a female Redhead, a species we don't see very often this early in the season. While some of us rested, I took the time to weed through some flowers and found a couple bluets (I unfortunately couldn't catch to ID), as well as a Buffalo Treehopper, which I had never seen before.

Our last stop was Muskegon Wastewater, which was by far the most busy location. We immediately were bombard with a mixed flock of shorebirds in one of the drainage ditches, which consisted of Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers, and a single Long-billed Dowitcher (a lifer!)
During the drive along with lakes, we must've seen 10, maybe 15 Eastern Meadowlarks in the road, which was crazy for me since I'd only ever seen one here. Since I hadn't gotten a photo of one before, I snapped a solid 0-star photo before we drove away.

While it was a great trip with plenty of lifers for my sister, it didn't make too much of a dent in my year list. I'm planning on going again before the month ends while I still have momentum. With luck, before shorebird season ends, I'll get my lifer Golden-plovers (I'm still missing both), Pectoral Sandpiper and Stilt Sandpiper. Best case scenario, I find a Buff-breasted, my favorite shorebird species. Leave it to luck, I guess.

Very excited to put my shorebird skills to the test this fall. Traveled to Holland SP to try and bag Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers, both species I still need for this year. While the Semipalmated was gone by the time I arrived, a Sanderling had taken its place. Completely unafraid of people, it didn't mind foraging in the rocks where hundreds of people were walking.

My sister (who has an ebird account but not an iNat profile) loves these guys, so I'm trying to help her get her list up this season. She had already spotted a Sanderling with my friends and I at Tawas Point last spring, but it was in breeding plumage then. Took this opportunity to explain how the paleness of this species is a very useful field mark.

While the Sanderling wasn't a lifer for her, two Least Sandpipers were. My initial plan was to scan the rocks at the pier we walked at for shorebirds, but considering the amount of people present today, I realized most would be on the pier parallel to us (where people couldn't walk).

I had experience scanning the further pier with my scope when looking for ducks, but looking for shorebirds is a whole other game. After scanning a couple of times, I found two peeps foraging among the rocks. Being so tiny and so far away, it was going to be a hard call whether or not they were Semipalmated or Least. Thankfully, they began to walk on the pier itself, and I got a better look at them. I could just barely make out a couple of field marks, but it was enough where I was confident to call it. They stuck around a little bit, and I was able to show my sister, who added a new shorebird to her life list that day.

An American Copper escaped containment. Took me about 15 long minutes to get it back. Knew it was gonna happen at some point, but I figured it would've happened with damselflies first. I think it would've been funnier if I had let a swallowtail in the house and not tell anyone.

Anyway, I've gotta hand it to the original etymologists and naturalists that figured out species of insects because if it came down to me, I would've left everything as one big complex. How did they figure out Eastern Forktails can look bright, neon green and orange at the same time? You're telling me this thing isn't an Orange Bluet? Can't take it anymore. 84 degrees with biting flies everywhere, and I'm supposed to be enjoying this? Why couldn't I just stick to birds?

The Eastern Amberwing was pretty cool, though.

I need to stop catching damselflies inches away from spiders. Two different species jump-scared me while I was handling bluets.

I know next to nothing about them, but I'm certain as long as they keep jumping out at me I'll rack up a decent spider list before the end of the year.