In early May, we joined 9 other avid birdwatchers, several of them members of our former Audubon chapter, Sequoia Audubon Society of San Mateo County, for a delightful trip during Spring migration throughout upper and lower Michigan and southern Ontario. The trip was organized and led by Tom VandenBosch, who was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan where we began our birding. As we arrived from Trinidad and Tobago one day prior to the start of this planned trip, we explored downtown Grand Rapids. There we toured the Gerald Ford Presidential Library and walked between the numerous civic sculptures located on both sides of the Grand River.
This 54-foot-long, 43-foot-high, 42-ton sculpture by Alexander Calder which is called La Grande Vitesse (French for “the great swiftness” or “the grand rapids”) has an airy, soaring feeling despite its size. It was dedicated in 1969 in front of City Hall on a large plaza that has become known as Calder Plaza. It is but one of the many downtown sculptures in Grand Rapids.
This page is dedicated to our friend and 'fearless leader', Tom VandenBosch, who tried to bring the birds closer to us even if it meant being a 'bird feeder' as above.
Our first stop was actually to look at this porcupine, which Sue spotted. It proved to be a very good omen for us as the group saw 203 species during our time together with Sue spotting many of them!
The male Yellow Warbler was the most common Wood-warbler seen on our trip and Tom VandenBosch's 'favorite' bird: NOT! Nevertheless, they WERE stunning in their breeding plumage.
As Spring Migration coincides with the time when there is a plethora of wildflowers, we also enjoyed seeing them, especially Jack-in-the Pulpits (above) and Trillium (below).
A male Rose-breasted Grosbeak peers back at Sarett Nature Center, one of our many stops near Benton Harbor on the first day.
A male Baltimore Oriole poses before going for the orange pulp at a Sarett Nature Center feeder.
Two male American Goldfinches enjoy niger from a Sarett feeder, too.
A female Red-bellied Woodpecker drills for insects.
A male Chestnut-sided Warbler displays his field marks at Warren Dunes State Park.
After birding in the Jackson, MI area, we made our way through Detroit and across the international bridge into Ontario, Canada.
Using Windsor, Canada as our base for birding in Southern Ontario, we added many new species to our Life List during 3 days of birding there. This male Bay-breasted Warbler at Rondeau Park (a point of land sticking into Lake Erie like Point Pelee) was stunning.
A Palm Warbler was at Point Pelee during a minor 'fall-out' we experienced one day.
A cooperative Kirtland's Warbler was present at NW Beach on Point Pelee, also.
A Solitary Sandpiper walks down a branch in a bog at Rondeau.
A Swainson's Thrush hops up on a downed tree at Rondeau.
The barn at Hillman Marsh Conservation Area sported a LARGE Great Blue Heron. We saw numerous shorebirds nearby, including a rare for Michigan Glossy Ibis.
An American Robin had built a nest near the trail at Rondeau Park. She was still in the midst of laying, preparatory to incubating her eggs.
Back at Point Pelee, we saw many Orioles near the Nature Center, including this Northern (above) and Orchard (below).
A male Black-throated Blue Warbler poses momentarily near Pt. Pelee.
A male Red-breasted Merganser floated off-shore from Pt. Pelee.
Returning to the United States, we drove back through Detroit and northward in Michigan. After an overnight in Chesaning, we drove to Tobico Marsh where we saw this Gray-cheeked Thrush, whose ID was aided by Dean's digital photo. It was a Life Bird for several of us.
Continuing north, we spent 2 days in the Mio area. On the first day, we joined Joe for a ranger-led tour of the Jack Pine habitat for the endangered Kirtland Warbler, where we glimpsed several of the male birds singing as they attempted to establish territory.
We're standing in front of a forest of ~10 year-old Jack Pines. The Kirtland's Warbler nests on the ground in stands between 4 and 20 years of age. Historically, these stands of young jack pine were created by natural wildfires that frequently swept through northern Michigan. With people moving to more rural areas, modern fire suppresion programs altered this natural process. Compounded with an influx of Brown-headed Cowbirds, which parasitize the Kirtland's warblers, the number of birds plummeted. With active management of the habitat and cowbird trapping, the number of singing adult male Kirtland's Warblers has increased from a low of ~200 in 1970 to 1,415 this spring. This is one example where a scientific wildlife management program has worked.
A male Red-winged Blackbird displays his namesake shoulder patches in a bog near Mio.
Continuing north again the next day, we crossed the Mackinac Bridge (above) to the Upper Peninsula. There in the land of the Yoopers, we were told that people who live "under the bridge" (south) are known as TROLLS.
As we arose early and hurried through breakfast most mornings, we all looked forward to our picnic luncheons. This small park was located near Newberry, which was our base on the UP.
Columbine were also abundant, especially here on the Michigan Upper Peninsula.
Venturing up to the NE point of Michigan, we went to Whitefish Point where we visited the Bird Observatory, Museum and nearby Harbor. Above a Red Squirrel cleans up seed under the feeders at Whitefish Point.
At Whitefish Point, we saw numerous Blue Jays.
This somewhat testy Sharp-shinned Hawk harrassed the smaller birds coming into bird feeders at Whitefish Point, though we never saw it make a 'kill'.
A male Indigo Bunting perched patiently at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory.
A White-throated Sparrow proudly shows all of its 'field marks'.
A Lark Sparrow poses at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, also.
A Black-capped Chickadee opens a sunflower seed while keeping one eye open for the Sharp-shinned Hawk, too.
A Ring-billed Gull perches on old pilings at Whitefish Point.
Returning to Newberry one day, we visited Tahquamenon Falls State Park. Tahquamenon, the land of Hiawatha, is home to one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. The Upper Tahquamenon Falls (above) is 200 feet wide and drops nearly 50 feet. Four miles downstream is Lower Tahquamenon Falls (below), which is a series of five smaller falls cascading around an island. The amber color of the water is caused by tannin leached from the Cedar, Spruce and Hemlock trees in the swamps drained by the river. The water is extremely soft and when churned through the falls causes lots of foam.
This Yellow Trout Lily has mottled green and brown leaves.
A male Trumpeter Swan patrols near the island upon which his spouse is sitting upon a large nest at Seney Wildlife Refuge.
A male Eastern Bluebird peers back at the lens near Taylor Dam.
One afternoon, we ventured to Sault Ste. Marie and visited the Soo Locks, which are celebrating their 150th Anniversary this year . They consist of two canals and four locks. These allow vessels of many different types and sizes to safely traverse the 21-foot drop in elevation of the St. Mary's River between Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan and Huron.
A Canadian ore transport moves through one of the Soo locks as we watch.
The lock readies for another vessel.
A Gray Jay came begging during one of our stops driving back to Grand Rapids, MI.
A 1940's steam locomotive on tour enlivened our lunchtime in Cadillac, MI as both of the Tom's on our tour are railroading enthusiasts.
We enjoyed the fragrant Lily of the Valley at Howard Christian Nature Center.
These yellow wildflowers were striking on the forest floor.
A Field Sparrow hops along a path at Warren Dunes State Park.
A male Bobolink perches in a bright yellow bush after our ice cream stop at Sawyers'.
The final morning of our trip, we went to the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, MI where we enjoyed the tulips, birds and sculpture made possible by the Meijer family's success as a grocer in the Midwest.
The American Horse, 1998, by Nina Akamu pays homage to Leonardo da Vinci's Horse, a sculpture which had been destroyed before it was cast. Cast in bronze of more than 50 pieces, it is 24 ' high. We hope to visit its twin in Milan later this year at the planned site of Leonardo's original horse.
Jean-Marie Spoelman and Sue James inspect a miniature of The American Horse. Jean-Marie rode with us throughout this trip and added to our enjoyment of it.
Aria, 1983, by Alexander Liberman is painted steel. This 42 foot high work combines vertical elements that are linked by horizontal and diagonal forms as "Aria" means an elaborate melody sung by one voice.
Nancy Hay, whom we've traveled with on several continents, was joined near the end of our trip by her husband, Walt.
Julia, 1987, by Keith Haring, whose drawings we've enjoyed, is made of painted aluminum. Following lunch at the Taste of the Gardens Cafe, we caught our flight to Iowa to visit family and friends. We added many new Wood-warblers to our Life List and enjoyed birding with this group very much. Thank you, Tom!
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