Jackson Birding News
Birding update
November 29, 2011
Another slow day for sandhill cranes at the Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary November 29 became more bearable when 22 tundra swans flew in from the west. With what sounded like two birds calling, the flock passed to within 1,000 feet of the observation hill before heading out to the northeast, into the teeth of the cold, 10 –15 mph wind.
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November 21, 2011
Counting Sandhill Cranes at the Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary tonight, November 21, was an easy task again. Only 17 cranes flew in to roost while 313 flew past without landing.
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Saturday, November 5, 2011
Submitted by Don & Robyn Henise
In the morning we checked out a few of the lakes in eastern Jackson County. Gilletts Lake held 4 Common Goldeneye, 2 Bufflehead and a female Red-breasted Merganser. Grass Lake had 2 Lesser Scaup and 2 Horned Grebes. Thorn/Watkins Lake had its normal large raft of Ring-necked Ducks - probably a couple thousand today - along with 500+ Canada Geese, 15 Gadwall, 3 Northern Shovelers, 20 Canvasback, 10 Redhead, 5 Lesser Scaup, 40+ Ruddy Ducks and 20+ Hooded Mergansers.
We spent the afternoon and evening at Heahnle ...
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Whooping Crane Spoted
October 31, 2011
around 7:45 AM or so in the area of Musbach and Territorial Rd -with a group of sandhills. They were in one field then flew to another. I (Diane) observed them for about 1/2 hour or so before they flew off to fields out of sight and away from the road."
If you're intersted in seeing Diane's photos please visit our Facebook page www.Facebook.com/JacksonMichigan or visit Diane on Flickr.
It is belived the Whooping Crane photographed is 37-07.
Sandhill Crane Counts
October 31, 2011
A few good bird sightings brightened a potentially dull and boring sandhill crane count at the Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary tonight (Monday, October 31). Only 32 sandhills flew into the sanctuary’s Mud Lake marsh to roost and another 18 flew past without stopping.
In the brush beyond the sanctuary’s prairie, though, we had great looks at fox sparrows in two spots, a gray catbird, and a sharp-shinned hawk. A merlin flew overhead to the west and an unidentifiable accipiter on a high-speed final approach glided overhead from behind us. Probably over 1,000 blackbirds chattered in the trees on the near side of the marsh. The clouds thinned for a few minutes around 6:15 pm. to let the sun cast a faint orange color on the marsh vegetation and the far side treetops.
The meager crane numbers were frustrating because hundreds lounged in nearby fields, including roughly 500 cranes at the southwest corner of Bunkerhill and Coon Hill roads and about 150 on the east side of Hawkins Road just south of the Portage River.
Birds seen: Canada goose, trumpeter swan, wood duck, gadwall, American wigeon, American black duck, mallard, Northern shoveler, Northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, red-tailed hawk, merlin, American coot, sandhill crane, ring-billed gull, red-bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, Northern flicker, blue jay, American crow, black-capped chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, Eastern bluebird, American robin, gray catbird, cedar waxwing, American tree sparrow, field sparrow, fox sparrow, Northern cardinal, red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, and purple finch. Calls heard of unseen birds: Great horned owl and Eastern towhee.
Counters: Gary Siegrist, Robyn and Don Henise, Mickey Kress
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For past Crane Counts click here.
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It's official: The peregrine falcons of downtown Jackson are expecting again
Published: Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 3:22 PM Updated: Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 4:35 PM
By Brad Flory | Jackson Citizen Patriot
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