Part of the Evening Grosbeak and Purple Finch irruption of fall 2020, the Common Redpolls have found their way to southeast Michigan.
The brown and white birds, smaller than a sparrow, have a distinctive red forehead patch, rosy breast (males) and streaked sides.Continue reading Photo of the Week: Common Redpoll, Unexpected Visitor from the North
When it comes to identifying scaup, a common duck seen in winter in southeast Michigan, I’m zero for two in the past two months.
I’ve photographed and identified the duck as a Greater Scaup, only to be gently reminded the bird I found was a Lesser Scaup.
They can be challenging to identify. Continue reading Photo of the Week: Lesser Scaup on a Wintry, Snowy Day
The black and white shorebird with long legs, short neck, and round head calmly grazed in the grass next to the parking lot, oblivious to the delighted birders who looked on from a distance through their binoculars and spotting scope. A Black-bellied Plover isn’t a rare occurrence at Howard Marsh Metropark on the southwestern shore… Continue reading Photo of the Week: Black-bellied Plover at Howard Marsh