Date sent: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 11:30:14 EST From: "Clarence E. Chrisp" To: mich-listers@envirolink.org Subject: Eared Grebe An Eared Grebe was first sited by Daniel Blower on Ford Lake in North Bay Park, Washtenaw County on Sunday the 31st. Several other birders and myself verified the presence of the bird yesterday September 1st. It could not be located early Monday morning so it may have moved on. This is only the second record for Washtenaw County. North Bay Park can be located by following Highway 94 to exit 183 and going south on Whittaker Road. The entrance to the park is within 0.5 mile on the left but poorly marked to you may have to turn around and come back the other way to find it. Park in the parking lot and hike down to the boardwalk which goes around a large pond connected with the lake. There is an observation tower on the right at the south end and a series of islands connected by bridges on past the tower. The bird was in Ford Lake near the first bridge and very easily observed. I hope it hasn't left so more people can see it. Clarence Clarence Chrisp Unit for Laboratory Medicine University of Michigan Medical School Ph 313-764-0277 Fax 313-936-3235 I'm for the birds. Date sent: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 13:55:50 -0500 To: birders@umich.edu From: charless@umich.edu (Charles Swift) Subject: Horned Grebes, RB Mergansers, others Still a fair number of Common Goldeneye but they should be moving north soon. Also a good number of gulls here and LOTS of gulls on the next lake downstream from Bellville Lake in Wayne Co. This was seen from I-94 - I didn't stop. Also finally saw a Turkey Vulture yesterday! Charles. ---------------------------- Charles Swift 313/936-0273 Departmental Database Systems University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan charless@umich.edu ---------------------------- Date sent: Sat, 1 Mar 1997 19:30:58 -0500 (EST) To: birders@umich.edu From: Charles Swift Subject: Bellville & Ford Lake waterfowl About 8 Horned Grebes and a Red-breatsted Merganser at Ford Lake last evening seen from Loonfeather Park on the north side of the lake off Grove St. Also scaup, Redheads, Canvasback, and other usual divers for this time of year. Chas. 3-17-97 I birded Bellville Lake (western Wayne Co.) and Ford Lake (eastern Washtenaw Co.) late this afternoon. Both have large patches of open water - more on Bellville. About 500 individuals of 13 species of waterfowl and 800-1000 gulls were on the 2 lakes with most on Bellville but I did find an immature Double-crested Cormorant on Ford Lake which I am guessing is an early spring date for Washtenaw Co. I also stopped at Geddes Pond on the way home which was fairly devoid of birds in contrast to what Sarah & John saw there this morning - no doubt due to large number of people out enjoying the warm afternoon. Bellville Lake is best viewed from High St. and Huron River Dr. between the town of Bellville and Rawsonville Rd. A scope is very helpful here. Most of the birds at Ford Lake were at North Bay Park at the west end of the lake which is just off Michigan Ave. south of I-94. Bellville Lake Mute Swan Canada Goose Gadwall - 20 Canvasback - 4 Redhead - 25 ** Ring-necked Duck - 6 Lesser Scaup - 20 Common Goldeneye - 100 Common Merganser - 250 Red-breasted Merganser - 1 Gulls - 800+ mostly Herring but a number of Ring-billed Gulls mixed in with the bunch, most were too far even w/ scope so other gulls could be present Great Black-backed Gull - 1 adult ** Ford Lake Double-crested Cormorant - 1 imm. on small island noth of North Bay "lagoon" Mute Swan Canada Goose Mallard Black Duck - 2 Bufflehead - 3 Great Black-backed Gull - 1 1st winter in north bay "lagoon", huge black bill! Charles.