Sandy Miner, wildlife rehabilitator, called for me to ID a bird that she had picked up on Wednesday, Feb 5th in the retention basin on the east side of Bay City Mall on Wilder Rd.  She took it in, fed it, and I went over this morning and found it to be a basic plumed Red-throated Loon.  We released the bird at the mouth of Consumer's Power discharge channel today, Feb 8th, at 1100 hrs.  Interestingly, the "Hot Ponds" are nearly frozen over with the exception of two or three small areas out on the bay that likely are remaining open due to the waterbirds that are swimming/feeding in these reduced open water areas.  

SNOWY OWL LOCATIONS:



Jasper Twp:  West Co. Line & Kent Rd; West County Line south of Laporte Rd; West County Line & Redstone Rd; Kent Rd between Coleman Rd & Lewis Rd.

Mount Haley Twp., MIDLAND: Laporte & Five Mile; Homer Rd just north of Tittabawassee Rd

Porter Twp., MIDLAND: Redstone Rd at Meridian

Jonesfield Twp., SAGINAW: Merrill Rd south of Dice Rd; Merrill Rd between Tittabawassee & Dice Rd

The Hot Ponds can be reached  from the north end of Jones Rd and then walk  twenty minutes through the phragmites marsh to get to the open water.  Ice fishermen have a nice trail through the marsh and you can also take the deeply frozen channel right off the parking lot along the edge of Consumer's dike.  You can also get to the discharge channel mouth of the hot ponds by walking to the very northeast corner of Consumer's property and connecting with a fisherman's path between the phragmites and the dike.

 Snowy Owl locations:  

1. 2 (Kent and West County Line (1); Kent and Lewis (1))
2. 2 (Meridian and Laporte (1); Laporte and 5 Mile (1))
3. 5  (Merrill south of Tittabawasse (1), Dice west of Merrill (1); Merrill north of Frost (1), Tittabawassee and Fenmore (2))