Joe Soehnel & Craig Schafer

1/7/2017

Mute Swan 33
Gadwall 12
American Wigeon 1
American Black Duck 16
Mallard 1250
Northern Pintail 22
Canvasback 2
Redhead 15
Ring-necked Duck 2
Greater Scaup 83
Lesser Scaup 1
Common Goldeneye 750
Hooded Merganser 20
Common Merganser 280
Pied-billed Grebe 5
Double-crested Cormorant 6
Great Blue Heron 2
Northern Harrier 2
Bald Eagle 72
Herring Gull 8

Wood Duck 1
American Coot 1

Karn Plant, BA
(Restricted Access)

Middlegrounds, BA

5 Comments

Peggy Ridgway

1/7/2017 11:54:52 am

Was that really 72 Bald Eagles? Wow !! Almost like Alaska ;-)

Joe S.

1/7/2017 08:16:08 pm

Numbers built incredibly well with the sudden plunge in temps that congregated them near the Consumer's 'hot pond'. Carefully counted major groups in cottonwood trees to the east (14), along the far ice edge (42) and the cottonwoods on Windy Point to the west(16). This total was done within a five minute time period to ensure there was no double counting.

Holly J.

1/9/2017 08:26:43 am

Hi Joe,

I recently was in the Bay City area to do some birding and was refused entry at the Karn Plant. Do you know when it will be opened back up to the public for birding?

Joe S.

1/10/2017 03:04:48 am

Consumer's has not allowed birders to come into the Karn Plant property since 9/11. As I've led community education groups through the Karn Plant on bird seminars and have been birding there for over thirty years, they finally allowed me to come back in some time around 2005.

The "Hot Ponds", the area of open water on the Saginaw Bay, can be accessed by parking at the north end of Jones Rd in Hampton Twp and walking roughly a half mile to the open water. Fishermen have created a path through the phragmites to fish on the open water. Keep in mind, though, that this requires walking on ice that may be subject to breaking up with mild stretches of weather.

Holly J.

1/11/2017 09:40:20 am

Ok thank you for the response. I am familiar with the Jones Rd. terminus area. I will definitely heed your advice regarding the ice as well.

Joe Soehnel & Craig Schafer

Leave a Reply.

Archives