Joe Soehnel & Ryan Dziedzic

Greater White-fronted Goose 6 
Snow Goose  4     (1 blue morph)
Cackling Goose  1 
Canada Goose  2887
Trumpeter Swan  4  
Gadwall  12
American Black Duck  12
Mallard  207
Northern Pintail  23
Green-winged Teal  1
Redhead  11
Ring-necked Duck  4
Common Goldeneye  3
Common Merganser  48
Great Blue Heron  1
Northern Harrier  2
Bald Eagle  10
Red-tailed Hawk  13
Rough-legged Hawk  8 
Sandhill Crane  13
Killdeer  19
Ring-billed Gull  100
Herring Gull  40
Great Horned Owl  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  7
Northern Flicker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  5   
Peregrine Falcon  1  (Ryan only)
Brown Creeper  1
American Robin  41
European Starling  425
Lapland Longspur  137
American Tree Sparrow  29
Song Sparrow  5
Northern Cardinal  14
Red-winged Blackbird  155
Common Grackle  20
Brown-headed Cowbird  3

Shiawassee NWR, SA

This is my third year of conducting Integrated Waterbird Monitoring & Management Program (IWMMP) surveys for the refuge.  I've had many memorable outings with my weekly refuge surveys over the past two years but this year's inaugural survey is one of the most memorable kick-offs!  Click here if you'd like to know more about IWMMP.  Thanks to Ryan Dziedzic for assisting with this count!


I'm pasting in David Peters' message regarding the Wildlife Drive opening date.  

Permanent dates have recently been established for the Shiawassee NWR Wildlife Drive. Dates and times had been variable, and closures in May common, since the the drive was opened, but we have enough experience now to allow us to gauge the effects on wildlife, infrastructure, and other public use programs. Based on this, we have determined that the dates and times of Sunrise - Sunset,  June 1 through September 30, will allow the Wildlife Drive to function without undo negative impact on the before-mentioned aspects of the refuge and it's mission. Having these permanent dates will be a major benefit to Wildlife Drive visitors, many of who have been left confused and disappointed in the past. Of course, short-term closures within the otherwise open period; due to flooding, construction, etc.; will occur. These will be posted on the Refuge's website and Facebook page.