Chris Izworski's daily Michigan birding report focuses on Kent County this morning, where 126 species have been logged over the past two weeks and the breeding season is in full swing. The activity has been steady and concentrated, with Plaster Creek Trail between 28th Street and Division Avenue serving as the epicenter for most observations. American Robins dominate the count at 61 individuals as of today, followed closely by House Sparrows at 59. The typical cast of mid-June breeding residents rounds out the top sightings: Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Cedar Waxwings, Black-capped Chickadees, and Tufted Titmice are all present in double figures.
Notable sightings and recent activity
The more interesting reports have come in over the last few days. Two Northern Mockingbirds showed up at Hodenpyl Woods on June 18, a noteworthy find that warrants attention if you are working your Kent County list. That location sits at 204 species all-time and remains one of the county's most productive spots. Byron Lakes produced a Common Loon on June 17, not unusual for this time of year, but also turned up two Ruddy Turnstones on June 16, which is more notable for an inland lake setting in mid-June. That same location has held Purple Martins at seven individuals, a breeding species worth tracking.
The tern activity at Plaster Creek Trail deserves mention. Eight Forster's Terns were observed on June 15, which suggests that the creek corridor is maintaining sufficient water levels and invertebrate populations to support tern foraging. A Purple Finch appeared at Bissell HQ on June 15, and a Northern Parula was logged at Dolan Nature Sanctuary on the same date. These are the sort of secondary spring migrants or early nesting confirmations that keep mid-June birding interesting in Kent County. Two Brewer's Blackbirds at 84th and Wilson in the celery flats on June 14 round out the week's better sightings.
Today's conditions and timing
Today will be partly sunny with a high of 69 degrees and westerly winds at 14 to 17 miles per hour. The chance of rain sits at 4 percent. The dawn chorus window runs from 5:32 AM to 7:32 AM, though we are past the peak of breeding bird vocalizations that occurred in early June. The long day length of 15 hours and 22 minutes means birding opportunity extends well into evening, with sunset not coming until 9:23 PM. Tomorrow looks even better: sunny skies, 72 degrees, and lighter winds of 6 to 15 mph from the northwest.
Where to focus today
Plaster Creek Trail remains the obvious choice given the concentration of sightings there over the past two weeks. The species diversity and sheer numbers of birds recorded at that location suggest it is holding good habitat and attracting good birds. Reeds Lake, the county's all-time leader with 235 species recorded, is worth revisiting if you are looking for deeper diversity or want to check for any lingering shorebirds or less common waterfowl on open water. The all-time species counts at both locations are well above the county average, indicating that sustained effort there tends to produce results.
The recent mockingbird sightings at Hodenpyl Woods and the tern activity at Plaster Creek suggest that both riparian and open-water corridors are functioning well right now. If you plan an extended outing, splitting time between Plaster Creek and one of the lake-based hotspots would give you access to the widest range of habitat types and species.
For live updates, county species maps, and detailed location data, visit https://birding.chrisizworski.com.