A Tricolored Heron showed up at Erie Marsh Preserve yesterday afternoon, and that's the kind of sighting that gets birders moving in Monroe County right now. This is a bird well out of range for the Lower Peninsula, and it's the standout find in a week when the marshes and impoundments of southern Monroe have been firing on all cylinders. The same location produced American Avocets, six birds on May 3, which is itself noteworthy for Michigan. If you have access to Erie Marsh during the open season (which runs through August 31), this is the moment to be there.
The marsh complex anchoring Monroe County's birding right now is holding serious numbers across multiple shorebird and waterfowl species. Dunlins are running 75 individuals at Erie Marsh, with Lesser Yellowlegs at 35 and Pectoral Sandpipers at 8. Over at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area, Ruddy Ducks are the dominant species at 98 birds, and Black-necked Stilts have been reliable with 8 sightings. American White Pelicans, 7 birds, are still moving through. Marbled Godwits and American Golden-Plovers round out the shorebird action. This is peak spring migration through the Lake Erie shoreline and its associated wetlands, and the numbers reflect it. The 194 species reported in the county over the past two weeks is a substantial count for early May.
Tree Swallows, 38 individuals at William C. Sterling State Park as of May 3, are settling into breeding habitat. Red-winged Blackbirds are present in lower numbers, 24 at Sterling, but that's expected as they establish territories. American Woodcocks, 13 birds reported at Petersburg State Game Area, should still be active if you want to find them near dawn. Horned Larks, 8 individuals from the Petersburg area, are still around the fields.
Two Brewster's Warblers, the Blue-winged x Golden-winged hybrid, have been reported at Petersburg SGA. That's the kind of find that rewards a close look at every small warbler you encounter. A Northern Mockingbird from Summerfield Road on May 3 is another piece of the rare bird jigsaw for the county.
The weather today is workable but deteriorating. You get full sun this morning with southwest winds at 14 to 20 miles per hour and a 75-degree high. The southwest flow will continue pushing migrants north, which is ideal timing. The dawn chorus window runs from 5:57 to 7:57 AM, so if you want to work warblers and other songbirds, get out early. Rain chances are low today at 19 percent, but tonight and tomorrow that picture changes entirely. Tomorrow brings thunderstorms and rain likely with a 60-degree high and west winds at 12. You'll want your time in the field done before midday today if you're serious about coverage.
If you have a permit for Pointe Mouillee, that's your primary target for waterfowl and shorebirds right now, with the Ruddy Duck concentration and consistent stilt and pelican presence. If you can access Erie Marsh, the Tricolored Heron makes that the must-visit location. For songbirds and a broader sampling, Sterling State Park has been steady with swallows, blackbirds, and warblers moving through. Get out early and beat the rain.
Check https://michiganbirdingreport.com for the live map and full county data.