Mio, Michigan, 19 - 20 May 2011

The purpose of this visit was to go on the Kirtland's Warbler trip in Mio State Forest. On the way up there I stopped in at Nayanquing Point Wildlife Area. The heavy rain made it tough to find stuff, but King Rail, 3 Least Bittern, American Bittern (heard only), 3 Black Terns, Caspian Tern, 15 Yellow-headed Blackbird, 6 Sandhill Crane, Marsh Wren, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Gadwall, Swamp Sparrow and Lincoln's Sparrow were all nice birds to see.

Ignoring warnings of the Apocalypse, I headed out with the rangers and was soon watching Kirtlands singing from the top of the Jack Pines. The birds were always quite distant, but at one point two males chased each other around in a territorial dispute and one landed in a Jack Pine quite close to me allowing me to get some photos off. We saw about 10 birds in all plus Clay-coloured Sparrow.

After the tour I headed out into the some other areas around Mio. Ruffed Grouse and Broad-winged Hawk were seen to the south of Mio and to the north-east a pair of displaying Upland Sandpipers were just east of the junction of West Kneeland and North Galbraith Rds.