13 April 2016 Birding Along the Shore

While we've been together we've developed and left behind a few traditions. Visiting Sheldon Marsh to look for migrating birds each spring has been something we have done each year since 2003. It has been a day to be together. It has expanded a bit over the years as we have added other potential birding spots as stopping points on the trip. Old Woman Creek has become the first stop on our way. There were no eagles to see today, but an egret, a heron, many blue teals, and a few brown creepers were there for our walk. The blue teals were in a feeding frenzy constanly drifting and diving the same path through the water. Old Woman Creek

Last year we made a geocaching stop at Nickel Plate Beach in Huron. We were pleasantly surprised with an abundance of ducks and song birds. Today the water was much rougher and the stop yielded no birds. Nickel Plate Beach

Sheldon Marsh There's always something to see at Sheldon Marsh in the spring. The mix can include turtles, ducks, egrets, herons, song birds, and once even an eagle. Turtles and some ducks are always a given. This year there were only distant egret sightings and no herons.

The ducks this year were many and varied from northern shovlers to wood ducks.

Eagle Point Our last stop was Erie MetroParks' Eagle Point. We've been spoiled here with a steady viewing of eagles, but this year was special with the opportunity to see three different immature bald eagles perched and in flight. We have seen two in day in the past, but three was a pleasant surprise. We were also treated to a couple bonus teals on the pond.