Lake Michigan Lakefront
September 11, 2021
Saturday the 11th began in the mid 40s; by mid-afternoon, it was mid 80s. Six birders from the Fort Wayne area headed to the Lakefront, hoping to see birds that are seldom seen away from the lake. We began at Michigan City harbor, where were treated to a Peregrine Falcon chasing a Sanderling (it didn't catch it while we were there). We also so what was probably the bird of the day, a Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Michigan City Harbor, LaPorte, Indiana, US
Sep 11, 2021 9:15 AM - 10:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
11 species
Mallard 30
Ruddy Turnstone 1
Sanderling 8
Ring-billed Gull 300
Herring Gull 75
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 Larger than nearby Ring-billed Gulls. Back and wings dark gray, not black, white underparts. Yellow bill with small red spot on lower mandible. Yellow legs. Standing on breakwater, preening.
Double-crested Cormorant 45
Turkey Vulture 12
Peregrine Falcon 1
Barn Swallow 10
House Sparrow 1
We drove slowly down Beverly Drive. No surprises.
Beverly Shores--Beverly Drive Central, Broadway to Lake Shore County Road, Porter, Indiana, US
Sep 11, 2021 9:20 AM - 9:40 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
7 species
Canada Goose 5
Wood Duck 30
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 3
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 2
Barn Swallow 20
We stopped at Lake View in Beverly Shores, part of Indiana Dunes National Park, partly for the rest rooms. A couple of Red-breasted Nuthatches were our reward. We were becoming aware that the weather was bringing human occupents to the beaches.
Beverly Shores--Lakefront, Porter, Indiana, US
Sep 11, 2021 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
3 species
Ring-billed Gull 10
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
The feeders at the Nature Center in Indiana Dunes State Park had been put out only that morning after the hiatus, so feeder birds hadn't refound them yet; some others were visable in the surrounding woods. We also visited the beach there, finding more people and a flyover Merlin.
Indiana Dunes SP, Porter, Indiana, US
Sep 11, 2021 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
4.8 mile(s)
12 species
Chimney Swift 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Ring-billed Gull 40
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Merlin 1
Blue Jay 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Swainson's Thrush 1
Cedar Waxwing 4
American Redstart 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Pretty much all we saw at West Beach was at Long Lake.
Indiana Dunes NP--West Beach, Porter, Indiana, US
Sep 11, 2021 12:25 PM - 1:05 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
8 species
Wood Duck 15
Killdeer 1
Ring-billed Gull 2
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 4
Osprey 1
Palm Warbler 1
We made a stop at Marquette Park beach. Nothing was stirring and it was getting hot, so we headed for home.
Ed Powers
September 11, 2021
Saturday the 11th began in the mid 40s; by mid-afternoon, it was mid 80s. Six birders from the Fort Wayne area headed to the Lakefront, hoping to see birds that are seldom seen away from the lake. We began at Michigan City harbor, where were treated to a Peregrine Falcon chasing a Sanderling (it didn't catch it while we were there). We also so what was probably the bird of the day, a Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Michigan City Harbor, LaPorte, Indiana, US
Sep 11, 2021 9:15 AM - 10:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
11 species
Mallard 30
Ruddy Turnstone 1
Sanderling 8
Ring-billed Gull 300
Herring Gull 75
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 Larger than nearby Ring-billed Gulls. Back and wings dark gray, not black, white underparts. Yellow bill with small red spot on lower mandible. Yellow legs. Standing on breakwater, preening.
Double-crested Cormorant 45
Turkey Vulture 12
Peregrine Falcon 1
Barn Swallow 10
House Sparrow 1
We drove slowly down Beverly Drive. No surprises.
Beverly Shores--Beverly Drive Central, Broadway to Lake Shore County Road, Porter, Indiana, US
Sep 11, 2021 9:20 AM - 9:40 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
7 species
Canada Goose 5
Wood Duck 30
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 3
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 2
Barn Swallow 20
We stopped at Lake View in Beverly Shores, part of Indiana Dunes National Park, partly for the rest rooms. A couple of Red-breasted Nuthatches were our reward. We were becoming aware that the weather was bringing human occupents to the beaches.
Beverly Shores--Lakefront, Porter, Indiana, US
Sep 11, 2021 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
3 species
Ring-billed Gull 10
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
The feeders at the Nature Center in Indiana Dunes State Park had been put out only that morning after the hiatus, so feeder birds hadn't refound them yet; some others were visable in the surrounding woods. We also visited the beach there, finding more people and a flyover Merlin.
Indiana Dunes SP, Porter, Indiana, US
Sep 11, 2021 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
4.8 mile(s)
12 species
Chimney Swift 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Ring-billed Gull 40
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Merlin 1
Blue Jay 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Swainson's Thrush 1
Cedar Waxwing 4
American Redstart 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Pretty much all we saw at West Beach was at Long Lake.
Indiana Dunes NP--West Beach, Porter, Indiana, US
Sep 11, 2021 12:25 PM - 1:05 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
8 species
Wood Duck 15
Killdeer 1
Ring-billed Gull 2
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 4
Osprey 1
Palm Warbler 1
We made a stop at Marquette Park beach. Nothing was stirring and it was getting hot, so we headed for home.
Ed Powers