Our group of 24 gathered at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Green Bay on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 7:00 AM. We had partly cloudy skies and cool temperatures (48 degrees at the start) and a light to moderate wind from the west. Initially, on and near the lagoons, we spotted a GREAT BLUE HERON, GREEN HERON and a fairly cooperative BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON that landed in a nearby deadfall. MALLARDS were the predominate waterfowl on the pond, but also present were CANADA GEESE, WOOD DUCK, NORTHERN SHOVELER, BLUE-WINGED and GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and a couple of AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS. A couple of PIED-BILLED GREBES were also identified.
Field trip group gathers at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
Along the edges we spotted BELTED KINGFISHER, NORTHERN FLICKER and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, and later we encountered a family of SANDHILL CRANES that was hanging out with MALLARDS near the parking lot.
Along the trails near the big waterfall we observed a good number of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES in the pines, and a PHILADELPHIA VIREO provided some nice looks. We also spotted our first WARBLERS of the day -- CAPE MAY, BLACKPOLL, BAY-BREASTED and AMERICAN REDSTART.
As it turned out, the WARBLERS were in fairly short supply on this day (just 8 species), but we managed to find TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE, MAGNOLIA and WILSON’S, and we also had repeat observations of the previous species.
As it turned out, the only FLYCATCHERS we came across were EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, EASTERN PHOEBE and GREAT CRESTED, but we encountered a few WARBLING and RED-EYED VIREOS, as well as AMERICAN CROWS and BLUE JAYS. We heard the calls of a COMMON RAVEN, but they sounded like they were emanating from the Sanctuary’s display pens, so we didn’t add them to our checklist.
Bay-breasted Warbler by Matt Klemme
We had a little excitement when a MERLIN was spotted when it landed and perched in a nearby treetop. A small group of AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS also flew over, as did a few RING-BILLED and HERRING GULLS, some TREE SWALLOWS, and a long PURPLE MARTIN.
Around 10:00 our group drove over to Ken Euers Nature Area, where we walked out along the dike near the south end of the bay of Green Bay. Nice numbers of RING-BILLED GULLS and GREAT EGRETS were prominent, scattered about on the sparsely-vegetated mudflats, and a few CASPIAN TERNS were observed, along with a lone BONAPARTE’S GULL.
Also present were nice numbers of DUCKS, including WOOD DUCK, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARD, NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, REDHEAD and RUDDY DUCK. Also scattered around were a few COMMON GALLINULE and AMERICAN COOTS, and an immature BALD EAGLE appeared to be eating something on a distant log.
Bald Eagle (immature) by Tom Schultz
At one point, a NORTHERN HARRIER cruised past us over the marsh, as well as several AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, and a SOLITARY SANDPIPER fed on a nearby mudflat. MARSH WREN and SWAMP SPARROW were present in the adjacent cattails, along with a few RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES.
Solitary Sandpiper by Tom Schultz
We wrapped up the field trip around 11:00 AM, with a total of 79 species recorded for the morning. Thanks to all the participants, and to Wendy Schultz and Jeff Baughman for co-leading this field trip. It was a pleasant day to be out, even though it was a bit on the cool side, and we always wish to see more birds! Here’s a link to an eBird Trip Report for the morning: 
https://ebird.org/tripreport/409417.
Tom Schultz – WSO Field Trips
