Part of our little endeavor this year is finding great new natural areas and birding places. This evening we hit one of those great natural areas, the MSU sod farm. We got a fairly rare species, buff-breasted sandpipers. A new species for the year and a lifer at that. All on the world’s largest putting green. I should be offended but it was a lifer and it counts. 
Buff breasted sandpipers on the world’s largest putting green.
The sod farm is only about a mile from us. The buff-breasteds were posted on the listserve yesterday afternoon and we ran over as soon as we saw the message. A number of other people were there too and naturally no one could find them.
We left the binos and scope in car thinking we may try early this morning before work. It slipped our minds and I went on to work. Then I saw a message from someone saying the birds were present in this morning but flew off. We figured we would try a new place for birding and then swing by the sod farm on the way home, hoping the birds would return in the evening. We got to the sod farm about 7:00 PM and a couple people were already looking for them. Someone said they were there an hour ago but then disappeared. We figured, great, had we gone there first we would have seen them. As we were dejectedly scanning the area the sprinkler system came on and I saw something fly out. It was different than the dozens of killdeer that were there. Sure enough, we finally got the little devils.
We got some quick looks through the scope and then shared the scope with other birders. Then the birds flushed up and we figured, that was it, just quick views of a rare life bird. Then the birds actually flew closer to us and landed. This isn’t something that happens with shorebirds. It’s like peace in the Middle East or the second coming. Not something I expect to see in my lifetime.
Buff-breasted sandpiper – right there. Finally getting my just rewards for being such a good boy.
The weather has been nice the past couple days so we did get out to some slightly classier places than the sod farm. Lots of things gearing up for migration and moving through. Really tough birding because the birds don’t vocalize and there’s a lot of foliage for them to hide behind. No new species but a few good looks at a couple old friends. Some dragonflies are still flying and a few other interesting things are out and about.
Ruby Meadowhawk.
Grasshopper, unknown type.
Praying mantis. Sure she’s a cutie but you can’t go losing your head over every girl you see.
I saw a snake eating a toad. My first thought was, alright, great pictures. I really don’t mind the great circle of life thing. Big things eat little things, that’s the way it goes. Then the toad made one of those squeaky little toady distress calls. I couldn’t do it. Molly went through a series of frog and toad pets. I don’t like anthropomorphizing but those things had personalities. That little squeak turned me to putty. Too late to save the toad and I just had to walk away.
Ed's and Lise's Biggish Years 