LAKE ST. CLAIR METROPARK

Lake St. Clair is considered by the National Audubon Society as one of the Important Bird Areas for waterfowl migration. Late fall and into early spring, thousands of diving ducks can be seen, such as Canvasbacks and Redheads. Both the Greater Scaup and Lesser Scaup, and Common and Red-breasted Mergansers can be seen on Lake St. Clair. During the spring and fall in the marshes, dabbler ducks such as the American Widgeon, Northern Pintails and Northern Shovelers can be seen. Green Herons, Black-crowned Night Heron, Great Egret and Great Blue Heron frequent the marshes all summer. In the spring, the forest edges are full of warblers, vireos, thrushes, orioles and flycatchers. Nesting Yellow Warblers and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers can be seen along the nature trails. Nesting marshland birds include Forster's terns and other less common species. In late summer and fall, migrant shorebirds stop off on the beach such as Semipalmated Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, Dunlin, Ruddy Turnstones, Caspian and Common terns. The shoreline can also provide views of Greater Black-backed gulls, Bonaparte's gull, and in the winter, the Snowy Owl. Tundra swans and the Snowy Owl are rare treats, as are nesting wetland species such as the Marsh Wren, Least Bittern, Common Gallinule, Sora and Virginia Rail.