⋛⋋( ‘Θ’)⋌⋚ workin on my irl pokedex ⋛⋋( ‘Θ’)⋌⋚
one species at a time !!
current count: 343 !!
hi, my name is joey! i love birds, and fish, and animals of all shapes, sizes, and sorts! i'm indexing every species i encounter in the wild for my life list -- check out my photo gallery, zines, and resources page if you're interested in keeping up with my ever-growing archive of experiences.
my goal is to remember as much as possible, document everything that i can, and foster a dialogue around the transformative concept of 'nature'.
recent lifers
#336 - black crappie - Pomoxis nigromaculatus - 08/30/2025; 09/28/2025
independence oaks
two great little fishing piers on a small portion of the upper lake; 100% catch and release, which is always fine with me, as I take all precautions to be quickly releasing my fish.
there's also an older wooden canoe cradle for loading in and out, the pressure was minimal, and the location was beautiful.
saw a bald eagle nest and heard some sandhills, and caught a few nice bluegill as well.
i found this place while scouring for a place for my dad to catch crappie after his back surgery - it will definitely work as a consistent spot to come home to.
rods used:
lures used:
#293 - american black duck, anas rubripes
proud lake rec area
the trail was beat up in some areas, with planks rotted out of the boardwalk in certain parts of the marsh trail that proceeds out of the trailhead parking and splits from the organizational campground trails.
i was careful to only walk where i knew there were nails and beams to support me, but i would find this to be a very sketchy hike and path otherwise - i wouldn't bring someone with mobility challenges into this specific stretch of the woods.
that being said, the birds were great - northern flickers, gray catbirds, cardinals, goldfinches, and other commmon michigan species filled the air with their songs, and were readily coming out of the incredibly dense brush to present for me.
birding in the more rugged parts of the midwest can be tough going, but it is made all the more rewarding by the work that you put in.
with their population on decline in michigan, it was really exciting to see this collection of american black duck hens together in a pond that is slowly being reclaimed by the land. debris, detritus, and algae made it a perfect place for these ducks, mute swans, and a group of around 15 great egret to make their home.
#286 - american redstart, setophaga ruticilla
bald mountain - north unit trails
got a full night's sleep after what was essentially an all-nighter on the plane from LA - and doing 5 miles of hiking and birding - and i was rewarded with a handful of additions to my life list!
the american redstart was on my target list, yet i didn't expect it to pause for as long as it did in front of me, nor for it to be perfectly comfortable when it saw me move! it cocked its head slightly, then went back to preening its feathers.
so beautiful, the air was just buzzing today :)
recent outingslate september, back in michigan
spent time back home briefly getting a burger with my big bro before whisking upstate for a wedding over the weekend, on the beautiful shores of lake charlevoix.
saw belted kingfishers and dc cormorants over the water, along with ring-billed gulls. there were kestrels in a specific section on the west side of gaylord, on 32 running out of town towards elmira et al, on the way to boyne city.
best sightings: a female american redstart lingering in the backyard, gleaning along the low trees over the parts of the patio above the ferns, where it's most humid and buggy, and a black-throated green warbler juvenile/female that was extremely friendly and adventurous, almost landing next to us on the patio.
sepulveda and the la river
man i love this place, even when i see it at its lowest. the recent fires on the river side of burbank left a lingering light scent of cinder and ash in the air.
so many birds of prey, which i was happy to see. red-tailed hawks in good numbers, as well as turkey vultures, two kestrels, and at least 4 osprey.
both here and at griffith, the numbers have been good - i haven't seen the peregrines since june at griffith, but the red-tailed and occasional red-shouldered have been a common sight.
a great white egret plumbed and probed in the river, surrounded by greater yellowlegs, western sandpipers, killdeer, and a variety of songbirds flitting about.
most exciting was the scaly-breasted munia, sporting a bright rosy chestnut color on its back that made it easy to pick out among the cattails. i find these established populations to be really interesting, in the same way that the house finch was once in a similar position. really beautiful species that i was happy to add.
michigan
total tally
new lifers: 54
new birds: 41
most added in a single day: 11
new fish species caught: 2
crayfish caught with a spinning rod: 1
Point Iroquois Lighthouse
Whitefish Bay
absolutely breathtaking. i don't have the words to describe this place. i have pictures, but know that they can't do it justice.
Lakes Loop
7 Lakes State Park
the haze was really heavy today, and it was visible even at a local level and around the park - over the water, in the treeline.
nonetheless, the birds were abundant! an amazing amount of killdeer, barn and tree swallows, and eastern kingbirds were present in the immediate vicinity of big 7 lake and the main shoreline, and the entire trail proved to be a really rewarding experience.
i transitioned between so many different zones - from a sandy beach, to meadows, to oak woodlands, to willow and alder-choked bogs, finally ending on a quaint grassy trail that carved through a thicket.
highlights:
Lake George Trailhead -> Graham Lakes Loop
Bald Mountain: North Unit
the smell of the loam, the din of the insects, the chorus of birds rising in the morning - it felt so good to be back on familiar soil.
i grew up fishing and hiking here with family, friends, and just by myself after awhile.
the outside world keeps encroaching closer and closer, but for now, it's still protected and pristine, just wild enough to bring out the best nature has to offer.
the hike could have been made much shorter, but i reveled in the chance to really study the birds and remember how to recite their sounds and shapes, as i've done in california.
the wetlands keep the air moist and cool, incredibly damp, like walking through a cloud.
the obvious follow-up: bug spray or layers, take your pick. in august, you need one or the other, it really isn't optional. it's a swamp, with marshes, ponds, bogs, lakes, ponds, creeks, and streams all throughout.
during peak hours, if you spend more than a second in place - i mean an actual, single second - you will have mosquitoes on any exposed skin. it is an intense, visceral bodily experience - again, be prepared!
Los Pinetos Loop Trail:
Placerita Canyon Nature Center
i had wanted to do this hike for awhile, and it was killer. as in, my feet are still killing me 2 days later, and the views were absolutely killer as well. it was worth the haul, but really sketchy in some areas. bring lots of water!
i highly recommend beginning at manzanita mountain trail and working your way up viper trail to wilson saddle, then over to los pinetos spring, down to the canyon grove, and back to the nature center.
i went the opposite direction and really did not enjoy some of the downhill slides on the viper trail, which could have been avoided from the other direction.
so excited to knock this trail out and check it off my list, especially after crushing it at high altitude last weekend! it was a really enjoyable follow-up that can be easily completed in a morning.
Cottonwood Lakes Trail:
Trailhead to Lake #1
Big Pine Creek:
Trailhead to Creek
Little Pothole Lake
Onion Valley Trailhead to Lake
Gilbert Lake:
OV Trailhead to Lake
first 3 hikes above 10,000 feet! if even half the stories told about him are true, John Muir was a madman.
truly an incredible amount of diversity in the wildlife, particularly under the brunt of the summer heat.
Total distance:
Total elevation gain:
upcoming outingsnext stops:
have questions? suggestions? impressions?
get in touch!!
