November 15, 2025: Waterfowl at Wolf Lake
It’s opening day for firearm hunting season. Although it’s mid-November, the weather is unusually mild. Even at the beginning of our hike, temperatures were in the upper 50’s. Weather conditions are cloudy, and slightly breezy.
A good-sized group of us gathered in the parking lot of Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery, located just across the Kalamazoo County line, into VanBuren County, a 20-minute drive west of downtown Kalamazoo.
Gathered for our pre-trip briefing.
Two photographers joined the group, as well as many regulars, and even a few enthusiastic children. Before the hike we discussed the topic of waterfowl in November in SW Michigan; what types of waterfowl we can expect, the different families of waterfowl, as well as tips and tricks on identification.
At about 9:15a, we set out on the trail towards the ponds. Wolf Lake is a great place to bird for waterfowl, since the ponds rarely freeze over the winter due to the water being heated from the fish hatchery.
Our first bird encounter was a Blue Jay. A rather numerous gathering of birds also included some Northern Cardinals, American Tree Sparrows, and American Crows.
Upon reaching the first pond, we spotted Trumpeter Swans, Mallards, and Gadwall. Folks were thrilled to see a new duck (Gadwall) they had never heard of before!
Birding the first pond.
Trumpeter Swans in flight. 📸 Seth Messer
The second, and much larger pond, had much more waterfowl. Many more Trumpeter Swans, Mute Swans, Canada Geese, a Great Blue Heron, Bufflehead, and even a lone Ring-necked Duck.
My absolute favorite ducks to see are the Bufflehead. They are so cute!
Male and Female Bufflehead. 📸 Seth Messer.
As we neared the far end of our out-and-back hike, we took about 15 minutes to search for a Red-headed Woodpecker, in an area they are known to frequent. Lo and behold, we caught glorious views of a male through the scope. This was definitely the show-stopper for the group!
The trip was rounded out by a bonus sighting of an American Coot, and a male Belted Kingfisher.
Belted Kingfisher. 📸 Seth Messer.
Belted Kingfisher diving. 📸 Seth Messer.
The morning was thoughtfully spent in community, and birders thoroughly enjoyed the hike and the variety of species. They left much better equipped in identifying local waterfowl, and it’s truly a pleasure for me to facilitate creating connections through the shared experience of enjoying nature.
To view the full checklist from the hike, click here.
