Sightings Archive:
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Gray-headed Junco Pics
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5/11/05
Zach sent two photos of the Gray-headed Junco seen Tuesday at the Dead River (MBLP diesel power plant at the end of Powder Mill Rd.) You can view the photos at this temporary link.
Melinda |
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Presque Isle Birds, etc.
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5/10/05
On the railroad grade behind the power plant ponds, I had excellent looks at the Gray-headed Junco which was reported earlier. Feeding on the seed scattered to attract them were Clay-colored, White-crowned, Lincoln's, Vesper, White-throated, Chipping, and Savannah Sparrows.
At the bogwalk, I heard the Marsh wren seen earlier by Skye, and also saw a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Overall passerine diversity here was amazing. Also seen were: Least Flycatcher (4+), Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2), Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Palm Warbler etc.
Zach Gayk |
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Dead River Marshes: New State Record?
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5/10/05
Just got back from a few hours in the field with my Ornithology class (NMU). Today was the first day in the field for the class, and we had a pretty darn good day, just hanging around Presque Isle (Marquette). We saw all the usual suspects at the Bog Walk there. But then we went up the Dead River a bit from the mouth, where it becomes marshy behind the WE power plant. Lesser yellowlegs, Solitary sandpiper and Blue-winged teal were nice birds for the greenhorns in the class.
Then we got a very nice extended look at a Northern Mockingbird, kind of a surprise.
But further down the old railroad bed, at the point where the Marquette Board of L&P power plant sits (on the Dead River, just before the river opens up into the marsh) we had great looks at a Gray-headed junco. Of course, this is a subspecies of Dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) but a very distinctive one - and one whose distribution is centered in the desert southwest, with only rare sightings up in the plains.
We had 17 pairs of eyes watching this bird for quite a while, including the likes of "students" Louie Taccolini and Skye Haas! Neither Skye nor I are aware of this subspecies/race being reported in the state of Michigan before - but we may be wrong.
Alec |
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Spring Hummingbird Arrivals
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5/10/05
Over the past three days, I've received a total of 96 hummingbird arrival reports, including 10 from the UP! I've uploaded them onto my website, where you may want to check out the map at: this site.
I am still looking for arrival reports through the end of May.
I am also planning a trip to the western UP from ~June 10-15 with the purpose of documenting areas of breeding and high density, through banding. I am hoping to confirm breeding in many western UP counties on this trip, but am looking for willing hummingbird enthusiasts to allow me to band their birds. If you think this would be something you'd like to participate in, please get in touch with me. So far, I have two banding sites lined up in Gogebic County, but nowhere else.
Thanks!
Allen Chartier |
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Presque Isle Monday late a.m.
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5/9/05
A short comment about two migrants from early evening yesterday the 8th of May: a Palm Warbler along the bog walk, and an Eastern Bluebird (male) near the bog walk
entrance sign as I was about to pull out. Calm and slow; migrants not here just yet.
Today, Monday 09 May, after last evening's calm, there was quite a bit of activity between 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. mostly along the bog walk trail:
Common Yellowthroat, Northern Waterthrushes, Palm Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Parula (2), Nashville Warbler, Sedge Wren, White-crowned Sparrows (in abundance coupled with many, many White-throats), Savannah Sparrow, Brown Thrasher. Up on the main island mass: Black-throated Green Warbler and an immature Bald Eagle.
The balance of the sightings were typical for this period. While the density of activity has certainly increased it was handleable. (25) species for the 90-minutes.
M.L. Scheiwe |
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Marquette Migrants 5/9
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5/9/05
As I suspected, this morning was an excellent time for migration. There are at least a 1000 White-crowned Sparrows in Marquette right now. There are also a couple hundred Lincoln's Sparrows bouncing around. There were also good numbers of Lesser Yellowlegs (52) and Solitary Sandpipers (9) on the Dead River. I had 8 species of Warbler today, including an Orange-crowned.
Other new arrivals include,
House Wren
Swainson's Thrush
Baltimore Oriole
Chimney Swift
Clay-colored Sparrow
Warbling Vireo (early and a bit rare on Lake Superior!)
Good Birding,
~Skye Haas |
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Wpbo Highlights, Say's Phoebe 5/5-8
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5/9/05
I just returned from 4 glorious days at Whitefish Point. It was some of the best birding I have ever had there in 15+ years of going to the Point.
Thursday started out a bit on the slow side, they had been drained of loons form the day before. As you all might remember, I had reported over a 100 loons by here in Marquette on Wednesday. WPBO apperantly had over 700 that day. The one nice highlight of Thursday was a perched Long-eared Owl behind the gift shop.
Friday was a decent day at the waterbird count with lots of Red-throated Loons being seen with a few White-wing and Surf Scoters. Some of the highlights included a Yellow-headed Blackbird at the feeders and a Thayer's Gull. Later in the day, I got a call from my buddy Louie Dombroski who had found a SAY'S PHOEBE just north of Newberry. The WPBO staff and I of course rushed down to see it and thankfully got it. It was seen again yesterday, but not today.
Saturday...WAS THE DAY!
incredible, unprecedented numbers of White-throated Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows arrived to the point. No birder include a few "old-timers" had ever seen anything like it before. Rough estimates were thought to be 3-4 thousand White-throats and at least 1500-2000 White-crowneds. The ground was literally crawling!
Also Whitefish had its highest day of Broad-winged Hawks ever with over 2000 birds being seen. Other raptor highlights included a beautiful Swainson's Hawk and several Peregrines. That night I had a couple of Long-eared Owls and a Great Grey Owl. Also of note was Western Meadowlark and a LeConte's Sparrow.
The grand finale of the weekend occurred this evening on the Seney Stretch along M-28 where (within 5 minutes of one another!), I had a Black Bear and the best look at a Grey Wolf that I have ever had!
One heck of a finish.
I would like to add, as I write this email at 1230 on Sunday night, there are large amounts of birds migrating over Marquette right now. There are lots of sparrow call notes coming from the sky and I have heard both Killdeer and Lesser Yellowlegs going over the house. If you have a chance to get out tomorrow morning and bird, it might be worth your while.
More to come,
Good Birding,
~Skye Haas |
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Busy Backyard, Harris's Sparrow - Marquette
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5/9/05
Finally, something interesting to report as a beautiful Harris's Sparrow spent some time in my South Marquette backyard this evening -- taking a bath in my pond and hopping around the yard foraging with the many sparrows present throughout the weekend. Counted 8 species of sparrows here today. I've had a large number of white-crowns and white-throats since Friday, along with a few Lincoln's and songs.
New arrivals today included House Wren, Yellow Warbler (seems a bit early), Chestnut-sided Warbler, Palm Warbler, and yellow-rumps. The yard was noisy all weekend with the songs of sparrows and only quieted down for few minutes this afternoon when a Merlin flew through.
It's shaping up to be an exciting week -- can't wait for next Saturday's count!
Melinda
p.s. Everyone in Marquette County is welcome to join in our 12th annual migration count, Saturday, May 14. If you have a few hours to spare next Saturday, please consider counting birds at your feeders. Please contact me or Greg Cleary for more information. |
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