UP Rare Bird Report for August 28, 2006

Mon Aug 28 16:39:45 EDT 2006

UP Rare Bird Report for August 28, 2006

Shorebird migration seems to be peaking in the UP right now, 26 species have been reported in the last week with a few areas in Houghton, Alger & Delta Counties having some high concentrations of birds (for the Upper Peninsula). Warblers also seem to be moving through in good numbers right now, with migrants like Northern Parula, Orange-crowned, Black-throated Blue, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, Tennessee, Wilson’s & Canada all being reported this week. Red Crossbills are simply becoming epic in numbers with crossbills both setting up territories and also moving around in large flocks.

Highlights

Eared Grebe
Willet
Whimbrel
Marbled Godwit
Red Knot
Long-billed Dowitcher
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Red-necked Phalarope
Yellow-headed Blackbird

Keweenaw County
Joe Kaplan had the first county record of STILT SANDPIPER on Gull Rock on August 16th. Zach Gayk reported that the large numbers of RED CROSSBILLS have made it to the Keweenaw with daily sightings in Bete de Grie.

Houghton County
A Laughing Whitefish Audubon field trip turned up several notable sightings on August 26th. An EARED GREBE was observed off shore from the Calumet County Waterworks Park along with 49 RED-NECKED GREBES & 67 HORNED GREBES. Another excellent find was of a juvenile RED-NECKED PHALAROPE along with 1 STILT SANDPIPER, 2 BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS and a female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD at the Calumet Sewage Ponds. 
Russ Hanson had 6 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS at the Lake Linden Sewage Ponds on August 20th, with at least 1 remaining to the 25th. 10 BAIRD’S SANPIPERS were at Linden Ponds on the 26th.

Baraga County
A BLACK TERN was seen at the head of the Keweenaw Bay on August 26th. Also on the 26th, a female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD and 2 BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS were present at Ojibwa Point. 

Dickinson County
Greg Cleary reported 2 PHILADELPHIA VIREOS and 3 WILSON’S WARBLERS at Fumee Lake on the 26th. 

Marquette County
2 EARED GREBES and a MARBLED GODWIT were in the Lower Harbor of Marquette on the 19th. Jean Carpeter and Chris Yuill had 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS on the Lower Harbor Breakwall on the 22nd. 1-2 BAIRDS SANDPIPERS have been present in on the Breakwall for the last week. 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER were at the Bog Walk at Presque Isle Park on the 24th. Also on the 24th, the season’s first AMERICAN PIPIT was recorded on the Lower Harbor Breakwall. A GREY JAY was present at Wolf Lake on the 25th. 

Delta County
Kirk Zulfelt spent a few days birding Portage Marsh and Peninsula Point with several notable finds. On July 21st, there was a juvenile LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER in with 25 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, and on the 23rd, 2 STILT SANDPIPERS were present. A impressive collection of shorebirds were present at Peninsula Point on August 23rd, highlights included 1 WILLET, 1 WHIMBREL, 8 STILT SANDPIPERS, 5 BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS, 200 Yellowlegs, 175 Peeps, and 35 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. A RED-HEADED WODPECKER was on CO RD 513 on the 21st. 

Alger County
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were found in several locations on the 22nd in Alger County. 1 was present at Grand Marais, 1 at the mouth of the Au Train River and 2 were present at the south end of the Cleveland Cliffs Basin. The Basin is currently drained right now for dike repair and has been hosting large flocks of Great Blue Herons and migrant shorebirds. Some high counts of species there included 60+ SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS & 100+ PECTORAL & LEAST SANDPIPERS. 3 TRUMPETER SWANS, 121 GREAT BLUE HERONS and a GREAT EGRET were present on the 22nd. 

Chippewa County
Tom Auer recorded a great flight of 12 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS at Whitefish Point on the 23rd. Other highlights this week have been BLACK TERN on the 25th and 27th; and a RED KNOT on the 25th. 

Mackinaw County
Brian Johnson reported 5 GREAT EGRETS at Pt. Aux Chenne on the 26th. 

To report rare birds please email me at TheOwlRanch at aol.com or to Birdnet at UPBirders.org if you are a subscriber. If you are not on the net, call the Marquette Hotline at (906) 225-3886. For more information on Birdnet, or UP birds, please visit www.UPBirders.org

Thank you,

~Skye Haas

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