UP Rare Bird Report for November 9, 2006

Thu Nov 9 22:15:42 EST 2006

UP Rare Bird Report for November 9, 2006

It seems to be a great fall for Rough-legged Hawks in the Upper Peninsula. Reports have been widespread with good concentrations in the Soo, Moran, the Stonington Peninsula, and in the Sturgeon River Sloughs. There have also been a number of lingering shorebirds in the region. Single Greater Yellowlegs have been seen in both Baraga & Rapid River, and other species seen this week include Dunlin, Sanderling, White-rumped Sandpiper & Pectoral Sandpipers. Finches continue to be prevalent with large numbers of American Goldfinches & Common Redpolls noted this week.

Highlights

ROSS’S GOOSE
WESTERN GREBE
WHITE-WINGED DOVE
VERMILION FLYCATCHER
TOWNSEND’S WARBLER
GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE
Spruce Grouse
Iceland Gull
Black-backed Woodpecker
Boreal Chickadee
Bohemian Waxwing
Northern Mockingbird
Harris’s Sparrow

Keweenaw County
4 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS were seen near Copper Harbor on November 4th. 1 male was at the mouth of the Fanny Hooe Creek, and 2 males & 1 female were further east on the dirt road that lead to the tip of the Keweenaw. In Copper Harbor there were 3 BLACK SCOTERS, AMERICAN COOT (a rare county record), and a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. 

Houghton County
Well November 7th was the day to be in Houghton County! Russ Hanson & Joe Kaplan found a TOWNSEND’S WARBLER in Hancock. Unfortunately the warbler was only a 5 minute wonder and was not relocated despite several birders attempts to search for it. If accepted by the Michigan Birds Record Committee, this would represent the 4th State record and the 2nd for the Upper Peninsula. Joe also found an adult ROSS’S GOOSE in with a flock of 15 SNOW GEESE at the mouth of the Pilgrim River by the waste-water treatment plant on the 7th. Also on the 7th, Max Henschell found a WESTERN GREBE at the public boat landing on Portage Lake in Hubell. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was along US-41 on the edge of Chassel on the 4th.

Baraga County
Joe Youngman and Lynn Murphy found a WESTERN GREBE at the head of the Keweenaw Bay on November 5th. Also present was a BLACK SCOTER & 2 RED-THROATED LOONS. 2 GRAY JAYS were along US-41 west of Nestoria on the 5th. 

Marquette County
The VERMILION FLYCATCHER in Big Bay was seen most recently on November 9th. It should be interesting to see how long this bird remains, as the weather is supposed to take a turn back towards winter this weekend. The GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE at Louie Taccolini’s feeders in the City of Marquette was seen through the 9th. Greg Cleary had a male SPRUCE GROUSE on the Wolf Lake Grade (also known as the Clowry Truck Trail) on the 5th. Also present were GRAY JAYS, BOREAL CHICKADEES, and RED CROSSBILLS. BOREAL CHICKADEES were also found at Van Riper State Park near the beach on the 5th. The HARRIS’S SPARROW was seen at the MooseWood Nature Center at Presque Isle Park through the 9th. On November 6th, a 1st winter ICELAND GULL was at the mouth of the Dead River. BLACK SCOTERS can still be found in both the Upper & Lower Harbors of Marquette. Ryne Rutherford made a backwoods trek into the Mulligan Wall/Rocking Chair Lakes area on the 6th & 7th, and was well rewarded with several boreal species including a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, BOREAL CHICKADEES, GRAY JAYS & RED CROSSBILLS. 

Delta County
Joel Flory & Mike Berg had 4 SNOW GEESE and both BLACK-BELLIED & AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS at Peninsula Point on November 5th. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was at Peninsula Point on the 8th. Also on the 8th were 8 CACKLING GEESE at the Escanaba Golf Course along M-35. Mike Berg noted that SNOW GEESE have been feeding in the agricultural fields in the Gladstone area in the last week.

Alger County
Scott Hickman had a female BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER along M-77, north of the Adams Trail on November 5th. Dave Kronk reported a flock of SNOW GEESE in Munising on the 9th. 

Luce County
Joyce & Tim Peterson reported 40 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS along M-123 north of Skyline Road on November 5th. 

Chippewa County
There are now 2 WHITE-WINGED DOVES at the feeders at Whitefish Point! A second bird joined the first on November 4th, and has been seen through at least November 8th. A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was at the harbor of refuge at Whitefish Point on the 5th. Also on the 5th were 2 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS. Tom Auer reports that a SHARP-TAILED GROUSE has been at Whitefish Point this week as well. GRAY JAYS were reported from the Hulbert Bog on the 5th. 

Mackinac County
GRAY JAYS were reported along M-123 north of Moran on the 4th. 

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

Till next time,

~Skye Haas
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