UP Rare Bird Report for October 12, 2006

[theowlranch@aol.com]

UP Rare Bird Report for October 12, 2006
 
 
Snow. Thus it begins. The UP woke up this morning to a blanket of snow, ranging from a light dusting to several inches. Certainly, birding has been more reflective of the quickly approaching winter season. Species like Bufflehead, Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Shrike and Snow Buntings have all begun to move into the region in the last week. Finch movement still consists mostly of large flocks of Pine Siskins, with smaller numbers of Purple Finches and a smattering of both species of Crossbills.
 
 
Highlights
 
POMARINE JAEGER
Harlequin Duck
Spruce Grouse
American White Pelican
Thayer’s Gull
Great Grey Owl
Black-backed Woodpecker
Northern Shrike
Carolina Wren
Bohemian Waxwing
Harris’s Sparrow
Le Conte’s Sparrow
 
 
Keweenaw County
A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and 2 CACKLING GEESE were found at Copper Harbor on October 8th. 
 
Houghton County
Grant Soehnel had a CACKLING GOOSE at the South Portage Entry on the 8th.
 
Baraga County
Joe Youngman reported a HARRIS’S SPARROW at the Arnheim Wildlife Area on the 7th. On the 10th, Max Henschell had a NORTHERN SHRIKE at Arnheim.
 
Marquette County
An adult winter THAYER’S GULL was found at South Beach, City of Marquette on October 11th. Zach Gayk reported 3 RED-THROATED LOONS at the Black Rocks of Presque Isle on the 10th. Also on the 10th, a NORTHERN SHRIKE and 18 CACKLING GEESE were seen at the Gwinn Sewage Ponds. Mark Hubinger had a BLUE-GREY GNATCATCHER and a LE CONTE’S SPARROW at the Bog Walk on the 10th. Greg Cleary had 2 GREY JAYS north of Witch Lake on M-95 on the 8th. A Laughing Whitefish Audubon field trip recorded a HARRIS’S SPARROW at the Big Bay Lighthouse on the 7th. 
 
Delta County
Dee Miller reported 10 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS flying over the MSU Tree Research Farm on October 5th. A CAROLINA WREN was seen at Peninsula Point on the 6th. 
 
Alger County
Scott Hickman reported 4 fly-by BLACK SCOTERS at Laughing Whitefish Point on October 9th. 
 
Chippewa County 
Jaegers continue to fly past Whitefish Point Bird Observatory with 2 different POMARINE JAEGERS reported this week, with 1 on October 11th, and 1 on the 5th. Additional unidentified JAEGER SPECIES reported include 3 on the 11th, 2 on the 10th, 3 on the 9th, and 1 on the 8th. This fall will certainly go down as one of the best Jaegers seasons in several years at Whitefish Point. Other recent highlights from “The Point” include a HARLEQUIN DUCK and 102 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS on the 11th; 234 REDHEADS, 117 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, and 6 BLACK SCOTERS on the 10th, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK and 2 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS on the 8th; GREAT GREY OWL on the 7th; 35 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, 7 LONG-EARED OWLS and a GREAT GREY OWL on the 6th; and 10 BLACK SCOTERS and a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER. There has also been a daily trickle of RED-THROATED LOONS seen on the waterbird count.
Other good birds reported in Chippewa County this week included SPRUCE GROUSE reported from both Vermillion Road and the Clark Lake Wilderness Area in Tahquamenon Falls State Park. Also reported from Tahquamenon is a GREAT GREY OWL that has been seen along M-123 for over a week. The owl can be found between 8 and 8.5 miles west of Paradise. 
 
 
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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