UP Rare Bird Report for August 15, 2007

Thu Aug 16 00:27:58 EDT 2007

UP Rare Bird Report for August 15, 2007

Fall migration is slowing getting started in the Upper Peninsula, with shorebirds being the most prolific
migrants present. Small flocks of migrant warblers have been noted as well, as
have migrant Red-necked & Horned Grebes. Another sign of autumn is the
start of the waterbird count at WPBO which began today. 

Highlights

Greater White-fronted Goose

Spruce Grouse

American White Pelican

Least Bittern

Marbled Godwit

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Wilson’s Phalarope

Short-eared Owl

Black-backed Woodpecker

Willow
Flycatcher

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Baraga
 County

Joe Youngman has been observing good numbers of BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKERS in the Covington/Baraga Plains burn in the last few weeks. Joe
reported an impressive total of 15 Black-backs on August 6th. David
Chaffin reported 2 pairs of SPRUCE GROUSE at this location on the 10th.

Marquette
 County

There were 2 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS on the lower harbor
breakwall in Marquette
on August 6th. 

Menominee
 County

A canoe trip on North Lake
produced 3 female-type YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS in with a large flock of more
common icterids, as well as a calling LEAST BITTERN on July 29th. 4 AMERICAN
WHITE PELICANS were at Johnson Point with a single bird at Airport Park
on July 28th. 

Delta
 County

A MARBLED GODWIT was present at Peninsula Point on August 11th.
4 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were at Peninsula Point on August 5th. At
the Swede Road
boat launch, a family of WILLOW FLYCATCHERS was observed on the 28th.
Portage Marsh has had excellent numbers of shorebirds passing through in the
last couple of weeks, highlights include a family of 3 PIPING PLOVERS on July
21st, 420 Lesser Yellowlegs & 241 LEAST SANDPIPERS on August 5th,
16 STILT SANDPIPERS on the 11th, and WILSON’S PHALAROPE on the 28th
& 5th. 16 species of shorebirds have been recorded since July 21st.
1-2 GREAT EGRETS have also been observed at Portage. Jude Holloway reported 5 AMERICAN
WHITE PELICANS while kayaking around Little Summer Island off the Garden Peninsula
on August 5th. Jen Anderson reported a family of RED-HEADED
WOODPECKERS at her home in Gladstone
on the 10th. This is a rare and declining breeding species in the
UP, so such reports are encouraging. Another rare breeding report is 2 pairs of
RED-NECKED GREBES were observed with chicks at the Kipling boat launch on the
11th. 

Alger
 County

The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was last reported on the 27th
of July, but there have been no further reports. Scott Hickman had 1 BUFF-BREASTED
SANDPIPER on August 2nd, and 2 PIPING PLOVERS on July 25th
at the mouth of the Au Train River.

Luce
 County

Rick Baetsen reported a SPRUCE GROUSE hen with 6 chicks near
Pike Lake on August 11th. 

Chippewa
 County

Brian Johnson & Lena Ulsk had a SHORT-EARED OWL near
Pickford on July 29th. 

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All birds
marked with an asterisk “*” in the report are review species in the State of Michigan and should be
documented withy photos or a written description. Please send documentation to
Adam Byrne at the Michigan Birds Records Committee at either 11771 Rachel LN,
Dewitt, MI, 48820 or by email at Byrnea”AT”msu.edu

For further
information about the Records Committee, please visit: http://www.michiganaudubon.org/mbrc/mbrc_home.html

To report
rare birds, please email me at the 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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