UP Rare Bird Report for February 13, 2007

Tue Feb 13 23:14:12 EST 2007

UP Rare Bird Report for February 13, 2007

It has been more of the same here in the North Woods. Despite the sub-zero temperatures in last couple of weeks, a few lingering migrants are still attempting to over winter. It has been a good year for American Tree Sparrows and Juncos, but not many other species of sparrows have stayed on. There have been a few scattered reports of over-wintering White-throated Sparrows in the eastern UP. Finches are still the most dynamic event going on in the UP. Large numbers of White-winged & Red Crossbills are widespread across the Peninsula, with large flocks of Common Redpolls in the western UP. Smaller numbers of Purple Finches & Pine Siskins are present, and Pine Grosbeaks are still around, but in low numbers. Evening Grosbeaks still remain scarce, with reports only received from Eckerman & Hulbert in Chippewa County, and Diorite in Marquette County.

Highlights

GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE
EURASIAN TREE SPARROW
Spruce Grouse
Golden Eagle
Gyrfalcon
Snowy Owl
Great Gray Owl
Black-backed Woodpecker
Hermit Thrush
Boreal Chickadee 
Indigo Bunting
Rufous-sided/Spotted Towhee species
Hoary Redpoll

Ontonagon County
Kitt Wolf reports that the EURASIAN TREE SPARROW in Topaz as not been seen since January 29th. 

Keweenaw County
A RUFOUS-SIDED/SPOTTED-type TOWHEE was in Gay for about a week until February 2nd. Unfortunately, the bird was not identified to species before its departure. Max Henschell had a HOARY REDPOLL south of Gay on February 4th.

Baraga County
Brian Zwiebel reported 3 SPRUCE GROUSE on Prison Camp Road on the Baraga Plains on February 4th. 

Marquette County
The GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE at the home of Louie Taccolini’s in the City of Marquette remains for yet another week. It was most recently seen on February 13th. This marks the 4th month the bird has been present. The juvenile dark-morph GYRFALCON has been seen on a somewhat regular basis in the lower harbor & downtown sections of the City of Marquette. The old ore dock has been a consistent place to find the bird and it was most recently seen on the 13th. An INDIGO BUNTING originally found in mid-December is still present as of this week in the City of Marquette at the home of Judy Quirk. The GREAT BLUE HERON in Gwinn on the Escanaba River was most recently reported on February 1st. A HOARY REDPOLL, 6 BOREAL CHICKADEES & GRAY JAYS were seen along the Peshekee Grade on February 4th. 5 BOREAL CHICKADEES were seen on the Peshekee on the 10th. 3 BOREAL CHICKADEES & 3 GRAY JAYS were seen along County Road 478 on the 11th. Carol Brown reports that a small flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS have been feeding in her yard in Ishpeming. Ryne Rutherford reported a singing NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL on Presque Isle Park on the 10th. 

Delta County
Dee Miller reports that the “OREGON” DARK-EYED JUNCO is still present at the MSU Tree Research Farm as of the 9th. 

Alger County
3 GLAUCOUS GULLS were seen in Munising on February 1st. 

Schoolcraft County 
Ron Annelin reports that a very late HERMIT THRUSH was present at his home in Manistique on January 31st. 

Chippewa County
Betty Maxton reports that a GREAT GRAY OWL has been frequenting Tahquamenon Falls State Park in the Lost Lake Road/M-123 area. This could certainly be the same bird reported from this location in September & October of last fall. Betty also reports that a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was at Lost Lake, and a flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS at the mouth of the Tahquamenon River on the 9th & 10th of February. Brian Zwiebel reported a grounded COMMON LOON in a snow field south of the Soo on the 5th. Amazingly the bird was able to get into flight off the snow and stay airborne. Also notable for this late into the season are a small flock of TUNDRA SWANS along the St. Mary’s River in the Soo. Lathe Claflin reports that at least 2 SNOWY OWLS were still present in Rudyard on the 4th, and 3 GLAUCOUS GULLS were on the St. Mary’s River in front of the Edison Power Plant on the 3rd. A GLAUCOUS GULL was present at the Dafter Dump on the 2nd. A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER has been reliable in the Dunbar Forest feeders in the last week. Good numbers of SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS & NORTHERN SHRIKES have been found in the farm country south of the Soo in the last two weeks. 

Mackinac County
Brian Zwiebel reported an immature GOLDEN EAGLE on a deer kill along I-75 north of St. Ignace on February 5th. 

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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