UP Rare Bird Report for January 29, 2007

[theowlranch@aol.com]

UP Rare Bird Report for January 29, 2007
 
 
Winter continues to progress with Munising Bay, Keweenaw Bay and Bay de Noc all freezing over in the last couple of days. This should start pushing out the last of the lingering waterbirds from the UP, still it should be noted how this season has been excellent for setting many new late dates for several species. Finches are still widespread, with large numbers of White-winged Crossbills and Common Redpolls being reported from the western UP. Red Crossbills and Pine Siskins are also somewhat common, and Pine & Evening Grosbeaks can be found in scattered locations. Numbers of Bohemian Waxwings have still been very low this season and the UP has yet to get a single report of Varied Thrush.
 
 
Highlights
 
GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE
GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH
Spruce Grouse
Gyrfalcon
Iceland Gull
Glaucous Gull
Black-backed Woodpecker
Boreal Chickadee
Townsend’s Solitaire
Hoary Redpoll
 
 
Keweenaw County
2 TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRES continue to be seen in Copper Harbor, most recently on the 21st. A number of observers have been consistently finding individuals or small groups of HOARY REDPOLLS in COMMON REDPOLL flocks in the Lac La Belle & Copper Harbor areas.
 
Baraga County
Dan Peak reported that the GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH was still present in L’Anse as of January 26th. Max Henschell & Sarah Fretiag found 4 SPRUCE GROUSE in the Baraga Plains on January 21st. 
 
Marquette County
The GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE remains in Marquette at the home of Louie Taccolini as of the 28th. Ryne Rutherford saw a dark-morph GYRFALCON at Matteson Park/Cinder Pond Marina in the Lower Harbor of Marquette on January 26th. Efforts to refind the bird have not been successful, though the bird could easily still be present. A number of BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS have found in the county in the last couple of weeks. Zach Gayk found a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER near DNR Cabin 5 at Harlow Lake State Forest area on the 16th. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen near here on the 21st. Another BLACK-BACKED WOOPECKER was seen in a Red Pine plantation along County Road 550 across the road from the parking area for Wetmore’s Landing, north of the City of Marquette on the 22nd. The Peshekee Grade turned up a male BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER along with a HOARY REDPOLL on the 20th. Large numbers of WHITE-WINGED & RED CROSSBILLS, as well as COMMON REDPOLLS, 5 BOREAL CHICKADEES and 3 GRAY JAYS were also seen. HOARY REDPOLLS were seen along County Road 601 north of Republic on the 21st, and along County Road 476 near National Mine on the 28th. An ICELAND GULL and 2 GLAUCOUS GULLS were in Sand’s Township on the 25th. A GLAUCOUS GULL was at the mouth of the Dead River on the 27th. Very late for the UP was a report of a GREAT BLUE HERON on the Escanaba River in Gwinn on the 12th.
 
Delta County
Dee Miller reported an “OREGON” DARK-EYED JUNCO, along with a female RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and a pair of CARDINALS on January 21st at the MSU Tree Research Farm near Escanaba. 
 
Alger County
I received a belated report of a SNOWY OWL just east of Shingleton, along M-28 on January 14th. 
 
Chippewa County
Lathe Claflin reported a HOARY REDPOLL on West Lakeshore Road about 2-3 miles west of the Pendills Fish Hatchery on January 20th. 4 SNOWY OWLS continue to be seen in the Rudyard area along Centerline Road and Hantz Road as of January 28th. Tom Bartlet reported 3 ICELAND GULLS & 3 GLAUCOUS GULLS at the Dafter Dump on January 27th. Tom also reported A GRAY JAY at Hulbert Bog. Now that there is some snow on the ground, observers are finding more SHARP-TAILED GROUSE in several locations around the farm country south of the Soo. There have also been several reports of NORTHERN SHRIKES in the Soo area.
Though not actually in the UP, Ken McIlwrick found a GYRFALCON on the Canadian side of the St. Mary’s River in Sault Saint Marie on January 26th. Traditionally, Gyrs move around quite a bit in this area and could easily be refound on the UP side of the river. 
 
 
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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