UP Rare Bird Report for October 17, 2007

[theowlranch at aol.com]

UP Rare Bird Report for October 17, 2007

 

 

Several signs of the encroaching winter have been observed in the last week, most notably with the first snowfall in the Michigamme Highlands on the 11th. New arrivals this week also have a wintery theme with species like Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Shrike, Bohemian Waxwing, Pine Grosbeak & Common Redpoll all being seen. Redpolls in particular have been reported across the UP in several locations with several flocks at WPBO. Other finches as of late include Pine Siskin, Red & White-winged Crossbills and Evening Grosbeaks. It is certainly conceivable that a big finch winter is brewing, though there is a nagging feeling that such a large movement this early may lead to a complete dearth of finches in the north-country by wintertime. 

 

 

Highlights

 

RED PHALAROPE*

NELSON’S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW*

Franklin’s Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Sabine’s Gull

Black-legged Kittiwake

Parasitic Jaeger

Black-backed Woodpecker

Le Conte’s Sparrow

Harris’s Sparrow

 

 

Keweenaw County

Zach Gayk reports that 3 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS and 2 CACKLING GEESE were at Bete Grise on the 13th. Zach along with Joe Youngman reported a sizeable waterbird flight from Hebard Park that included 2 RED-THROATED LOONS, 1 BLACK SCOTER, 320 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, & 1279 SCAUP on the 14th. 

 

Houghton County

Owen Mills reported a HARRIS’S SPARROW in Hancock on October 11th. 

 

Baraga County

A juvenile SABINE’S GULL and a 1st year FRANKLIN’S GULL have been present at the Baraga Sewage Ponds from the 12th-16th. Originally found by Joe Youngman, and seen subsequently by multiple observers, both gulls can be found in the uppermost bubbling lagoon, but have been seen in various locations around the head of the Keweenaw Bay. 15 CACKLING GEESE were at the Baraga Jetty on the 15th. 

 

Marquette County

A NELSON’S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW* was found at the Presque Isle Park Bogwalk on October 11th. Provided this record is accepted by the MBRC, this will be the 3rd record of a Sharp-tailed Sparrow for Marquette County. Other sightings this week from Presque Isle include 2 HARRIS’S SPARROWS and a LE CONTE’S SPARROW on the 11th-12th. David Pavlik had unidentified JAEGER species and an impressive total of 1928 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS migrate past the Black Rocks at Presque Isle Park on the 17th. A 1st winter THAYER’S GULL was at the South Beach in Marquette on the 12th-16th.  Notable inland, singles of both BLACK & SURF SCOTER were seen on Lake Michigamme at Van Riper State Park on the 17th. Also on the 17th was a single GRAY JAY on the Clowry Truck Trail. 

 

Alger County

Scott Hickman found a 1st year RED PHALAROPE* at the DNR Anna River mouth fishing dock in Munising on the 13th. The local fishermen reported that the bird had been present there since the 11th, but it has not been seen since. Jude Holloway found a juvenile SABINE’S GULL at Sand Point on October 11th. Also on the 11th was a pair of RED-THROATED LOONS in Munising Harbor. Amanda Ingraham found a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER on Doe Lake Road a mile east of the Rapid River Truck Trail on the 13th. 

 

Schoolcraft County

Ron Annelin reported an excellent fall count of 1800+ SANDHILL CRANES migrating along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Manistique on October 11th. 

 

Luce County

A male BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER was found in the Sleeper Lake burn north of Skyline Road on October 14th. 

 

Chippewa County

Certainly the best bird to be seen at Whitefish Point this week was the adult BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE that landed on the tip briefly on October 14th. Other highlights from WPBO in the last week include 1 PARASITIC JAEGER, 1 GREAT BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, and 47 BLACK SCOTERS on the 17th; 1 PARASITIC JAEGER on the 16th; a TUNDRA/TRUMPETER SWAN on the 15th;  1 BOHEMIAN WAXWING on the 14th; 1 THAYER’S/ICELAND GULL, 1 JAEGER species, 1 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, 43 BLACK SCOTERS, and 1600 LONG-TAILED DUCKS on the 13th. RED-THROATED LOONS are still moving by the Point. A large NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL movement, along with a few LONG-EARED OWLS was recorded on the 14th. For a more detailed account of recent sightings at Whitefish Point, visit the staff blogs at www.WPBO.org 

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

All birds marked with an asterisk “*” in the report are review species in the State of Michigan and should be documented with 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

________________________________________________________________________
Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! - http://mail.aol.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.envirolink.org/pipermail/mich-listers/attachments/20071017/c5cd636b/attachment.html