Gyrfalcon & Townsend's Solitaire- Marquette 2/9

[theowlranch at aol.com]

Howdy folks,

For the most part, this has been a really slow winter bird-wise in the UP. So it was a nice change of pace today when Scot Stewart found a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE this morning here in Marquette. I was able to refind the bird late in the afternoon, though it was not very cooperative dashing from a crab apple to a patch of conifers. The bird is at Mateson Park, in the northwest side of the lower harbor. The food supply is good, so perhaps it will stay for a while. There was a report of a possible Solitaire about 5-6 blocks from the park a couple of weeks ago- possibly this bird?

This location coincidentally is the best spot in town to see the adult GYRFALCON that has been overwintering in Marquette. Its favorite perch seems to be the railing that runs along the top of the old ore dock in the lower harbor. However, I have seen the Gyr in many places around town, with reports coming from the Upper Harbor, Presque Isle Park, Downtown, and the NMU campus.  There are 2 Merlins also ovewintering in town.

Despite the cold temperatures and the harbors freezing over a couple of times, there have been good numbers of waterbirds overwintering in town.
A White-winged Scoter and Greater Scaup are in with the Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Long-tailed Ducks & Mergansers in the upper harbor, and a Hooded Merganser was in the upper harbor power plant hot ponds. A Red-necked Grebe in the upper harbor 2 weeks ago has been the only loon/grebe sighting since mid-December.
Gull numbers have been high with sightings of 3 Iceland Gulls and up to 4 Glaucous Gulls being regular in the last couple of weeks.

Very few finches, some Pine Grosbeaks, a couple of Redpolls, few Goldfinchs- no Crossbills at all. Interestingly to me at least are the higher then normal Northern Shrike numbers in town. There are at least 5 different birds this winter. Perhaps with no finches in the woods, Shrikes are having to come into the City more to wok feeders.
Scattered sightings of Gray Jays, Boreal Chickadees & Black-backed Woodpeckers from the rural boreal patches.

2 more months of winter to go!

~Skye Haas



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