UP Rare Bird Report for June 24, 2008

Tue Jun 24 22:57:26 EDT 2008

UP Rare Bird Report for June 24, 2008

The breeding season is well underway in the Upper Peninsula, though the cool temperatures of this summer may be delaying some species breeding cycles. Certainly a few observers have noted that Cuckoos seem scarce this summer, with some birds only just arriving on territory in the last week. Three boreal species are of note in the last few weeks. As was commented upon in the last report, Cape May Warblers are having another good season with birds on territory across the UP. Particularly high densities have been reported in the western tier of counties. The number of Wilson’s Warblers singing on territory while always modest, are similar to last years good totals. White-winged Crossbills are beginning to stage what appears to be a strong movement into the upper great lakes, with crossbills from the north shore of Minnesota eastwards through the UP with good numbers being reported from the Keweenaw. Finally a report of what may be the regions first fall migrant was recorded in Houghton County with a Lesser Yellowlegs being observed. Summer- ever so ephemeral in the North Woods!

Highlights

LARK SPARROW*

Spruce Grouse

American White Pelican

Least Bittern

Marbled Godwit

Black-backed Woodpecker

Philadelphia Vireo

Boreal Chickadee

Blue-winged Warbler

Cerulean Warbler

Connecticut Warbler

HENSLOW’S SPARROW

Dickcissel

Western Meadowlark

Gogebic County

A LARK SPARROW* was photographed at the home of Dick Vetch near Wakefield on June 16th. Ryne Rutherford confirmed a breeding pair of PHILADELPHIA VIREOS near Little Girls Point in the last week. Ryne also noted a high count of 15 CAPE MAY WARBLERS east of Marenisco. 

Keweenaw County

Zach Gayk reported a singing CONNECTICUT WARBLER on June 20th near the Copper Harbor Lighthouse. Zach also reported 2 singing WILSON’S WARBLERS from Bete Grise on June 18th. Zach notes that he has been encountering multiple flocks of WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS in the boglands of the Keweenaw in recent weeks. Both Nancy Auer & Joe Kaplan both have reported flocks of WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS in the last week from Seven Mile Point and Isle Royale respectively. 

Houghton County

Joe Youngman reported that a flock of 25-30 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were observed flying over Houghton in the last week. Joe also had a couple of MARSH WRENS and a LESSER YELLOWLEGS at the mouth of the Sturgeon River on June 23rd. At this time of year, the Yellowlegs could be ether a lingering summer bird, or the first fall migrant to the UP. Joe Kaplan noted that he has had a few flocks of WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS in Hancock in the last week. 

Baraga County

Beth Olson reported a flock of 25 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS flying over Skanee on June 14th. Beth also had the notable sighting of 9 RUDDY DUCKS at the Baraga Sewage Ponds on the 13th. Joe Youngman notes that he currently is observing 20 active BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER nests in the Baraga/Covington Burn as of the 19th. Joe also noted that there was a flock of 29-30 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS at the head of the Keweenaw Bay on the 19th. It is possible that all these Keweenaw pelican reports refer to the same flock of birds, though this is the time of year that failed or non breeding birds began to wander. 

Iron County

Phyllis Carlson reports that an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was present on Crystal Lake in Iron Mountain on June 22nd. Apparently there are reports that the bird has been present for at least a few days. Greg Cleary found a BAY-BREASTED WARBLER on territory near the Paint Dam in Amasa on June 22nd. Greg also reported a BOREAL CHICKADEE in the Triangle Ranch on the 22nd. 

Dickinson County

Greg Cleary had the notable inland find of 8 territorial MARSH WRENS at the Hardwood Impoundment on June 17th. Marsh Wrens are rare away from the Green Bay coastal marshes in the UP, except in Seney NWR and the Sturgeon River area south of Houghton where they are uncommon.

Marquette County

Beth Olson reports that the CERULEAN WARBLER at her home south of Marquette was most recently seen as of June 23rd. Brian Johnson reported a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER in Humbolt while doing a BBS Route. 

Menominee County

Up to 3 HENSLOW’S SPARROWS were the recent highlights from breeding bird atlasing surveys east of Stevenson on June 11-13th. Also notable was a DICKCISSEL, multiple GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS and a LEAST BITTERN at North Lake. A BLUE-WINGED WARBLER was found on June 12th, at what is becoming a possibly regular spot for them in the Shakey Lakes area. Unfortunately there is a proposed sulfide-based mine operation in this environmentally unique and sensitive area (including the only known breeding area for Cerulean Warblers in the UP) that would likely impact the region negatively. For more information on proposed sulfide mining in the UP, go to www.savethewildup.org. A good count of 80+ AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were observed in the City of Menominee June 11th. 

Delta County

2 FORSTER’S TERNS and a PIPING PLOVER were at Portage Marsh on June 10th. Kirk Zulfelt reported an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN and 1 of the FORSTER’S TERNS were at the tip of Portage Marsh on June 14th. Accidentally left out of the last report was that a lingering MARBLED GODWIT from the spring was last seen by Laurie Johnson on June 1st at Potage Marsh. 

Alger County

Jean Carpenter found a MARBLED GODWIT feeding at the mouth of the Sucker River in Grand Marais on June 14th. Mark Hubinger reports that a WILSON’S WARBLER has been singing on territory at Sand Point. A flock of 30+ WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were seen feeding along the Adams Trail on the 20th. 

Schoolcraft County

Ryne Rutherford found a pair of BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS at Scotts Marsh on June 21st. A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was heard singing at the Fox River State Forest Campground on June 20th. 

Luce County

Lathe Claflin reported a number of good sightings on a recent WPBO tour to the eastern UP on June 7th. Some of the more notable sightings included a calling LEAST BITTERN at the Dollarville Flooding from the State Forest Campground, a PHILADELPHIA VIREO at the Upper Falls of Tahquamenon, and multiple BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS at the Sleeper Lake burn of the M-123 access roads. Louie Dombroski reports that a TENNESSEE WARBLER near Deer Park and a WILSON’S WARBLER along a snowmobile grade northeast of Newberry are both on territory. 

Chippewa County

David Bell found 2 singing WESTERN MEADOWLARKS on June 20th, with 1 bird at the corner of Midway and 10 Mile near Brimley, and the other along M-48 just east of Gray Road in Munuscong. There have been a couple of reliable CONNECTICUT WARBLERS singing on territory north of Trout Lake along FR RD 3344. Multiple BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS have been reported at this location as well. Kirk Zulfelt reported that a SPRUCE GROUSE hen with chicks were observed here on the 21st. SPRUCE GROUSE have also been recently reported from both Farm Truck Road and Clark Lake Road in Tahquamenon Falls State Park. Louie Dombroski reports that WILSON’S WARBLERS can be found on territory at their traditional location on Lone Pine Road DNR access site, south of the mouth of the Tahquamenon River

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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 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. For more information on Birdnet, or UP birds, please visit www.UPBirders.org

Till next time,

~Skye Haas
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