UP Rare Bird Report for May 2, 2008

[theowlranch at aol.com]

UP Rare Bird Report for May 2, 2008

 

 

Migration has not been stellar as of the last week, but a few of the new migrants include American Bittern, Least Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Cliff Swallow, Blue-headed Vireo, Nashville Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Lincoln’s Sparrow & White-crowned Sparrow. The 3rd annual International Migratory Bird Day Festival in Copper Harbor will be held this weekend. Here is a link to the festival schedule. http://www.keweenawimbd.org/sched.html 

I have updated the 2008 photo gallery at www.UPBirders.org with additional photos of the Violet-green Swallow as well as Summer Tanager.

 

 

Highlights

VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW*

American White Pelican

Wilson’s Phalarope

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Boreal Owl

Black-backed Woodpecker

Boreal Chickadee

Northern Mockingbird

Summer Tanager

 

 

Keweenaw County

A 1st year male SUMMER TANAGER was a one-day wonder at a feeder in Eagle River on April 26th. 

 

Houghton County

An adult male SUMMER TANAGER was at a private residence in eastern Houghton County on April 28-29th. This record and the one above make for the 4th & 5th records of this species in the Keweenaw. Nancy & Marty Auer had a great find with a BOREAL OWL in Phillipsville on May 2nd. Bruce MacDonald found a female WILSON’S PHALAROPE at the Lake Linden Sewage Ponds on April 29th. 

 

Baraga County

Max Henschell found a female WILSON’S PHALAROPE in the Baraga Sewage Ponds on April 26th. This is the first April record of this species for the Keweenaw Peninsula. Max, along with Joe Kaplan & Russ Hanson had a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD at Ojibwa Beach/Sand Point on May 1st. 

 

Marquette County

A VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW* was found in the lower harbor of the City of Marquette on April 27th, and seen through the 29th. If accepted by the MBRC, this will be the first state record of this species for Michigan. Other birds of note in Marquette this week include a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD seen along the Founder’s Landing bike path in the lower harbor found by Margaret & Sue Boyle on April 27th, and both BLACK & SURF SCOTERS in the lower harbor. 3 RED-THROATED LOONS and 3 SURF SCOTERS were observed migrating past the Big Bay Lighthouse on May 1st.

 

Delta County

A GREAT EGRET was present at the Ogantz Bay DNR boat launch on April 25th. 

 

Luce County

Rick Baetsen reported 4 SPRUCE GROUSE & 5 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE in northern Luce County along CO RD 423 & 414. Multiple observers have been reported small numbers of BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS in the Sleeper Lake over the last week. 

 

Chippewa County

Recent highlights from WPBPO include a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN on April 25th, a SPRUCE GROUSE on the 1st, and PIPING PLOVER on May 2nd. This is a good flight year of BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES and small numbers of BOREAL CHICKADEES have been consistent. BOREAL OWLS are still present in small numbers as are LONG-EARED, NORTHERN SAW-WHET, BARRED & GREAT HORNED OWLS. 

David Bell reported the first LE CONTE’S SPARROW of the season in Dryburg along Prairie Road on April 25th. Rick Baetsen had 2 SPRUCE GROUSE in the Hendrie Swamp on April 26th. 

 

Mackinac County

Kirk Zulfelt reported 2 GREAT EGRETS along with 7 CANVASBACKS at Pt. Labarbe on April 7th. 

 

 

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

 

 

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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.envirolink.org/pipermail/mich-listers/attachments/20080502/672c1ccf/attachment-0001.html