Up Rare Bird Report for May 18, 2008

[theowlranch at aol.com]

UP Rare Bird Report for May 18, 2008

 

 

It has been somewhat of a late spring to the UP this year (some would call it an old fashioned). North winds have been a constant as of late, and I even experienced a few short snow showers today in the Michigamme Highlands. Still even if individual numbers of neotropical migrants have been somewhat low, bird diversity has been high with many people reporting notable sightings in the last week. I have posted a few updates to the 2008 photo gallery at www.UPBirders.org including the odd Tyrannus hybrid, Lark Sparrow, Orchard Oriole and others. Providing we should actually receive one, the next frontal system from the south should bring a new batch of migrants to the region. Enjoy the rest of May. 

 

 

Highlights

SAY’S PHOEBE*

WESTERN TANAGER*

LARK BUNTING*

Eared Grebe

American White Pelican

Yellow Rail

Willet

Marbled Godwit

Wilson’s Phalarope

Little Gull

Black-backed Woodpecker

WESTERN KINGBIRD x SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER hybrid

Northern Mockingbird

Summer Tanager

Harris’s Sparrow

Orchard Oriole

 

 

Keweenaw County

Zach Gayk had a flock of 200+ WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, and a FIELD SPARROW at Bete Grise on May 16th. Joe Kaplan reported a pair of CANVASBACKS at the Ameek Sewage Ponds on May 10th. Laurie Binford found a female HOUSE SPARROW (a very rare bird for the county!) in Copper Harbor on May 15th. Tom Auer reported a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD in Eagle River on May 12th. Tom also found a LE CONTE’S SPARROW at Seven Mile Point on May 11th. 

 

Houghton County

Art Weaver reported a male LARK BUNTING* at his home along the Portage Canal on May 17th. The bird did not linger. The SUMMER TANAGER that had been at a private residence in eastern Houghton County has not been seen since May 13th. Joe Kaplan found a MARBLED GODWIT at the Atlantic Mines Sewage Pond on May 13th. Joe also found another MARBLED GODWIT along with 3 WILSON’S PHALAROPES at the mouth of the Pilgrim River on May 15th. Joe also reports that a HARRIS’S SPARROW is present the feeders of the Pilgrim Terrance along the Peepsock trail, and 3 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were at the mouth of the Sturgeon River. 

 

Baraga County

Tom Auer found an EARED GREBE, 3 WILSON’S PHALAROPES and 5 RUDDY DUCKS at the Baraga Sewage Ponds on May 18th. Joe Youngman reported a MARBLED GODWIT at the head of the Keweenaw Bay on May 14th. 

 

Iron County

Certainly notable at this latish date away from the Great Lakes are a pair of TUNDRA SWANS along M-73 west of Iron River, last reported on May 14th by Beth Rogers. Beth also noted that the first juvenal GRAY JAYS have also been observed in the area.

 

Marquette County

SPRUCE GROUSE can be found leking along the Red Road north of the Dead River Basin, north of the Boise Creek. 4 were recorded on May 10th. 5 LE CONTE’S SPARROWS were heard at the Sand River Flooding on May 10th. Also on the 10th were 7 RED-THROATED LOONS observed migrating past the Big Bay Lighthouse. 

 

Delta County

Tom Tustison reported a male SUMMER TANAGER at Burnt Bluff on the Garden Peninsula on May 16th. 3-4 ORCHARD ORIOLES and a MARBLED GODWIT were present at Peninsula Point on May 16th.  Also on the 16th, were 7 PIPING PLOVERS, 1 MARBLED GODWIT, 1 WILLET, and 3 WILSON’S PHALAROPES at Portage Marsh.  

 

Alger County

Scott Hickman had the amazing find of a WESTERN KINGBIRD x SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER hybrid in Grand Marais on May 10th. Scott, along with Zach Gayk also found a YELLOW RAIL in a sedge marsh southeast of the Village of Shingleton on May 13th. Also on the 13th, Scott & Zach also reported 3 WILSON’S PHALAROPES in a flooding where Slapneck Creek crosses M-94. Louie Taccolini reported a WILSON’S PHALAROPE at the Chatham Sewage Ponds on May 15th. 4 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were flying over Munising on May 6th. 

 

Schoolcraft County

Greg Mulligan reported an adult male LARK BUNTING* at his feeders on Smith Lake north of Manistique on the evening of May 17th. Ron Annelin reported a female SUMMER TANAGER at his feeders on May 18th. At least 1 YELLOW RAIL has returned to Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Seney will be conducting evening tours to listen for Yellow Rails on May 22nd, & May 29th. If interested contact the refuge to sign up for the tour by calling 906-586-9851 extension 16. More information can be found at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/seney/ACTIVITYEVENTS.htm#yellow%20rail 

 

Luce County

Rick Baetsen reported 13 SPRUCE GROUSE from various locations in the Pike/Homestead Lake areas on May 8th. Rick also reported 2 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS at Pike Lake. 

 

Chippewa County

A number of rare passerines have been recorded at Whitefish Point in the last few days. A male WESTERN TANAGER* was observed flying around the gift shop on May 13th. Also notable was the appearance of a SAY’S PHOEBE* found by Skip Zabel on May 15th. Other significant sightings this week from WPBO include a pair of HARLEQUIN DUCKS on May 10th, 137 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS & 297 BONAPARTE’S GULLS on May 13th, an incredible fallout of 1400+ WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS on May 14th, and LITTLE GULL & MARSH WREN on the 16th.  Owls continue to be caught with recent captures including NORTHERN SAW-WHET, LONG-EARED, BARRED, & GREAT HORNED OWLS. 

Calvin & Charlene Brennin found a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD at the mouth of the Tahquamenon River on May 14th. 

 

Mackinaw County

Barb & Jeff Brockway photographed an ORCHARD ORIOLE that showed up at their feeders at Milakokia Lake in Gould City on May 16th. 

 

 

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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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