Frigatebird Sp.; Leelenau County; Saturday, September 19

[Larry Burke]

I received a phone call from my brother this evening reporting that he saw a
frigatebird on Saturday, September 19 while fishing on Lake Leelenau with
three friends.

The sighting occurred at about 5:00 p.m., at which time the weather
conditions were sunny and bright with a slight overcast.  My brother noticed
the bird flying toward his boat in a south-to-north direction.  The
unusualness of the bird was not immediately apparent as my brother initially
thought it was just another Great Blue Heron.  That it was not a GBH became
more apparent as the bird approached.  It flew directly over his boat.  He
told me that he only saw the underside as it flew over at a height he
estimated at about 300 feet.  He said that the plumage was all black and
that it had a somewhat longish bill, long and narrow wings and a long and
very narrow tail.  The two "forks" of the tail remained close together; the
bird did not spread them in "V" fashion.  It continued in a northerly
direction.  The bird reportedly did not flap its wings even once while in
sight.  It appeared to be moving its head, looking from side to side.  My
brother's boat mate also saw the bird.  The other two guys in the second
boat saw it was well.  When the bird had flown on, one of the fellows in the
other boat called my brother on his cell phone and asked: "What the h---
kind of bird was that!?!?"

My brother has been interested in birds for many years.  I have birded with
him on numerous occasions.  He has seen Magnificent Frigatebirds on fishing
trips to south Florida, so he knows what a frigatebird looks like.

It would be nice if someone else has the good fortune of seeing this bird
and, ideally, lending credence to my brother's sighting.  Good luck on that.

Good birding,

Larry Burke