UP Rare Bird Report for February 19, 2009

[theowlranch at aol.com]

UP Rare Bird Report for February 19, 2009



After a pleasent respite from winter with several days of above freezing tempertures, a recent blizzard has dumped over of foot of new snow across the UP, a reminder of where one lives! Still, even with all the sub-zero tempertures and snow, it continues to be a birdy winter. In addtion to the often commented upon finches, other birds that have been reported in higher then normal numbers this winter include Merlins with reports ranging from the Keweenaw, Marquette County and eastward to the Soo. Red-tailed Hawks also seem to be around in slightly higher numbers. The impressive ash crop certainly is allowing for good numbers of American Robins to over-winter as well as Cedar Waxwings. I suspect by the time March arrives, including rarities, this winter will have one of the highest species totals for the UP in a long time. 


Highlights

Red-shouldered Hawk
Gyrfalcon
Iceland Gull
Snowy Owl
Great Gray Owl
Northern Hawk Owl
Black-backed Woodpecker
BARN SWALLOW
CAROLINA WREN
Bohemian Waxwing
Hoary Redpoll

Keweenaw County
Max Henschell reported that the COMMON GRACKLE along with the 2 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were still present as of February 15th. Max also reported a MERIN in Gay on the 15th.  

Marquette County
For a winter with a growing list of out-of-season birds, undoubtedly the most unexpected was a BARN SWALLOW found foraging at the mouth of the Whetstone Brook in the lower harbor of the City of Marquette. Present from February 9-10th, the birds arri
val was timed with a major thaw and the passage of a strong frontal system from the south. This is the first winter record of any swallow species in the Upper Peninsula. The CAROLINA WREN in Sands Township is still hanging on with a report on the 12th. An early spring flight of HERRING GULLS have returned to Marquette bringing with them 1 adult GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL on the 10-12th, and 2 GLAUCOUS GULLS on the 11th, and 4 GLAUCOUS GULLS on the 12th. David Pavlik found a ICELAND GULL at the mouth of the Dead River on the 16th. At least 1 SNOWY OWL remains present along the City of Marquette waterfront with the most recent sighting on the 13th. While the large redpoll flock has dispeared from Presque Isle Park in Marquette during the thaw, at least 2 HOARY REDPOLLS were observed at the MooseWood Nature Center on the 19th. Vicki Bennon reports that 2 HOARY REDPOLLS and 7 GRAY JAYS are coming into her feeders in Diorite. 2 GRAY JAYS were up the Peshekee on the 15th. Scot Stewart reported 4 BOREAL CHICKADEES were seen on the Peshekee on 8th. Scot also reported an early returning PERGRINE FALCON over the lower harbor ore dock ont the 10th. 268 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were in Michigamme on the 15th. A flock of 300+ BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS have been present in a mountain ash grove where Adams Street dead-ends just south of US-41 in the City of Marquette. Good numbers of AMERICAN ROBINS have been present as well.

Alger County
Scott Hickman had a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER along Reindeer Way north of Chri
stmas on February 13th. 

Schoolcraft County
Jim & Jody Patton found a male BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER along the Highwater Truck Trail on February 8th. 

Luce County
Joe Youngman and Zach Gayk snow-shoed into the Sleeper Lake burn on February 8th and found 4 BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS and 3 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. Dixie Stewart report 5 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE near Soo Juntion on the 6th.

Chippewa County
Jeff Sommer reported the adult gray-morph GYRFALCON on February 8th flying over the dead-end at 10 Mile Road near Dafter (The Robbin's home feeding station). Lois & Bob Robbins have had a GREAT GRAY OWL on their property with a report on the 7th. 1-2 HOARY REDPOLLS have been reported from this location. A GREAT GRAY OWL seems to be somewhat regular on Lower Hay Lake Road south of 7 Mile Road, though observors have seen south of 8 Mile as well. This bird was most recently reported on the 15th. There may actually be two birds present along Lower Hay Lake Roads. NORTHERN HAWK OWLS remain visable in Pickford with one bird 1 mile east of M-129 on the south side of M-48, and the 2nd bird at the corner of M-48 and McCabe. Both were reported on the 15th. PLEASE! When observing or photographing northern owls, please use respect and distance, and do not cause them to expend unnessary engery in these frigid tempertures. Also feeding owls rodents along a busy highway is not recommended as the birds can become habituated to the roadside and possibility of being hit in traffic increases. 
Other sightings in eastern=2
0Chippewa County include 5-6 SNOWY OWLS in Rudyard along the Hantz/M-48/Centerline Roads loop. Jamie Krupa reported a SNOWY OWL on Maple Road, south of 6 Mile, and and another SNOWY on Lower Hay Lake near 7 1/2 Mile Roads on the 13th.1-2 HOARY REDPOLLS have been regular at the Dunbar Forest. NORTHERN SHRIKES, SHARP-TAILED GROUSE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS have been sighted in many locations in the area. Willie McHale photographed a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK along Lower Hay Lake Road on the 7th. A pair of NORTHERN GOSHAWKS have been present in the Dunbar Forest as well. 4 GLAUCOUS GULL were at the Dafter Dump on 13th. Rare in wintertime, Betty Maxton reported 2 SPRUCE GROUSE on the road into the Paradise Transfer Station on on the 15th. Betty also reported 3 HOARY REDPOLLS at her feeders at Lost Lake (Tahquamenon Falls State Park), on the 6th. GRAY JAYS have been reported recently in the Hulbert Bog.

Mackinac County
Gerald Vork reported 7 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE from Pt LaBarbe on February 12th. 



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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_h
ome.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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