Some of the highlights since the last blog post include a flock of 19 American White Pelicans that flew past the tip on May 17 and the arrival of several shorebird species.
A Red Knot appeared in the pond near the tip for a while on May 18. Surprisingly, this individual was not in breeding plumage. I can’t recall any spring sightings of birds not in their pretty pink-as-grapefruit breeding colors. It still counts: a Red Knot is a Red Knot even when it’s not red.Our first White-rumped Sandpiper showed up on May 23, as did 13 Ruddy Turnstones.
Whimbrel numbers have increased as expected this time of year with 109, which included one flock of 90, seen during the morning on May 22, with an additional 200 sighted in the evening on that day. These included a distant flock of 120 that crossed the peninsula well inland, but also a group of 80 that flew practically over our heads. This flock was also witnessed by a class from the University of Michigan who had ventured out to the beach with hopes of seeing just such a sight. On May 24 several flocks totaling 216 birds flew by over the course of the morning, but our hopes for seeing more in the evening were dashed by fog.
Some non-waterbird highlights include a Black-backed Woodpecker that flew around the point on May 23 and a continuing trickle of Rough-legged Hawks, with 9 being spotted during the waterbird count on May 20. We’ve got our fingers crossed that there is still one or two flying by for Bird-a-thon!
– Louie Dombroski
