End of Season

Since my last blog post, seven Piping Plover chicks have officially fledged! This means that they survived their first 23 days and can now fly. This is excellent news and one of the better years for the number of chicks fledged. 

Unfortunately, four of the 11 chicks that hatched either went missing or were found dead. Those gone missing include the only one from nest 5 and one from nest 3. One bird from both nests 1 and 3 were found dead several days apart. It is unlikely that either of the birds found dead were killed by predators. They likely died of either the cold or disease. Their carcasses will be transported for testing.

As far as other bird sightings go, August has been full of surprises. On August 1, I found a Prairie Falcon on the beach! This was an amazing bird to see and represents a 7th state record and 1st UP/Point record! All field staff were able to get on this fantastic bird as well, and I’m thankful to have shared it with them. There have also been the first Buff-breasted Sandpiper and American-golden Plover of fall migration in the past several days. These good birds make it hard to leave the Point, but fortunately, after a short break, I will be back as the 2022 fall waterbird counter! I’m excited to spend my first fall at the Point, and I look forward to all the birds and birders that will pass through!

With fledging comes the official end of the Piping Plover monitoring season. This season was filled with many ups and downs, from a record number of nests to finding dead chicks. Many great birds added a lot of excitement to the summer. Highlights include Yellow-throated Warbler and Mississippi Kite in May to the recent Prairie Falcon and Buff-breasted Sandpiper. 

Stay tuned for my upcoming article in the Michigan Audubon member magazine, the Jack Pine Warbler, which will feature a complete story of the Piping Plovers at Whitefish Point this summer.