It was a fairly slow start to the week, with waterbirds continuing to trickle through the area following the strong front on Oct. 8. The weekend forecast looked quite interesting, with a strong north-northeasterly flow across the region wrapping back around behind a low-pressure system and cold front passing well to our south. The forecast was certainly intriguing enough to bring some large groups of birders to the Point — over 30 birders were present on Saturday and had the chance to join in on the waterbird count.
A busy day at the waterbird shack. Photo by Mike McBrien
Counts at the beginning of the period were highlighted by a migrating Asio owl species (too distant to determine if it was a Long-eared or Short-eared Owl) on Oct. 12 and a group of four Tundra Swans on Oct. 13.
Oct. 14–16 featured the forecasted strong north-northeast breeze and, with it, three days of triple-digit flights of Greater Scaup, White-winged Scoters, and Red-breasted Mergansers. These nice scoter pushes over the weekend were accompanied by good numbers of Black Scoters, with 53 on Oct. 15. On Oct. 16, over 3,000 birds passed the waterbird shack, but the flight was rather one-dimensional, with the majority being 2,408 Long-tailed Ducks — this was the first hint of some large Long-tailed Duck flights possibly to come this fall. Two Harlequin Ducks were also a very nice highlight migrating past on the morning of Oct. 16.
Along with two Harlequin Ducks that migrated past the Point on Oct. 16, one stopped in the harbor at the Point on the evening of Oct. 15 and delighted a few observers with some close views. Photo by Mike McBrien
Birders arrived to very light northwest winds on Oct. 17. These conditions brought an extremely diverse duck flight for mid-October. Among the continuing scoter, merganser, and scaup train, low numbers of a wide range of other ducks across 19 species were recorded. The first Canvasback of the season (a flock of 9) migrated past, and most dabblers (except Northern Pintail) were represented. A late Common Tern also migrated right down the dune line, allowing for some great study.
Visitors were treated to some flocks of White-winged Scoters migrating directly overhead the waterbird shack this past weekend! Photo by Mike McBrien
Among other sightings, raptors are moving strongly through the region with an ongoing Rough-legged Hawk flight (with almost 50 tallied this week) as well as a dark-morph Red-tailed Hawk. Grouse seem to be getting a bit restless with multiple Ruffed Grouse pushing into point as well as a few sightings of the locally-scarce Spruce Grouse. There has been a noticeable lack of a passerine flight over the past week, apart from the irruptive finches. Purple Finch have been pushing in since Oct. 12, as well as good numbers of White-winged Crossbills and Common Redpolls arriving in small migrant groups.
One of nearly 50 Rough-legged Hawks that migrated past Whitefish Point this week. Photo by Mike McBrien
The forecast for the next 10 days looks quite interesting for migration, with three fronts expected to move across the region — one overnight on Thursday this week, followed by two late next week.
~ Mike McBrien
2023 Fall Waterbird Counter
Featured photo: Flock of White-winged Scoters moving south alongside the freight carrier “Great Republic.” Photo by Mike McBrien
