The first snowfall on 11/6 officially marked the arrival of winter! As temperatures start to plummet, so has foot traffic at the point. The Shipwreck Museum closed for the season on 10/31.
Trails through the jack pines. Photo by Oliver Kew
Late-season finch movements continue to be highly productive this fall. Morning flight counts from the Raptor Deck offer excellent diversity.
American Goldfinch remained the dominant passerine migrant. Over 2,500 were recorded heading southeast this week. Red Crossbills are also still pushing through in impressive numbers with an additional 1,532 tallied. White-winged Crossbills are far less abundant. Small flyover groups have been fairly consistent.
Redpolls have finally returned! Individuals and small flocks readily associate with Pine Siskin and American Goldfinch. Birch and alder catkins are a popular food source. A single group of 17 Redpolls was observed moving southeast on 11/07.
Redpoll (Common). Photo by Oliver Kew
Bohemian Waxwings counts are on the rise! Flyover groups were observed daily this week. Over 700 were recorded from Marquette by Michael Gray on 11/07. A total of 86 were foraging around the parking lot at Whitefish Point on the same afternoon. Signs are pointing to a strong return after a great showing last winter (2025-26).
Bohemian Waxwings. Photo by Oliver Kew
Bohemian Waxwings. Photo by Jack McDonough
Pine Grosbeak are an irregular winter visitor, moving south when food is scarce. The morning flight count tallied 33 heading southeast on 11/07. Small groups have been present around the point foraging on conifer cones. Listen closely for the sweet whistles of Pine Grosbeaks to help locate these plump finches!
Pine Grosbeak. Photo by Oliver Kew
As activity in the woods has fallen off, the feeders remain active. Blue Jays and Black-capped Chickadees are regular visitors. A lingering adult White-crowned Sparrow has been present all week.
Blue Jay. Photo by Oliver Kew
The feeder area offered some irregular sightings this week. A female Northern Cardinal was a fun surprise, lingering from 11/06-11/08. A single Mourning Dove stuck around for a few days from 11/07-11/09.
Mourning Dove. Photo by Oliver Kew
Snow Buntings are still on the move along the lakeshore. The waterbird count recorded 110+ on both 11/6 and 11/7. Small groups have been enjoying the restoration area! A handful of Horned Larks spent the week foraging the lighthouse lawn.
Snow Bunting. Photo by Oliver Kew
The majority of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers have now departed. A pair spent the early portion of the week around the parking lot. The next 5 days recorded only a single observation on 11/07.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Photo by Oliver Kew
Sadly, tomorrow begins the final week for the 2026 fall counts at Whitefish Point. Fingers crossed for an eventful final push as we wrap up a fantastic season!
Waterbird Station. Photo by Oliver Kew
Oliver Kew, Fall Field Ornithologist
Featured Photo: Snow Bunting by O. Kew
Track the morning flight counts on Trektellen.
Keep up with the 2026 Fall Field Ornithologist’s weekly blog posts and follow WPBO’s social media (Facebook, Instagram, and X).
Join Oliver for one of his WPBO Migratory Bird Walks offered every weekend through November 15. Learn more: wpbo.org/wpbobirdwalks/
Oliver Kew: 2026 Fall Field Ornithologist
Oliver is a passionate naturalist from Petoskey, Michigan. He worked for Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch as a waterbird counter for seven seasons. Oliver graduated from Michigan State University in 2017 with a B.S. in Zoo & Aquarium Science. His previous roles include working as an Animal Husbandry Technician and Zookeeper Aide, where he helped maintain large collections of exotic birds and reptiles. Originally from Coventry, England, Oliver developed an immense appreciation for the natural world through his family of foresters. He loves exploring the shorelines of northern Michigan in pursuit of exciting and unexpected birding experiences and is honored to help convey the importance of Whitefish Point as a migration pathway. When he is not birdwatching, Oliver enjoys playing disc golf, looking for insects and plants, and spending time with his two cats.
