Since the last blog post, we’ve had quite the assortment of unusual birds show up at the Point, so there’s plenty to talk about! Last week’s blog wrapped up by covering the fabulous songbird influx we had on September 8, and I was hopeful that some of those birds might stick around. Fortunately, that seemed to be the case and we still had heaps of warblers, thrushes, and sparrows to sort through in the morning, with more birds flying in off the lake throughout the day!

The Lark Bunting actually made it all the way out to the waterbird count! Photo by Clay Bliznick.

There were so many highlights on the 9th, but the most exciting bird to me was the immature Lark Bunting that Frank found on his day off! While it only hung around through the end of the day, several birders were able to see it that afternoon. It’s an exceptional rarity for the state of Michigan, but Whitefish Point seems to be a magnet for them, with at least eight other records from the Point over the years. Other incredible finds of the day included the 2nd Whitefish Point record of Willow Flycatcher (a vocalizing bird, which helped distinguish it from Alder Flycatcher), the 3rd record of Blue-winged Warbler, another early Redpoll, and an adult Red-headed Woodpecker. It was a fantastic day to be birding at the Point!

2nd Whitefish Point record Willow Flycatcher at the Helstrom Addition parking area. Photo by Clay Bliznick.

Nice adult Red-headed Woodpecker stopping by during the waterbird count. Photo by Clay Bliznick.

The morning flight counts on the weekend of the 12th, 13th, and 14th proved to be interesting as well. We got off to a good start on Friday, with the Point’s first-of-season Hermit Thrush and Rusty Blackbird on the count. On top of that, a high-flying Redpoll was approaching from the west, but as it closed in it suddenly dropped like a rock and landed on the raptor deck railing! It stuck around long enough for a photo before moving on. Things were a little slower on Saturday, but Sunday was another thrilling one! We had huge flocks of Blue Jays hop-scotching through the area, with a 300-400 minimum jays stopping in at the Point throughout the day. While that spectacle was entertaining enough on it’s own, a gorgeous Black-backed Woodpecker flew in and landed on a snag next to the count station to top things off!

This was easily the best look I’ve ever had of a Black-backed Woodpecker. So exciting! Photo by Clay Bliznick.

The first Rusty Blackbird of the season! Photo by Clay Bliznick.

Last thing to mention are the WPBO weekend bird walks. We had a great turnout for those, with 20 enthusiastic birders spread between the four walks (two early morning walks and two late morning walks). Each outing turned up a nice variety of species, with everyone getting scope views of Red-necked Grebes and several other waterbirds, plus some uncommon songbirds such as Dickcissel and Philadelphia Vireo. On our last walk of the weekend, we had an immature Northern Harrier fly very low and right over out heads, one of the best looks I’ve ever had at the species! You never know birds what you’ll encounter here at Whitefish Point, and I look forward to seeing what we’ll turn up on the next set of walks. I hope to catch some of you out here! If you do make the trip, plan to bring some insect repellent, an extra layer of clothing, and even a head net if you want to venture into the woods at all. The mosquitoes here are as thirsty as ever and there’s lots of them!

~ Clay Bliznick
2025 Fall Field Ornithologist

Featured Photo: Redpoll | Clay Bliznick

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Join Clay for one of his WPBO Migratory Bird Walks offered every weekend through November 15.
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Clay Bliznick, MS: 2025 Fall Field Ornithologist

Clay worked as the WPBO fall field ornithologist in 2024 and is excited to return for the fall of 2025. He first took an interest in birds during a high school trip to Alaska, where he was struck by the flamboyance of magpies, the sleek, penguin-like appearance of alcids, and the sheer number of waterbirds residing along the coast. He dove headfirst into the world of birding while an undergraduate at the University of Kentucky, spending every free second exploring his home state for exciting new birds and places. Afterwards, he attended graduate school at Murray State University and wrote a master’s thesis examining the response of bird communities to environmental factors in Western KY bottomland hardwood forest restorations. For the last several years, Clay has traveled throughout the US working with birds in varying capacities, including nest monitoring of Florida Grasshopper Sparrows and Crested Caracaras, conducting surveys of Swallow-tailed Kite post-breeding roosts, and collecting breeding bird data in North and South Dakota for the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies.