Field Notes

This blog is your go-to for recent sightings at the Point, including both the usual suspects and the rare species that have been spotted, more in-depth looks at the habitats found here, educational programming being offered, and more. The unique juxtaposition of land and water at the Point funnels many birds through WPBO and over 340 species have been identified at the Point. Be sure to check this blog for regular updates!

Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 6

We only have about three weeks left of the fall season at Whitefish Point, but the bird activity here has yet to slow down. While just about all the warblers and other early to mid-fall migrants are gone (even Yellow-rumped Warblers!), we continue to have large quantities of sparrows and winter finches. Not to [...]

2024-10-29T16:04:28-04:00October 29th, 2024|Field Notes, Field Ornithologist|Comments Off on Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 6

Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 5

We’re well into the second half of the fall season at Whitefish Point, and we’ve seen most of the songbird, raptor, and waterbird migrants that we’ve been expecting. The winter finches are abundant on most days, and there have been some Evening Grosbeaks, White-winged Crossbills, and Common Redpolls among their numbers. We are also [...]

2024-10-22T09:27:55-04:00October 22nd, 2024|Field Notes, Field Ornithologist|Comments Off on Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 5

Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 4

The birding at Whitefish Point has been magnificent over the past week! We've had several expected bird species finally arrive at the Point for the first time this fall (mainly on the waterbird count), but we had quite a few surprises as well. The most exciting of these surprises was on 10/8. I was [...]

2024-10-15T09:28:52-04:00October 15th, 2024|Field Notes, Field Ornithologist|Comments Off on Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 4

Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 3

While the Burrowing Owl seems to have vanished from Whitefish Point (last seen on 10/1), it was still a fun week of birding here! The number of early-season migrants, such as warblers, continues to dwindle, but the sparrow numbers have picked up tremendously over the last week. The sparrow influx has been headlined by [...]

2024-10-11T10:28:21-04:00October 8th, 2024|Field Notes, Field Ornithologist|Comments Off on Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 3

Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 2 – Burrowing Owl and Other Highlights

This past week at Whitefish Point has been the most exciting stretch of the season thus far, thanks in no small part to the celebrity Burrowing Owl that turned up here this past Friday (9/27). Since being discovered early that morning by birders Paul and Catherine, visiting from New Zealand, the owl has captivated [...]

2024-10-11T10:27:47-04:00October 1st, 2024|Field Notes, Field Ornithologist|Comments Off on Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 2 – Burrowing Owl and Other Highlights

Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 1

With the addition of Hannah Leabhart to the WPBO team as the official waterbird counter for the fall, I have spent more time in the woods over the past week while helping with the count as Hannah adjusts to her new role. My first project was fixing the bird feeder setup behind the Owl’s [...]

2024-10-11T10:27:10-04:00September 24th, 2024|Field Notes, Field Ornithologist|Comments Off on Fall Field Ornithologist Update: Week 1

Piping Plover Week 13 Update

For the past two weeks, Whitefish Point has been virtually ploverless. On August 5, a fledgling from Vermilion stopped by for a brief rest and has not returned since. The exclosure at the Point. Photo by Stephanie Owens Sunday struck a nostalgic chord as I ventured to the beach to clean up [...]

2024-08-13T09:56:25-04:00August 12th, 2024|Field Notes, Piping Plover|Comments Off on Piping Plover Week 13 Update

Piping Plover Week 12 Update

It appears that the Piping Plover breeding season is practically at its close. I last saw Little Bill Bob with his chick on July 28. Now, I hike the beach from end to end, with my plover findings turning up short. O chick has shown sporadically, and I feel a twinge of sadness when [...]

2024-08-13T10:18:22-04:00August 5th, 2024|Field Notes, Piping Plover|Comments Off on Piping Plover Week 12 Update

Piping Plover Week 11 Update

Baby takes flight! Little Bill Bob peeping to Baby. Photo by Stephanie Owens On July 21, I observed Little Bill Bob with his chick lounging around near their old exclosure. Suddenly, Bob flew away out of sight. I sat there looking at Baby, a bit puzzled, wondering why Bob left in such [...]

2024-07-30T12:42:47-04:00July 29th, 2024|Field Notes, Piping Plover|Comments Off on Piping Plover Week 11 Update

Piping Plover Week 10 Update

Sunburning away again in Ploveritaville. The captive-reared chicks in their carrier. Photo by Stephanie Owens On Monday, July 15, three captive-reared Piping Plover chicks were released at Whitefish Point. They were salvaged as eggs from Sleeping Bear Dunes because their father went missing, which left the incubating duties solely to the mother. Once [...]

2024-07-22T15:32:57-04:00July 22nd, 2024|Field Notes, Piping Plover|Comments Off on Piping Plover Week 10 Update
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