Greetings, here is the sightings report for the week of March 24-31. Spring has been chipping away at the edges of winter up here, and the snow, while still a few feet deep in some places is doing it’s best to melt. A new development here at WPBO is the introduction of electronic data collection through collaboration with the non-profit group Dunkadoo. One of the most exciting features is a live data stream in real of the diurnal counts so that you can follow along with what the counters are seeing and recording in real time as they tally in their observations. There are several different types of interactive graphs that you can use to explore both the daily and seasonal sightings. Click on this link to see the daily stream from the Hawk Count- https://dunkadoo.org/project/wpbo-hawk-count

Bufflehead by Skye Haas

So what have we been seeing this week? Waterbirds still have been few and far between, but a couple of species have made their way past the Point. A small handful of CANADA GEESE and MALLARDS were again recorded this week, and the lone BUFFLEHEAD still lingers in Harbor of Refuge. First of the season COMMON GOLDENEYE and RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were observed on the 30th and 25th respectively. There have been no further sightings of SHARP-TAILED GROUSE since the 24th. The first and only SANDHILL CRANE recorded came on the 29th.

Red-tailed Hawk by Skye Haas

Raptors have been surprisingly good, and despite the much more wintery conditions this spring, only lag behind March 2016’s totals by a couple dozen birds. The season’s first TURKEY VULTURE was recorded on the 30th and the first NORTHERN HARRIER was recorded on the 27th, with a few more individuals since then. Also season firsts were our overdue ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK on the 29th, and a surprisingly early PEREGRINE FALCON on the 31st. A good flight was recorded on the 29th, with 40 RED-TAILED HAWKS and 33 BALD EAGLES on the 29th. Decent numbers of GOLDEN EAGLES have been seen this week with a peak of 8 on the 25th, and 7 on both the 29th and 30th. RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS have been seen in slight higher than average numbers and always a thrill when one launches over the jack pines have been a number of

Northern Goshawk by Skye Haas

NORTHERN GOSHAWKS with 6 on the 29th and 8 on the 30th.

There have only been a few new songbirds with BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS and COMMON GRACKLES making an appearance on the 29th, along with a slight increase in AMERICAN ROBIN numbers. Finches are still plentiful, with a large PINE SISKIN/COMMON REDPOLL flock at the Owl’s Roost feeders. Still a few HOARY REDPOLLS can be found with some careful sorting of the finch feeding flocks. Crossbills have been quickly diminishing in numbers, though RED CROSSBILLS seem to be pairing up and initiating a breeding event out in the pine barrens to the south of the Point. And PINE GROSBEAKS have been quickly dwindling away, though a small flight of 26 was recorded on the 29th.

Farther afield, small numbers of waterfowl have been gathering at the recently opened Tahquamenon Rivermouth, including both TUNDRA and TRUMPETER SWANS, RING-NECKED DUCKS and HOODED MERGANSERS. But the really exciting bird this week for the region was the discovery of an adult gray morph GYRFALCON southeast of Sault Ste. Marie. The bird was seen on the evenings of the 27th-29th at the corner on 7 Mile Road and Nicolet, often perched in a dead ash tree overlooking a flooded field full of geese and ducks.

Gyrfalcon by Skye Haas

 

*** Please note we have changed our owl banding visitation schedule:  Visitors may observe owl banding on Friday and Saturday evenings from dusk to midnight, weather permitting. Beginning at the end of April, the Owl’s Roost Gift Shop will be open on select Friday and Saturday evenings as well.  If you have a large group (5 or more), please call (517) 580-7364 or email events@michiganaudubon.org to make arrangements.