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 SPRING AND FALL 2005JOURNALS ARCHIVE
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SPRING 2005
April 5th, Whitefish Point
The totals to date for the hawk count are Turkey
Vulture (9), Bald Eagle (152), Northern Harrier (57), Sharp-shinned
Hawk (125), Cooper's Hawk (3), Northern Goshawk (82), Red-shouldered
Hawk (17), Red-tailed Hawk (96), Rough-legged Hawk (9), Golden Eagle
(41), American Kestrel (15), Merlin (18). Over the last few days,
there has been a marked increase in Red-tails, Sharpies and Harriers
with today (April 5) being particularly productive. Perhaps as
noticeable has been the rather slow start to the Rough-leg movement.
Goshawks continue to be impressive with all but a few
of the total being adults. A dark-morph Red-tail was recorded on April
1.
The owl banding has been underway since the beginning of the month
with about 20 Northern Saw-whet Owls captured so far. A Long-eared Owl
was noted on April 5.
Other recent migrants include Great Blue Heron,
American Woodcock, Northern Flicker, Cliff Swallow!, Yellow-rumped
Warbler, Fox and Song Sparrows and Rusty Blackbird. Large numbers of
Robins and blackbirds have taken over as the dominant passerines from
the redpolls and Pine Grosbeaks, although these are still present in
smaller numbers. Small flocks of Bohemian Waxwings also continue to be
seen.
Special thanks to WPBO April 1st Research Sponsor for
the Hawk Count Linda Sweigart whom made the donation for Helen and
Robert Sweigart in celebration of their life and love of nature.
Calvin Brennan
7th April, Whitefish Point
Last night (April 7) the owl banders banded 32 northern
saw-whet owls, 1boreal and another one either a long-eared or barred.
They also saw a great gray owl. Sandhill Cranes are back as are some
sparrows, red-winged blackbirds, robins, and hawks are doing good
March 15th through 28th, Whitefish Point
March 15-28 raptor totals - Turkey Vulture (1), Bald
Eagle (93), Northern Harrier (1), Sharp-shinned Hawk (2), Northern
Goshawk (46), Red-shouldered Hawk (6), Red-tailed Hawk (14), Golden
Eagle (30), Merlin (4).
As you can see, the count is dominated by BE and NG
with other species just now starting to come through. Most of the Bald
Eagles are still adults but with a good mix of ages starting to appear
the last few days. The peak day so far was today (28th) with 18
recorded. All but three of the Goshawks have been adults. I have yet
to have a day without recording at least one with peak days of 8 on
the 23rd and 7 on the 27th. On the 27th, I had 4 in the same binocular
view simultaneously! The top day for Golden Eagles was the 10 recorded
on the 23rd with 5 of these kettling in one group.
Redpolls and Pine Grosbeaks continue to be numerous
around the area with Hoary Redpolls recorded most days. A few small
groups of Bohemian Waxwings have been present the last few days.
Migrant passerines the last two days have included Red-winged
Blackbird, Common Grackle and Robin. This past weekend also brought
the first Killdeer and Sandhill Cranes into the area
Calvin Brennan
May 7th, Whitefish Point
The spring owl banding season has produced an amazing
diversity of owls. As of May 7th we have banded 182 owls of 7 species:
78 Northern Saw-whet, 61 Boreal, 25 Long-eared, 4 Barred, 12 Great
Gray, 1 Great-horned and 1 Northern Hawk. On April 8th we caught only
10 owls, but they were of 6 species. Our biggest night was April 7th,
when we caught 32 Saw-whets, 1 Boreal and 3 Long-eareds
Our 12 Great Grays tie the record for a season at
Whitefish Point. It is truly amazing to witness the Great Gray
activity around the net lanes. We have seen them low, pumping towards
the lake. We have heard several different vocalizations, higher than
usual hoots and some cooing. On both April 20th and 25th we caught 3
Great Grays, and on those nights we were seeing them on most of our
net runs in all areas of the net lanes.
On the night of May 6th we experienced the most amazing
fall-out of Sparrows I have ever seen. They were in the lighthouse
beam, in all the trees and covering the ground. As we did our net runs
they were flushing from our feet. When flushed at night they are very
disoriented, some flying directly up, some backwards and some
scrambling into the under-story. We saw White-throated, White-crowned,
Swamp, Lincoln’s Sparrows and a Brown Thrasher roosting in the trees.
The only owl we caught this night was a Great Gray, who had a
White-throated Sparrow.
The owl migration has really slowed down the last 2
weeks, but we have still caught at least one on all but one night.
While the numbers have dropped, the diversity remains. Great Grays and
Boreals are still around. An independent trapper recaptured a Great
Gray on May 8th that we banded on April 25th, so at least one Great
Gray is using the point for an extended amount of time.
By Chris Neri, WPBO Head Owl Bander
BACK TO TOP
FALL 2005
August 9th through 31st,
Vermilion Biological Station
Fall migration monitoring began at Vermilion on August 8th. This
fall there are two passerine banders out at Vermilion: Jessica Bolser,
and, myself, Catherine Craig. In addition to six hours of banding
(weather permitting), a daily census is completed and general
observations are noted for the Daily Estimated Totals.
The three busiest banding days were August 10th, 21st and 29th,
with 55, 43, and 46 new birds banded, respectively. Our most frequent
captures have been Swamp Sparrows and Common Yellowthroats, many of
which were likely locally bred. Only a few woodpeckers (all Downy)
were caught in August. Of the flycatchers, many Yellow-bellied,
Traill's, and Least have been captured. A few Black-capped
Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, and Kinglets have
been banded, but not in great numbers. Until August 28th there had
been hardly any thrushes present, but on that day thirteen Swainson's
were caught and more continue to be banded, seen, and heard daily.
There have been many Cedar Waxwings and Red-eyed Vireos seen and
banded, plus the occasional Blue-headed Vireo. Around the middle of
the month we began to catch a greater variety of warblers and so far
21species have been banded, none of them unexpected. Our most diverse
warbler day was August 29th, with 12 species. Magnolia, Nashville,
Myrtle, and Tennessee Warblers; Common Yellowthroats; and American
Redstarts have been the most numerous. Sparrows banded include
Chipping, Savannah, Song, Lincoln's, Swamp, and White-throated.
Twenty-five American Goldfinches have been banded, and this gregarious
bunch continues to entertain us at the feeders.
The only non-songbird banded last month was a male Sharp-shinned
Hawk. Other raptors sighted at Vermilion include Turkey Vultures, an
Osprey, several Bald Eagles and Northern Harriers, and a Merlin that
is seen almost daily.
There have been very few shorebirds around Vermilion; however, on
August 27th three Willets were found on the beach just east of
Vermilion after a morning of heavy rain.
August 15th through
September 15th, Whitefish Point
Migration has been increasingly steadily at Whitefish Point. The
waterbird count has been going on since August 15th. The primary
species passing through at the beginning of the season is Red-necked
Grebe; the best grebe day so far was 3211 counted on September 13th.
Grebe numbers are still behind schedule though, presumably because the
weather has been consistently hot (and dry), with no strong cold
fronts to push the birds south. There has been good flights of
Blue-winged Teal (over 1700 to date) and Common Tern (over 1,000 to
date), two early season migrants that are often mostly gone by the
time the waterbird count begins on August 15th. A few mixed flocks of
dabblers are starting to be seen, and even a few White-winged and
several Surf Scoters have already been seen. Peak dabbler movement
should occur this month, while peak movements of diving ducks occur in
October.
Nineteen species of shorebirds have been seen at the point since
August 15th, including two Marbled Godwits on August 22nd, and an
awesome formation of sixty six Hudsonian Godwits flying by on August
29th. Godwits have been seen at Whitefish only once previously in
fall, and the flock of Hudsonians apparently represents a high count
for the state. A Stilt Sandpiper was recorded on September 3rd and a
Red-necked Phalarope landed in a large puddle on the point on
September 2nd. Shorebird migration has been slow since early
September.
A light morph juvenile Swainson’s Hawk was seen on September 12th;
this species has not been documented previously at the point in fall.
Ten species of raptors were seen on the 13th during strong southwest
winds, including another Swainson’s Hawk and a Peregrine Falcon.
Eight Parasitic Jaegers have been seen, the most recent a juvenile
on September 13th. Other Larid highlights have been an adult Lesser
Black-backed Gull on August 25th, a juvenile Sabine’s Gull on
September 5th, and a juvenile Franklin’s Gull on September 10th that
landed with the flock of Ring-billed Gulls hanging around the point
waiting for handouts.
A huge thrush migration occurred on the morning of September 12th
during strong southwest winds and a high of nearly 90 degrees. The
calls of Swainson’s Thrushes were continuous during the hour before
sunrise (a few of the less common Gray-cheeked Thrush were mixed in as
well). Warbler migration has been good off and on all season,
including a Prairie Warbler on September 10th. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo
was present on September 13th.
September 1st through 15th,
Vermilion Biological Station
The banding highlights of September so far are a Philadelphia Vireo
(Sept. 3rd), a Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Sept. 11th) and an Eastern
Wood-Pewee (Sept. 13th ).
The number of birds captured each day is steady, but the station
has not been overly busy. As of the 15th of September 893 new birds
had been banded this fall (since August 9th); on our busiest day 84
new birds were banded. There are a lot of recaptures, mostly of birds
banded by Lake Superior State University during the summer and of
birds banded by us in days previous.
We continue to catch Downy (mainly) and Hairy (three, so far)
Woodpeckers. Although the number of Northern Flickers present has
increased, we haven’t caught any of them. Flycatcher numbers have
dropped off, although a few, mainly Least Flycatchers, continued to be
caught until mid-Sept. Four Blue Jays have been banded and large
flocks continue to be seen passing by. A few Black-capped Chickadees,
Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Brown Creepers continue to be caught.
Larger flocks of kinglets (mostly Golden-crowned) began turning up in
the mist-nets Sept. 7th. Catharus thrushes dominate many of our days.
At the beginning of the month, most of them were Swainson’s Thrushes;
however, the daily proportion of Gray-cheeked and Hermit Thrushes
banded has been increasing. In the first week of September there was a
burst of Red-eyed Vireos, but since then they have mostly disappeared,
along with the majority of our Blue-headed Vireos and Cedar Waxwings.
The warbler diversity was better in August than it has been in
September; however, we banded large numbers of Blackpoll Warblers in
early September. Early September also brought flocks of White-throated
Sparrows, which now rival Swamp Sparrows in numbers at Vermilion. Over
100 American Goldfinches have been banded, but no other finches have
been caught this month. One Purple Finch and one Red Crossbill have
been seen.
We banded our season second Sharp-shinned Hawk on September 2nd. A
couple of others have been spotted bouncing in the nets, but escaped
before we could get to them. Merlin, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, and
Northern Harrier continue to be seen regularly.
Large flocks of Canada Geese have been seen heading south
overhead. There have been more shorebirds out on our beach this month
including Semi-palmated and Black-bellied Plovers, a Baird’s
Sandpiper, and Sanderlings. Flocks of Horned Larks have also been seen
on the beach
September 23rd through 27th,
We are still getting a good diversity of dabbling and diving
ducks at the point. In particular, Greater Scaup have been migrating
past the point in strong numbers. Our biggest day this week occurred
on Sunday, September 25, when more than 800 Greater Scaup, 200 plus
White-winged Scoters, and nearly 200 Red-breasted Mergansers were
observed making their way south. Also of interest, a Pacific Loon was
spotted during the last minute of the waterbird census on the 24th of
September. Additionally, Peregrine Falcons have been spotted nearly
every day this week and are often observed flying over the beach or
just above treeline. Shorebird diversity has increased this week,
although the number of birds observed is still rather low. Golden and
Semipalmated Plovers, a Ruddy Turnstone, Least, Baird’s, and Pectoral
Sandpipers, as well as Sanderlings were all seen and heard this week.
The Owl banders continue to capture mostly Northern Saw-whet
Owls, however, one Long-eared Owl was banded on the 25th of September.
Boreal Owls are due to arrive any day now, but none have been observed
yet this season.
Our only new arrival in the woods this week was the Gray
Catbird, which was observed on September 26th. However, the woods are
still busy with activity. Strong movements of woodpeckers have
continued to move through the point. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Downy
Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Flickers, a Pileated Woodpecker, and a
Black-backed Woodpecker (September 27th) were observed feeding on
pines around the point. Kinglets are also still common and will most
likely continue to remain one of the more common birds at Whitefish
Point throughout October. Hermit Thrushes and Dark-eyed Juncos
sightings have also increased, with Juncos becoming almost as common
as the White-throated Sparrows that are consistently observed feeding
on seed behind the gift shop. Also of interest at the feeder, a
juvenile Harris’s sparrow has been lingering at the feeder throughout
the week and was just joined by an adult Harris’s Sparrow today
(September 28th).
September 23rd through 27th,
Whitefish Point
We are still getting a good diversity of dabbling and diving ducks
at the point. In particular, Greater Scaup have been migrating past
the point in strong numbers. Our biggest day this week occurred on
Sunday, September 25, when more than 800 Greater Scaup, 200 plus
White-winged Scoters, and nearly 200 Red-breasted Mergansers were
observed making their way south. Also of interest, a Pacific Loon was
spotted during the last minute of the waterbird census on the 24th of
September. Additionally, Peregrine Falcons have been spotted nearly
every day this week and are often observed flying over the beach or
just above treeline. Shorebird diversity has increased this week,
although the number of birds observed is still rather low. Golden and
Semipalmated Plovers, a Ruddy Turnstone, Least, Baird’s, and Pectoral
Sandpipers, as well as Sanderlings were all seen and heard this week.
The Owl banders continue to capture mostly Northern Saw-whet Owls,
however, one Long-eared Owl was banded on the 25th of September.
Boreal Owls are due to arrive any day now, but none have been observed
yet this season.
Our only new arrival in the woods this week was the Gray Catbird,
which was observed on September 26th. However, the woods are still
busy with activity. Strong movements of woodpeckers have continued to
move through the point. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Downy Woodpeckers,
Hairy Woodpeckers, Flickers, a Pileated Woodpecker, and a Black-backed
Woodpecker (September 27th) were observed feeding on pines around the
point. Kinglets are also still common and will most likely continue to
remain one of the more common birds at Whitefish Point throughout
October. Hermit Thrushes and Dark-eyed Juncos sightings have also
increased, with Juncos becoming almost as common as the White-throated
Sparrows that are consistently observed feeding on seed behind the
gift shop. Also of interest at the feeder, a juvenile Harris’s sparrow
has been lingering at the feeder throughout the week and was just
joined by an adult Harris’s Sparrow today (September 28th).
September 28th through October
4th, Whitefish Point
Owl banders did not capture any new species of owls this week.
However, they are still catching good numbers of Northern Saw-whet
Owls and Barred Owls. Boreal Owls are expected to show up any day now.
At the point, waterbird diversity is still high, but no large
flights of birds occurred this week. The most common birds observed
included Greater Scaup, White-winged Scoters, and Red-necked Grebes.
Peak days for these species occurred on September 29th for all three
species and on October 1st for Greater Scaup and White-winged Scoters.
This fall has been exceptional for Pacific Loons and our third bird of
the season was observed on October 2nd. Also of interest, a strong
flight of American Black Ducks occurred on October 4th. American
Golden Plovers and Sanderling have dominated the shorebird count this
week, however, Black-bellied Plovers, Solitary Sandpiper, Baird’s
Sandpiper, and Pectoral Sandpipers have also been seen and heard. Our
first Dunlin and White-rumped Sandpiper of the season were recorded
today, October 5th.
Hermit Thrushes, Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-throated
Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Junco’s are currently the most common birds in
the woods. Dark-eyed Junco’s in particular are arriving and forming
enormous flocks of fifty-plus birds. Pine Siskins are also forming
huge flocks over the point and are often seen flying overhead,
although they do occasionally stop at the bird feeder behind the gift
shop. A Dickcissel (October 3rd - October 4th) joined the Harris’s
Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, and White-crowned Sparrows that
have been seen by many visitors at the feeder throughout the past
week. Our first Le Conte’s Sparrow for the season was spotted on
September 29th and Gray Catbirds are also beginning to be seen with
increasing frequency. Interestingly, warbler diversity also increased
this week, although they have not occurred in large numbers. Our first
Pine Warbler of the season was observed flocking with a large group of
Yellow-rumped Warblers on October 3rd. Additional warblers spotted
this week include Blackpoll Warblers, Nashville Warblers, Tennessee
Warblers, and Palm Warblers. Orange-crowned Warblers, which are a
relatively late migrant compared to other warblers, have also been
seen this week and should continue to move through the point through
September 28th through October
4th, Whitefish Point
Owl banders did not capture any new species of owls this week.
However, they are still catching good numbers of Northern Saw-whet
Owls and Barred Owls. Boreal Owls are expected to show up any day now.
At the point, waterbird diversity is still high, but no large
flights of birds occurred this week. The most common birds observed
included Greater Scaup, White-winged Scoters, and Red-necked Grebes.
Peak days for these species occurred on September 29th for all three
species and on October 1st for Greater Scaup and White-winged Scoters.
This fall has been exceptional for Pacific Loons and our third bird of
the season was observed on October 2nd. Also of interest, a strong
flight of American Black Ducks occurred on October 4th. American
Golden Plovers and Sanderling have dominated the shorebird count this
week, however, Black-bellied Plovers, Solitary Sandpiper, Baird’s
Sandpiper, and Pectoral Sandpipers have also been seen and heard. Our
first Dunlin and White-rumped Sandpiper of the season were recorded
today, October 5th.
Hermit Thrushes, Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-throated
Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Junco’s are currently the most common birds in
the woods. Dark-eyed Junco’s in particular are arriving and forming
enormous flocks of fifty-plus birds. Pine Siskins are also forming
huge flocks over the point and are often seen flying overhead,
although they do occasionally stop at the bird feeder behind the gift
shop. A Dickcissel (October 3rd - October 4th) joined the Harris’s
Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, and White-crowned Sparrows that
have been seen by many visitors at the feeder throughout the past
week. Our first Le Conte’s Sparrow for the season was spotted on
September 29th and Gray Catbirds are also beginning to be seen with
increasing frequency. Interestingly, warbler diversity also increased
this week, although they have not occurred in large numbers. Our first
Pine Warbler of the season was observed flocking with a large group of
Yellow-rumped Warblers on October 3rd. Additional warblers spotted
this week include Blackpoll Warblers, Nashville Warblers, Tennessee
Warblers, and Palm Warblers. Orange-crowned Warblers, which are a
relatively late migrant compared to other warblers, have also been
seen this week and should continue to move through the point through
October 5th through 11th,
Whitefish Point
Diving duck flights increased as dabbling duck flights decreased
this week at the point. Greater Scaup and White-winged Scoters were
the two most common bird species observed migrating past the point.
Flights for both species peaked on October 11th when the waterbird
counter observed nearly 250 Greater Scaup and over 100 White-winged
Scoters flying by. Red-breasted Mergansers were also common. Their
numbers have increased this week and can be expected to increase
throughout the rest of the month. Big days for Red-breasted Mergansers
were October 5th 6th and 11th. Two less common species, Sandhill
Cranes (October 8th) and swans (October 6th), were seen flying over
the lighthouse, delighting visitors with an excellent view of these
elegant birds. Shorebird numbers are still low, but Sanderlings,
Black-bellied Plovers, American Golden-Plovers, and Pectoral
Sandpipers continue to be seen on the beach irregularly. New arrivals
include Buffleheads (October 11th) and Snow Buntings (October 9th).
Also of interest, Great Black-backed Gulls have been observed sitting
out on the point almost every day this week.
Owl banders have seen an increase in owl movements this week. More
than ten Northern Saw-whet Owls were captured on three nights this
week and Barred Owls have also been captured almost every night. The
first Boreal Owl of the season also arrived last night (October 11th)
early in the evening.
Rough-legged Hawks arrived in the woods for the first time this
season on October 10th. Additional new arrivals include American Tree
Sparrows (October 6th), European Starlings (October 10th), and
White-winged Crossbills (October 11th). Kinglet and thrush abundance
has decreased a great deal this week. Warbler sightings have also
decreased dramatically. Only a few Yellow-rumped warblers and Cape May
Warblers were observed reliably. However, there is still plenty of
activity in the woods. Woodpeckers are moving through the woods in
greater numbers and a Black-backed Woodpecker was seen and heard on
the 10th. Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks, and Red-Crossbills are
commonly observed flying overhead and Dark-eyed Juncos and
Black-capped Chickadees are often observed flitting through the Jack
Pines.
October 5th through October
15th, Vermilion Biological Station
Fall migration monitoring has now finished at Vermilion after two
relatively slow final weeks of banding; however, the arrival of
October did bring some new species. We finished the season with 1561
new birds banded.
Station highlights between Oct 5th and Oct 15th include no
surprises in the net, but some interesting sightings: a Great Horned
Owl was seen on Oct 5th during net-opening; eight Snow Geese were seen
during the cold and rainy Oct 6th census; and a Short-eared Owl was
spotted on the beach by a visitor on Oct 14th. The only new passerines
to arrive in the last two weeks were some American Tree Sparrows.
We continued to catch and see Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, plus
occasionally sight a Pileated. The non-sparrow feeder regulars were
Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, and Red-breasted and
White-breasted Nuthatches. Both Kinglet species and Brown Creepers
continued to be caught. Winter Wrens were also present in the woods.
Generally all the thrushes have now left Vermilion, but a few Hermit
were still around. A rather late Red-eyed Vireo was caught while nets
were being repaired on the 12th. Very few warblers remained in
October, but some Myrtle, Palm, and Orange-crowned Warblers were seen
and banded up to the 11th. White-crowned Sparrows and Slate-coloured
Juncos were also still present, but only the odd White-throated is
still at the feeder. Junco numbers dropped off dramatically after the
temperature dropped below freezing on October 8th. Flocks of Lapland
Longspurs and Horned Larks can still be seen on the beach. Only a
couple of American Goldfinches were seen as the season wound up and
one Purple Finch was recaptured on the 9th.
October 19th through 25th,
Whitefish Point
The number of birds observed at the waterbird count has decreased
steadily throughout the week. Dabbling duck numbers in particular have
decreased dramatically. Only a few Mallards, Northern Pintails, and
Green-winged Teals were spotted. Our most common waterbirds this week
were Red-breasted Mergansers and Long-tailed Ducks. Mergansers peaked
on October 19th with almost 1,200 birds observed and strong flights of
500 plus Long-tailed ducks occurred on October 23rd and 24th. Our
largest flight of Common Goldeneye so far this season occurred on
October 21st with nearly 200 birds. As migration progresses, more of
these birds are expected to arrive. Scaup and White-winged Scoters
were also observed migrating past the point. However, these species
did not come through in large numbers. Shorebirds have basically
stopped coming through the point. Only one Sanderling was observed
this week. Snow Buntings have begun to arrive in larger flocks,
however, and Horned Larks, American Pipits, and Lapland Longspurs are
occasionally observed on the beach. Despite the marked decrease in
birds observed, a few interesting birds were seen this week. On
October 20th a Black-legged Kittiwake and a Parasitic Jaeger were
spotted. On the 23rd five swans were observed making their way south.
Owl capture rates also decreased this week, but at least one
Northern Saw-whet is captured nightly and Boreal Owls and Barred Owls
are captured almost every other night. Additionally, a Great Gray Owl
was spotted numerous times this week at the point as well as on the
North Shore “Owl Road”. Unfortunately, it has not been banded yet.
Highlight birds from the woods this week include a Townsend’s
Solitaire (October 20th), Black-backed Woodpecker (October 25th), and
a Clay-colored Sparrow (present at the feeder daily since October
20th). A Northern Parula and a Red-eyed Vireo were also spotted this
week. Both birds are generally do not occur so late in the season and
it has been well over a month since either species was last spotted.
Finches greatly outnumbered other bird species this week. Purple
Finches, American Goldfinches, Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks and a
few Common Redpolls are forming large mixed flocks that are often seen
at the feeder. Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Shrikes, sparrows,
and a few woodpeckers are also less frequently observed.
October 26th through November
1st, Whitefish Point
A Northern Hawk Owl seems to have set up a territory on the point
this week. The bird was first spotted on October 28th and is often
seen in the morning perching on telephone poles near the road. Owl
banders captured and banded the bird this morning (November 2nd). Owl
banding has officially ended this season. Over 200 Northern Saw-whet
Owls and nearly 25 Boreal Owls were captured this season. Great job
guys!
A Townsend’s Solitaire was spotted on October 30th after a
Northern Shrike briefly chased it. The bird then settled down and was
observed by visitors feeding on Juniper berries near the hawk watch
platform. Also on the 30th, a Northern Parula was spotted flocking in
the woods with Black-capped Chickadees and Nuthatches. Finches are
still by far the most common group of birds observed in the woods.
Goldfinches in particular are especially abundant, although there are
still White-winged Crossbills, Red Crossbills, Evening Grosbeaks, Pine
Siskins, and Purple Finches in the area. Common Redpoll numbers began
to increase at the end of this week and hopefully will increase
throughout the next week. With some luck, a Hoary Redpoll could appear
mixed in with the flocks of Common Redpolls.
We had some big movements of ducks at the waterbird count this
week. Over 5,000 Long-tailed ducks were observed flying past the point
on November 1st, doubling our season total for the species. Strong
movements of Red-breasted Mergansers were also observed, peaking on
October 27th with nearly 800 birds. Buffleheads and Common Goldeneye
numbers are also increasing, and can be expected to peak within the
next week or so. Greater and Lesser Scaup as well as White-winged and
Black Scoters are still moving through, but are much less common than
earlier this season. Our first Glaucous Gull of the season arrived on
November 1st and two Black-legged Kittiwake were observed flying past
the point on October 27th. Also of interest, 140 unidentified
shorebirds (most likely Dunlin) were observed flying past the point.
October 29th was a great day to observe raptors out at the point.
Six Northern Goshawks were observed and a few were seen dog-fighting
with Ravens over the lake. Three Rough-legged Hawks including a dark
morph and light morphs, three Red-tailed Hawks, two Bald Eagles, and a
Northern Harrier were also sighted.
November 2nd through November
8th, Whitefish Point
Two new season arrivals were spotted at the waterbird count this
week. A Thayer’s Gull arrived on November 7th and on November 5th, 320
Snow Geese were observed flying out over the lake. Despite the rainy
weather, this week was great for Long-tailed Ducks and Common
Goldeneye. Long-tailed Ducks peaked on November 4th and 5th with 1,200
and 5,200 birds, respectively. Nearly 500 Goldeneye were seen on
November 8th. A strong movement of nearly 200 Bufflehead occurred on
November 2nd, but their numbers have steadily decreased throughout the
course of the week. Greater and Lesser Scaup numbers also declined.
Red-breasted Mergansers, on the other hand, are still coming through
in good numbers. On November 2nd and 8th,counts for the species
exceded 300 birds. On the beach, huge flocks of Snow Buntings are
often observed and occasionally a Dunlin or Sanderling is spotted.
The Northern Hawk Owl (November 2nd – 7th) is still inhabiting the
woods and is often seen hunting from snags and telephone poles around
the parking lot. A Northern Shrike, another predator, was also spotted
this week. The bird is occasionally seen perching near the feeder or
chasing smaller birds through the woods. American Goldfinches are
still the most common species observed in the woods, however,
White-winged Crossbills, Evening Grosbeaks, Purple Finches, Common
Redpolls, and a few Pine Grosbeaks and Pine Siskins are still present.
Additionally, Bohemian and Cedar Waxwing numbers increased this week.
Flocks of Bohemian Waxwings were observed on November 2nd, 3rd, and
5th. Also of interest, a Yellow-rumped Warbler and Pine Warbler (our
second of the season), were spotted on November 7th.
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