Going to Upper Michigan next week

[AllegroRondo]

any birds in particular I should keep an eye out for?

[semillama]

1. What do you mean by "Upper Michigan"

Do you mean the Upper Peninsula, or the northern portion of the Lower Peninsula?

I was raised in the Upper Peninsula so I can give you tips for there.

[AllegroRondo]

2. yes, upper peninsula

by way of Macinac. should be a fun trip.

and my dad is from Ironwood, I still have relatives up there. small world!

[XemaSab]

3. Kirtland's Warbler?

:shrug:

Michigan=Kirtland's. :D

[StClone]

4. What I've seen

Black-backed Woodpecker
Spruce Grouse
Gray Jay
Red Crossbill
White-winged Crossbill
Evening Grosbeak
Much more...but owls are hard to find without some help.

Any gull species could show up as could vagrants as the peninsula is a good trap.

http://www.angelfire.com/mi/upbirding/

Seney Wildlife Refuge is an easy place to see hundreds of Trumpeter Swans.

[AllegroRondo]

5. great site, thanks!

:)

[semillama]

6. Here's a better site - the angelfire site is run by a right winger

http://upbirders.org/

Check out the UP rare birds report.

If you are going to be in the eastern UP, you should make a point (ha, ha) to get to Whitefish Point. It's famous for being a migrant trap.

There's still migration going in the UP, plus resident warblers should be setting up territory.

Some birds of note (besides the Trumpeter swans):

Seney is also known for Yellow Rail, but you have to be super lucky to get this bird. Also look for Sandhill Crane - one time I Was driving along M26 through Seney NWR and there was one on the side of the road.

Other birds:
Bald Eagle
Pileated Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Philadelphia Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Common Raven

and more...just check your field guide! Pick up Birds of Michigan if you can, too. it's handy.

[AllegroRondo]

7. Whitefish Point - thanks

thats definitely on the list of places to visit now.

And I'll make it a point to stop by a book store early for the Michigan guide. for some reason its hard to find here in Missouri.

[semillama]

8. Hey, there's a Eurasian Tree Sparrow in Topaz, MI.

Looks like he beat you to the UP. :P

[AllegroRondo]

9. Go figure

one of the few birds I dont need for my life list.

Maybe I should offer him a ride home?

[vireo]

10. Kirtland's nest found in WI

Kirtland's warbler sighted

A bird watcher has discovered a rare Kirtland's warbler nest in central Wisconsin, indicating that a breeding pair now calls the state home, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday.

"That's a pretty big deal, I would say," said Christie Deloria, a biologist with the USFWS in Marquette, Mich. "That would indicate there's suitable habitat."

The bird, one of the rarest members of the wood warblers, has been ranging outward from Lower Michigan. But no nests were found outside Michigan for decades.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070615/NATION/706150336/1020

[AllegroRondo]

11. Back from Michigan

no Kirtland's spotted - I guess I should have gone to Wisconsin instead...

But I did have fun and spotted a lot of new birds (for my list, anyway). Spotted a lot of gulls and shore birds that we just dont get in Missouri. Also some new ducks, trumpeter swans, a raven, and a Tenessee warbler. I did get a nice pic of a red-breasted merganser on the beach - I'll have to post that soon.

Got a "home run" of sorts, by spotting all 5 local swallows in one day on Macinac Island. Then the next day spotted 5 different woodpeckers in one day at Whitefish point.

[semillama]

12. So what was your list?

Which woodpeckers? Where did you go?

[AllegroRondo]

13. details

birds added to life list on this trip:

ring billed gull
herring gull
common tern
double crested cormorant
common merganser
red breasted merganser
raven
rough winged swallow
trumpeter swan
Tennessee warbler

Most of the water birds were spotted on and around Macinac Island. My wife actually spotted the raven first while we were biking around the island. She said "my god, thats a big crow!" so of course we had to stop and get a better look.
The trumpeter swans were spotted on Lake Michigan near Petoski.

The woodpeckers at Whitefish point:
pileated woodpecker
downy woodpecker
hairy woodpecker
red headed woodpecker
red breasted woodpecker

none of them are life listers, but it was neat to see 5 different kinds in one day.