Shorebirds were the highlight today. A Marbled Godwit made a brief appearance at the Point (photo above). The waterbird count had multiple Buff-breasted and Baird's Sandpipers along with the more common species. The songbirds were relatively slow, but sightings included Warbling Vireo, Blackpoll and Blackburnian Warbler, and Evening Grosbeak. Yesterday we had a Black-backed Woodpecker.

Fifeteen species of warbler were at the Point today including Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Cape May, Pine, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll and Wilson's. Along with the roving flocks of Red-breasted Nuthatches and Chipping Sparrows we had Least and Alder Flycatcher.

The fall waterbird count began on the 15th, updates can be viewed by linking to the wpbowaterbirds blog from this page or the WPBO home page. The summer owl program is all but done, we will be shutting it down any night now. While the owls have really slowed down we did band our 600th Saw-whet Owl of the summer season last night. Once we switch from our owl schedule to a daytime schedule we will begin using this blog to post other bird sightings.

During the spring 2007 migration season over 100,000 birds of 221 species were documented by the WPBO field crew; hawk counter Calvin Brennan, waterbird counter Max Henschell, and owl banders Nova Mackentley and Chris Neri. Highlights included American White Pelican, Swainson's Hawk, Marbled Godwit, Yellow-breasted Chat, Chestnut-collared Longspur, and the first record of Yellow-throated Warbler for Whitefish Point. Northern specialty species including Spruce Grouse, Great Gray Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Bohemian Waxwing, White-winged Crossbill, and Hoary Redpoll were also recorded this spring.
The fall season begins on August 15th with the start of the waterbird count. The fall owl banding begins on September 15th. The summer owl banding will be running nightly, weather permitting, until Aug 31. Link into our owl research blog from this link or the WPBO home page for more details on our owl research.