Piping Plover Nesting at the Point

Piping Plover are again nesting at Whitefish Point! The above photo is of Erin Roche and the nesting female. Erin has been working on the recovery program for this federally endangered species for years, and is currently working with them for her PhD. In impressive fashion she and others from the Piping Plover crew, sorry I can't remember all of your names, came to the Point and found the nest. They were able to band the female and set up an enclosure to protect the nest. Upon being released the female walked just a short distance, stretched and relaxed a bit (photo below), then returned to her nest. This is the first nest to be found at Whitefish Point in at least 2 decades. Congratulations to Erin and the whole crew, and thanks for letting us observe your work.

We'd like to thank all of you who pledged to the 2009 WPBO staff birdathon. It was a huge success and over $6,000 was raised for the summer owl research! This is crucial support, without which it would not be possible for us to continue this unique project. We find it impossible to properly express our thanks through words on the blogs. We are simply very grateful, thank you.

Well the spring research seasons have officially ended. Sightings of Pacific Loon, Parasitic Jaeger, and Marbled Godwit added some excitement to the last week of the count. Overall songbird activity, particularly warblers, was fairly low this spring. It has continued to be a cold spring and activity has remained fairly slow into June, but there continues to be some activity. Recent sightings include Green Heron, White-rumped Sandpiper, Olive-sided & Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, Cape May, Blackpoll, & Mourning Warblers.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Common Nighthawk

Blackburnian Warbler

Evening Grosbeak

Yellow-rumped Warbler flycatching

Swainson's Hawk


Highlights: Hudsonian Godwit, Swainson's Hawk, and Eurasian Tree Sparrow

The songbird and shorebird migrations have been picking up. In addition to the hundreds of Blue Jays and White-crowned Sparrows, many other species have been present recently. Recent sightings include Black-bellied, Semipalmated and Piping Plover, Whimbrel, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher,Common Nighthawk, Least Flycatcher, Tree, Northern Rough-winged, Bank, Cliff and Barn Swallows, Eastern Bluebird, Blue-gray Gnatcher, Northern Mockingbird, Clay-colored, Lincoln's and Swamp Sparrows, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Rose-breasted and Evening Grosbeaks, Bobolink, Rusty Blackbird, and Baltimore Oriole.

Sharp-shinned Hawk with a Blue Jay

Glaucous Gull

This second-cycle Glaucous Gull was present on the beach near the tip of Whitefish Point today.

Warblers are here!

Warblers have finally arrived in good numbers, with 20 species reported today here at Whitefish Point, including this Chestnut-sided Warbler. Other warbler species seen today were Golden-winged, Cape May, Magnolia, Bay-breasted, Northern Parula, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, Nashville, Black-and-white, Blackpoll, Blackburnian, Yellow-rumped, Wilson's, Orange-crowned, Tennessee, Western Palm, Common Yellowthroat, Ovenbird, and Northern Waterthrush. Non-warbler sightings today included a female Bobolink, a Scarlet Tanager, two Baltimore Orioles, a Gray Catbird, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, hundreds of White-crowned Sparrows, tens of White-throated Sparrows, some Savannah Sparrows, some Clay-colored Sparrows, a Lincoln's Sparrow, a Gray-cheeked Thrush, a Swainson's Thrush, two Piping Plovers, a Merlin...

Great Gray Owls

This is one of three Great Gray Owls that were seen near the Owl's Roost gift shop at nightfall Saturday. What a bird!

American Avocet

An American Avocet was found at the harbor today. This is just the second record of this species for the Point. It was very odd to see an Avocet floating on the Bay. Also seen today were a Snowy Owl and multiple Short-eared Owls. The weather isn't exactly cooperating for our Spring Fling weekend, but there are a few good birds saving the day. As I have to get up for the banquet in about four hours, a more complete report will have to wait until after the weekend.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

American Kestrels on the lighthouse

Field Sparrow

The waterbird count began on the 15th, and things have been picking up. Recent sightings include, Field Sparrow, American White Pelican, and Boreal Chickadee. The hawk flight has started pick up, and 7 species of owl have been at the Point in the last 3 days. A flight of 2,000 Sandhill Cranes also occurred this week. For some details check out the other blogs.