A Short-eared Owl showed up at Centennial Park yesterday evening, a notable find that flags the start of the migration push through Houghton County. This is the kind of sighting that gets eBird's attention in the UP during late April and early May. If you missed it, the owl may still be working the open areas around the park, particularly in the twilight hours when Short-ears are most active.
Centennial Park continues to dominate the recent activity in the county, and for good reason. The open water and marsh habitat there is funneling migrants and holding wintering species that haven't yet cleared north. In the past 14 days, the park has hosted 45 Ring-necked Ducks, 40 Buffleheads, 30 Greater Scaup, and 18 Common Goldeneyes. The dabbler mix includes 12 Mallards, 9 American Wigeons, and 9 Blue-winged Teal. Ring-billed Gulls are present in numbers around 35 birds. This is standard early May waterfowl staging in Houghton County, nothing unusual, but it's the backdrop you need to know about if you're working the county.
Warblers and the Pine Warbler Run at Nara Nature Park
The real news this week is the Pine Warbler activity at Nara Nature Park. Between April 27 and April 30, at least one Pine Warbler was present on multiple dates, flagged as notable by eBird. Pine Warblers are still relatively uncommon across much of the UP, so repeated sightings at the same location in late April and early May suggest either a territorial bird settling in or a wave passing through that found the right habitat. Nara Nature Park, with its 200 all-time species, is the top hotspot in Houghton County and has the habitat to hold them: mature pines with a reasonably open understory.
The Pine Warbler sightings are a reminder that May is the warbler month. The typical surge of migrants hasn't yet crested in Houghton County, but it's building. Thrushes, vireos, and flycatchers are expected in the coming weeks. If you're chasing the warbler wave this season, Nara Nature Park is the logical starting point in this county.
An Indigo Bunting was recorded at Bootjack on April 29, another species that warrants attention when it shows up this far north in the UP.
Rusty Blackbirds and the Secondary Hotspots
Sturgeon River Road reported 20 Rusty Blackbirds on April 26. This is a species that can pile up in the right habitat during spring migration, particularly in alder and birch thickets near water. Rusty Blackbirds are worth tracking through May; they're early migrants that move quickly through the county. If you're interested in working the other end of the county from Centennial Park, Sturgeon River Road and the adjacent Sturgeon River Sloughs WA (North Unit) are productive. Sturgeon River Road has 187 all-time species, and the sloughs area sits at 185. Both are worth a morning if Nara and Centennial Park are crowded.
Tree Swallows were noted at Nara Nature Park near the Pilgrim River mouth on April 29, with a count of 10. This is typical early May behavior; swallows are among the first migrants to return, and they concentrate at open water and over marsh habitat where insects are beginning to emerge.
Weather Today and Tomorrow
Today shapes up clear and cold. Mostly sunny skies, northerly wind at 5 to 10 miles per hour, a high of 43 degrees Fahrenheit, and almost no rain chance. This is not ideal for pushing new warblers north; a north wind typically holds migrants back or pushes them east toward the Great Lakes. However, the clear conditions mean good visibility if you're doing scan work on the water or watching for raptors. The Short-eared Owl may be active again in the evening hours before tonight's clear, cold night brings temperatures down to 27 degrees.
Tomorrow improves for migration. Wind shifts to the west, light, and the high reaches 51 degrees. If you can't get out today, Saturday morning into early afternoon could be more productive for landbird migrants. The day length is now 14 hours and 23 minutes; dawn chorus window runs from 6:09 AM to 8:09 AM, giving you a solid two-hour window to hear migrants moving through the canopy.
Where to Point the Binoculars
If you're driving through Houghton County today, Centennial Park is the obvious waterfowl stop and the place to look for the Short-eared Owl. Start there for 45 minutes of water work, then swing to Nara Nature Park if you want to push into the warbler habitat and see if any of the early arrivals are settling in. Nara has the species diversity (200 all-time) and is only a short drive from the other hotspots. The county is relatively compact, and these two locations will cover the range of habitats present.
Check https://michiganbirdingreport.com for the live map and full county data.