Chris Izworski, reporting from Michigan, surveys Crawford County this morning as the spring migration reaches its late-May crescendo. With 172 species tallied in the past two weeks and three days of clear, calm weather ahead, the window for catching stragglers and lingering waves is wide open.
Golden-winged Warblers and the Rare Bird News
The headline from Crawford County is the Golden-winged Warbler activity clustering around South Branch Road and Kolka Creek Road. Multiple sightings over the past three days, with counts reaching three birds on May 25 and two more reported on May 27 at the Frederic location, mark this as active habitat worth checking. Golden-wingeds are no slam dunk in the Lower Peninsula; this is reportable movement. If you are making a run at Crawford County today, these coordinates merit your attention: South Branch Road near Grayling at 44.575, -84.51, and the Kolka Creek area north of Frederic at 44.82843, -84.76658. The overcast mornings typical of late May can push these birds to lower perches early, so an early arrival would pay off.
Also flagged: a Dickcissel on May 25 at N Down River Road in the Jack Pines cut, and Sanderlings at the Grayling Sewage Ponds on May 24. An American Goshawk showed briefly at the Recreation Fishing Club on May 21, though that location is restricted access.
Warblers, Shorebirds, and Black-throated Greens Dominating
The bread and butter right now centers on Hartwick Pines SP, where Black-throated Green Warblers and Blackburnian Warblers are still being picked up on the Old Growth Trail as recently as May 27. Seven Black-throated Greens and three Blackburnians in two weeks speaks to solid resident and lingering transient populations in that old growth hemlock and hardwood mix. This is exactly where you want to be for thrush and warbler activity in northern Crawford County.
Shorebirds are present but modest in numbers. The Grayling Sewage Ponds continue to be the reliable staging area, with six Least Sandpipers recorded most recently on May 25, along with four American Herring Gulls and the aforementioned Sanderlings. These ponds consistently deliver for shorebird work and are accessible without restriction.
Pelicans, Cranes, and Open Water
American White Pelicans remain the single highest count in the dataset: 14 individuals at Huron NF along Hunt Road, last seen May 15. These birds may have moved on by now, but the Grayling Sewage Ponds or Au Sable River floodplain areas could still host stragglers. Sandhill Cranes, four birds on Hunt Road near the Roscommon line as of May 27, are well established and worth looking for along the Hunt Road corridor; these numbers suggest a small breeding or pre-breeding aggregation in that wetland.
The Au Sable River itself, particularly around the Holy Waters access point, has held five Mallards and continues to be solid for dabbling duck and wading bird work, though the late-May window usually means breeding birds are settling in rather than transiting through.
Weather Setup and Timing
Today is sunny, 77 degrees, with light northeast wind at 5 mph. Tomorrow pushes to 82 degrees with westerly winds 5 to 10 mph. These are stable, high-pressure conditions; there is no weather-driven pulse expected. However, the long day length (15 hours 13 minutes) and early sunrise (5:58 AM) mean the dawn chorus window from 5:28 to 7:28 AM is at its annual peak. Any warbler or vireo activity will be most audible in that first hour after sunrise. Warblers are singing less by late May, but the window is still productive if you are on site early.
Hartwick Pines and Grayling Sewage Ponds Recommended
If you are heading out today, Hartwick Pines SP remains the strongest general prospect, with 202 all-time species and recent Black-throated Green and Blackburnian warbler confirmations. The Old Growth Trail specifically was active as of May 27. The Grayling Sewage Ponds, at 191 all-time species, is the more reliable spot for shorebirds and waterbirds and offers no access restrictions. Both are worth a visit if you have half a day; they are roughly 20 minutes apart.
Check live map updates and full county data at https://birding.chrisizworski.com.