Chris Izworski, reporting from Michigan, turns to Emmet County this morning as early June migration reaches its final phase and breeding season birds lock into territory. The past two weeks have logged 169 species across the county, with the most recent activity showing the classic mix of late migrants, waterbirds, and newly-settled breeders.
Hawk Watch Numbers Still Running Hot
The Mackinaw Straits Hawk Watch site continues to be the county's birding powerhouse. Broad-winged Hawks still dominate the counts at 462 individuals over the past 14 days, with the most recent sighting on May 29. Red-tailed Hawks are present at 53 individuals, including at least six confirmed abieticola subspecimens recorded at MSRW on May 25. That western race is worth noting if you are working your hawk identifications; they are not everyday birds here. A Swainson's Hawk showed up on May 31 at the Mackinac Straits-Mackinaw City-spring location, which is exactly the kind of late-season vagrant this site tends to produce.
American Herring Gulls and Double-crested Cormorants are both present at the watch site, with eight individuals of each species recorded. American White Pelicans have been seen there as well, six birds across the count window.
Waterbirds at the Margins
The Carp Lake River mouth held 12 Red-breasted Mergansers as recently as May 27, making that a solid stop if you are working ducks. Common Goldeneye still appear in the area around Harbor Springs, five birds noted at Wycamp Road on May 22. The Mackinaw City Sewage Ponds are holding Lesser Yellowlegs, with seven individuals counted as of May 22. That freshwater marshland is always worth a scan in early June.
Breeding Warblers Settling In
Warbler activity is declining now that most species have passed through, but breeding residents are establishing themselves. Cape May Warblers number five birds at Wilderness SP as of May 25. Black-throated Green Warblers are present at Windward in Harbor Springs, four birds noted on May 31. A White-winged Crossbill appeared at 306 Straits on May 28, which is an unexpected sighting for this latitude in late May; worth keeping an eye out for follow-ups.
Grassland and Marsh Breeders
The Fields Preserve is showing the expected early-June grassland composition: six Bobolinks, six Eastern Meadowlarks, and four Red-winged Blackbirds as of May 31. Black Hole Nature Preserve also had six Bobolinks on the same date, plus eight Canada Geese. These birds are now in breeding mode, and the warm weather and early sunset tonight at 9:19 PM should support good activity through the evening hours.
Conditions for Today
Sunny skies, 74 degrees, and a light 10 mph east wind make this a pleasant day to be outside, though not ideal for migration activity. Dawn chorus will be strongest between 5:24 AM and 7:24 AM; the clear overnight and calm morning conditions tonight into tomorrow suggest good singing from territorial males. If you are out early, focus on Wilderness SP or McGulpin Point, both of which have recorded 226 to 240 species all-time and will have the fullest complement of breeding warblers and songbirds active in the pre-dawn light.
The eBird data from Emmet County is current through May 31. For the live county map and full observation details, visit https://birding.chrisizworski.com.