Chris Izworski's daily Michigan birding report turns to Bay County this morning, where the past two weeks have delivered 174 observations across 174 species, anchored by strong shorebird and early warbler movement through the region's marshes and woodlots.
Willets Holding at Hotchkiss Rd., Cattle-Egrets Appearing
The headline story in Bay County right now is the Willet concentration at Hotchkiss Rd. pond, where 42 individuals were tallied as of April 28. That count has held steady through the early May window, making it the most reliable spot in the county for this species. Willets tend to cluster on spring migration, and 42 birds at one location signals a staging area worth repeated visits if your target list includes them.
The rarer news comes from the Jones Road corridor in Essexville, where Western Cattle-Egrets have been reported multiple times over the past three days. Two birds appeared at 1640 North Jones Road on May 7, and a single bird showed up at 1680 North Jones Road yesterday, May 9. These are vagrants this far north in Michigan and represent the kind of early-season surprise that makes May birding unpredictable. If you are working a county year list or simply keep tabs on unusual sightings, this location is worth a check.
Nayanquing Point Remaining Strong for Shorebirds and Ducks
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area continues to produce the bulk of Bay County's waterfowl and shorebird activity. Recent counts include 20 Green-winged Teal, 12 Northern Shoveler, 10 American Coot, 9 Ring-necked Duck, and 6 Lesser Scaup, all confirmed within the past two days. Short-billed Dowitchers, always a highlight in May, were logged at Nayanquing Point with 2 individuals on May 7. Three more dowitchers appeared the same day at the Nayanquing WMU South Field near Linwood, suggesting scattered but notable shorebird turnover.
The weather pattern heading into tomorrow should favor continued waterfowl presence here. Tonight's clear conditions and light winds after today's possible showers will stabilize the water and make these marshes attractive for overnight resting birds. The forecast swing to a WNW wind tomorrow with only 56 degrees will not immediately flush birds south, though a sustained cold pattern would.
Bay City State Park: Purple Martins and Terns
Bay City State Park is tracking 30 Purple Martins as of May 8, a solid early count for the species' northbound push. The park also hosted 10 each of Forster's Tern and Common Tern on the same date, confirming active tern presence on the bay itself. These numbers are consistent with a normal May progression through the region. If you are working warblers or dawn chorus, the park's wooded areas will hold more songbirds than these counts suggest; the eBird submissions here emphasize waterbirds, which skew the visible totals.
Warbler Activity and Bald Eagles at Soehnel Trail
The Joseph M. Soehnel Nature Trail and Hampton Twp. Nature Trail have logged 15 Yellow-rumped Warblers recently, but more significantly, 10 Bald Eagles were recorded at this location as of May 8. That eagle count is unusually high for a single hotspot submission and warrants verification on the ground, though Bay County's position along Lake Huron and the Saginaw Bay consistently produces decent eagle numbers spring and fall.
May warbler waves typically peak mid-month in Michigan, and we are still in the opening window. Today's dawn chorus period runs from 5:48 AM to 7:48 AM under mostly clear skies by sunrise, favoring vocalization. The 27 percent rain chance this morning will not significantly suppress singing if precipitation stays light. The Soehnel Trail, with its all-time count of 230 species, remains your best choice for accessing mixed woodland migrants.
Recommendations
If you are heading out today, prioritize Nayanquing Point for shorebirds and ducks, particularly if dowitcher follow-up interests you. The short-billed presence from May 7 may linger in the South Field near Linwood. For warblers and breeding residents, the Joseph M. Soehnel and Hampton Twp. trails offer the highest diversity and the advantage of woodland habitat that attracts the spring wave. The Jones Road area in Essexville is worth a quick stop if cattle-egrets fit your interests.
For the live eBird map, recent hotspot submissions, and full county data, visit https://birding.chrisizworski.com.