Chris Izworski's daily Michigan birding report focuses on Benzie County this morning, where the past two weeks have logged 119 species across 119 observations. The county is showing classic early August patterns: shorebirds still active on the Lake Michigan beaches, waterbirds concentrated at Elberta Marsh and coastal outlets, and the first whispers of fall warbler movement beginning to materialize in the dune woods.
Waterbirds Dominating the Coastal Zone
The story in Benzie County right now is waterbirds, and it is concentrated at two locations. Elberta Beach reported 93 Ring-billed Gulls as recently as August 5, along with 6 Caspian Terns at the same site. Elberta Marsh, just inland, hosted 27 Double-crested Cormorants and 10 Canada Geese on the same day. These are the numbers that matter this week. The marsh also produced a notable sighting: a Common Gallinule on July 29, flagged by eBird as uncommon for the county. That bird may still be present, making Elberta Marsh a worthwhile target if you are chasing rarities in the region.
Little Platte Lake further inland reported 7 Common Loons on August 4, which tracks with the pattern of loons lingering into August in Michigan. The lake is worth working if you are moving through the county and want to confirm late loons still present.
Shorebirds at Sleeping Bear Dunes
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore continues to be the reliable shorebird location. Ten Sanderlings were logged at Peterson Beach on July 24, and 5 Piping Plovers showed at Platte River Campground on August 4. These numbers are moderate for this time of year, which suggests shorebird passage is ongoing but not at peak density. The dunes hotspots, particularly Platte Point and the Otter Creek/Esch Road beach area, both rank among the top lifetime species accumulations in the county, 237 and 226 species respectively. If you are committing time to Benzie today, these two areas offer the best odds for moving through a mixed bag of late summer species.
Grassland Birds at The Golden Tabernacle
The Golden Tabernacle Wildlife Bird Conservancy and Important Bird Area is producing the county's most consistent songbird reports. Recent counts show 8 Bobolinks, 8 Eastern Meadowlarks, 8 Purple Martins, and 6 American Kestrels, all logged within the past week. These are grassland specialists, and their presence confirms that The Golden Tabernacle remains active habitat in early August. The Bobolinks are particularly worth noting, as they will begin moving southward soon; mid-August is the window before they thin out for the season.
Early Warbler Movement in the Dunes
Ovenbirds are showing at Sleeping Bear Dunes, Bass Lake and Otter Lake area, with 7 individuals recorded on August 2. While Ovenbirds are primarily breeders in Michigan rather than migrants, this count reflects the understory activity beginning to build as late summer transitions toward fall. Fall warbler migration in northern Michigan typically kicks into higher gear in mid-August, so watch for the plumage-dull warblers that will start appearing in the next one to two weeks. The dune woodlands and the Betsie River Bike Trail will be the places to focus as that movement develops.
Weather and Tomorrow's Conditions
Today brings patchy fog clearing to sunny conditions with minimal wind, 0 to 5 mph from the north. Tonight will be clear and cool, dropping to 60 degrees. Tomorrow pushes to 82 degrees with light southwest winds and full sun. These stable, calm conditions are not typically dynamic for moving birds, but they do favor early morning activity at grassland and marsh sites. The weak north wind today will not drive any significant waterbird movement, so focus on what is already settled in the marsh and lake systems. The overnight clear skies and calm conditions mean Friday morning should offer decent dawn chorus activity if you are out before 8 AM.
Where to Bird Today
For a morning session, Elberta Marsh offers the best concentration of waterbird activity and the chance to relocate the Common Gallinule if it remains present. The marsh requires minimal hiking and gives you shorebirds, cormorants, gulls, and marsh species in one compact area. If you want a longer day with more species potential, commit to Platte Point or the Otter Creek/Esch Road area at Sleeping Bear Dunes. Both are all-time species hotspots and will give you better odds of turning up dunes specialists and early warblers moving through.
For current live eBird data and the full hotspot map for Benzie County, visit https://birding.chrisizworski.com.