Chris Izworski, reporting from Michigan, turns to Grand Traverse County this morning to find the county in full transition. With 153 species recorded in the past two weeks, the northern Lower Peninsula hotspot is delivering what late August typically promises: shorebird movement, the vanguard of fall warblers still wearing breeding plumage, and lingering waterbirds from summer. The eBird activity is steady if not explosive, concentrated at the county's proven waterside venues.
Stilt Sandpipers and the Shorebird Window
The flagged sightings from yesterday and the day before tell the story. Two Stilt Sandpipers at Boardman Lake--Logans Landing on both August 23 and August 22 represent the real news here. These are not common in Grand Traverse County; they show up during peak shorebird migration in late summer, picking the exposed mudflats and shallow edges where Logans Landing delivers its best habitat. Greater Yellowlegs, five individuals seen at Old Mission Point Park/Lighthouse Park yesterday, confirm the shorebird corridor is active. The Greater Yellowlegs will stage for several more weeks, but the Stilt Sandpipers warrant attention if you haven't connected yet. Boardman Lake--Logans Landing, which holds 233 species all-time, remains your best bet for pursuing them today.
Purple Martins and the Williamsburg Connection
Five Purple Martins at the Williamsburg Meijer fields on August 22, plus three more at Mitchell Creek Meadows Nature Preserve on August 23, suggest a loose gathering. Purple Martins are irregular in the county outside of their breeding season; these August sightings likely represent late breeders or birds already moving south in advance of fall migration. Mitchell Creek Meadows, though noted for starlings in the data, is worth checking if you are working the Williamsburg area.
Warbler Activity Begins
American Redstarts are showing seven individuals at Old Mission Point Park/Lighthouse Park as of yesterday; Bay-breasted Warblers, six at the same location. Red-eyed Vireos, six birds also at Old Mission Point Park, add to the emerging migrant bird traffic. These are early September-type species returning south, and their presence in late August marks the official opening of the fall warbler push. Old Mission Point Park/Lighthouse Park, which tallies 209 species all-time and sits on the Point in Traverse City, is the county's warbler hotspot and should draw your attention over the next four to six weeks.
Waterbirds and the Calm Ahead
Boardman Lake--Logans Landing dominates the big counts: 73 Mute Swans, 50 Ring-billed Gulls, 12 American Herring Gulls, 10 American Black Ducks, and 6 Cedar Waxwings as of August 23. This reflects a mix of lingering summer birds and the occasional vagrant. The wind forecast for today, 10 to 15 mph from the northwest, is not the pattern that drives major waterfowl shifts, though tomorrow's shift to calm westerlies (0 to 5 mph) may encourage any overhead migrants to settle. The Black Ducks at Logans Landing, ten birds noted on August 22, are worth documenting; they are less common than Mallards in this part of the state.
Weather and Timing
Today breaks at 73 degrees and mostly sunny with light winds. The dawn chorus window runs 6:24 to 8:24 AM, and day length is now 13 hours and 42 minutes; you are losing roughly four minutes per day as summer fades. The season note mentions nighthawk flights on still evenings; tonight's partly cloudy conditions and 51-degree low may reward an evening listen around dusk, particularly if you can find open fields or water edges where Common Nighthawks stage. Late Common Loons are also mentioned in the forecast notes, though none appear in the recent flagged data.
Where to Go
If you are serious about Stilt Sandpipers or shorebirds generally, Boardman Lake--Logans Landing is non-negotiable. If warblers and vireos are your focus with fall migration now underway, Old Mission Point Park/Lighthouse Park is the destination. Both are proven, both showed activity in the past 24 hours, and both offer the habitat mix that attracts migrants to Grand Traverse County.
For the live eBird map and complete county data, visit https://birding.chrisizworski.com.