Chris Izworski's daily Michigan birding report focuses on Keweenaw County today, where 119 species have been logged over the past two weeks and waterfowl numbers are building on inland lakes while loons dot the Superior shoreline. The county is in the thick of fall migration, with warblers still moving through and sparrows working the weedy edges as the calendar flips toward mid-September.
Waterfowl and Mergansers Concentrated on Lakes and Harbors
Common Mergansers are the dominant waterfowl report in the most recent data, with 11 individuals tallied at 2257 Seven Mile Point Road as of September 6. That location sits on the Keweenaw's eastern shore facing Lake Superior and clearly remains a reliable staging area as birds shift south. Ring-necked Ducks have moved onto Thayer Lake, where 11 were counted on September 2, while Blue-winged Teal and Wood Duck sightings continue from Thayer Lake and the swamp area north of Mohawk, suggesting scattered dabbler activity across shallow habitat. Red-breasted Mergansers, more typical of Superior itself, showed up at Leonards at Agate Harbor with 4 individuals on the most recent check. The pattern is migration: mergansers bunching up on open water before the push south, dabbling ducks still pausing in freshwater ponds before making the full crossing.
Loons and the Rare Red-throated Arrival
Common Loons continue to be well represented, with 6 recent reports from Isle Royale's Tobin Harbor Trail on September 6. More significant is the Red-throated Loon flagged at Hebard Park back on August 27. Red-throated Loons are less frequent in Keweenaw County waters than Commons, making that report worth noting for anyone working the coastal parks and harbors this week. Superior's big bays should be scanned carefully through the dawn hours when loons are visible against the light water.
Isle Royale and the Canada Jay Situation
Isle Royale National Park continues to deliver the county's rarer sightings. Canada Jays have been reported multiple times over the past two weeks, including 2 at Moskey Basin Campground on August 25, 2 at Rock Harbor VC on August 26, and 1 at Scoville Point Trail on September 3. These are consistent enough to suggest a small resident or near-resident population holding on the island. Pine Siskins and Purple Finches have also been turning up there, which tracks with the finch movements typical of early September in the Keweenaw. White-winged Crossbills were logged at Lake Theresa on August 27, another sign of northwoods seed crop dynamics beginning to shift. Visitors with boat access to Isle Royale should spend time on the Scoville Point and Rock Harbor trails where several rarities have concentrated.
Warblers and Fall Songbird Movement
Black-throated Green Warblers remain the most frequently reported warbler, with 5 sightings from Great Sand Bay Trail as of September 6. An Alder Flycatcher was noted at Cy Clark Memorial Nature Sanctuary on September 5, a late-season migrant that underscores the diversity of species still passing through. White-throated Sparrows (5 records from Bare Bluff) and Common Grackles (31 individuals at Ahmeek, the highest single species count) indicate that late summer aggregations are still intact. The dawn chorus window runs from 6:46 to 8:46 AM, and with partly sunny skies and minimal wind (0 to 10 mph from the south) forecast for today, early morning work at trailed areas should pick up vocalizing birds still moving through.
Today's Conditions and Hotspot Selection
The south wind and 80-degree forecast favor continued warbler push. Overnight rain chances are slight (6 percent today, though tomorrow brings showers and thunderstorms). For birders in the county today, Copper Harbor remains the top hotspot with 240 all-time species recorded there, offering access to both harbor waterfowl and woodland migrants. Bare Bluff at the Russell and Miriam Grinnell Memorial Nature Sanctuary is delivering consistent songbird activity, especially finches and sparrows, with 6 Purple Finches and 5 White-throated Sparrows reported in the past week. Both sites offer good probability of picking up secondary migrants and are accessible by standard vehicle routes.
The reporting window is relatively light for a county in early fall migration, with only 119 observations across 119 species, so ground-truthing this morning could yield unreported birds. Check https://birding.chrisizworski.com for the live map and complete county data.