Chris Izworski, reporting from Michigan, turns to Manistee County this morning to assess a county showing heavy waterbird traffic and the tail end of fall warbler passage. With 135 species recorded over the past two weeks and fall migration in full force, the northern Lower Peninsula location continues to deliver the goods for serious birders willing to work the right habitats.
Gulls and Terns Stacking Up at the Beaches
The news in Manistee County right now is waterbirds. American Herring Gulls are numbering 300 individuals at 5th Ave. beach, most recently confirmed yesterday. Ring-billed Gulls add another 100 birds to the same location. Those counts reflect the predictable Lake Michigan shoreline concentration as birds funnel south ahead of winter, and they are worth checking if you are working the pier and beach areas anyway. Common Tern numbers have settled at 10 birds at First St. pier as of September 14th. Bonaparte's Gull, the more delicate gull to pick out of standard flocks, showed 5 individuals at the same pier on the 14th. Sanderling added 5 more shorebirds there as well.
The gulls and terns are predictable September fare, but the past two weeks have delivered a couple of unexpected guests. Fish Crow, reported twice at 5th Ave. beach in the past five days, remains flagged as notable. Two birds on September 15th and another two on September 11th suggest these birds are lingering or at least making repeat appearances. That warrants a closer look if you are on the beach.
Arcadia Marsh: Waterfowl and the Disappearing Marsh Birds
Arcadia Marsh continues as the county workhorse, with Trumpeter Swan now showing 8 individuals as of yesterday and Sandhill Crane present at 8 birds on September 14th. Those two species together signal the transition from summer breeding populations to migrants pushing through. Canada Goose is holding at 21 birds; Mallard at just 6. Cedar Waxwing, the frugivore that always tells you where the berry abundance is, registered 15 birds on the 14th. Red-winged Blackbird is at 20 birds in the Manistee River SGA, also standard September fare as the breeding population loosens up and begins its southward drift.
The notable news at Arcadia Marsh and the surrounding SGA is what is still being found in the songbird department. Common Yellowthroat registered 6 birds at Arcadia Marsh on September 14th. At Willamsport, Bay-breasted Warbler showed 4 individuals on the same date. That warbler species is one to work for in late September; they don't always stage heavily in Michigan. Northern Yellow Warbler was reported at Willamsport on September 10th. These are the birds that make fall migration worth the effort: species that move through quickly and in low numbers, meaning every sighting counts.
Rare Sightings: Mockingbirds and an Oriole
Northern Mockingbird, always a head-turner in Michigan in September, turned up at a home location on both September 14th and September 12th. One bird is responsible for both reports, suggesting a stubborn individual lingering in the county. Orchard Oriole, another surprise for northern Michigan in this season, was noted at Bear Lake on September 13th. Veery, the thrush that is easy to miss in the chaos of fall migration, registered one bird at Bear Lake Access on September 14th. These sightings underscore that Manistee County is receiving a genuine cross-section of southern and vagrant species during this period.
Weather and Timing for Today
Today breaks partly sunny with temperatures reaching 72 degrees and minimal wind out of the northeast. Those are poor conditions for hawk movement along the lake, but the calm morning favors stationary birding and may draw loafing warblers into viewable areas at the marsh edges and weedy tangles around Willamsport. Tomorrow brings a weather change, with scattered showers moving in by mid-morning and persisting. That system may push additional migrants through the county overnight tonight and into tomorrow morning, making tomorrow potentially more productive for warblers than today, particularly if you can work the shrubby edges before the rain intensifies.
Where to Spend Your Time
Arcadia Marsh remains the logical choice for quantity and diversity, particularly if you want to connect with the waterfowl and lingering marsh species. Willamsport, with its 197 species all-time total and 4 Bay-breasted Warblers on the board as of September 14th, deserves attention for anyone still chasing fall warblers. The weedy edges there are prime habitat for species moving through in low numbers. First St. pier will give you the gulls and terns in concentration, useful if you want to spend focused time sorting through gull plumage or confirming tern identification at this stage of the season.
Follow the live map and get full county details at https://birding.chrisizworski.com.