Chris Izworski's daily Michigan birding report turns to Marquette County this morning, where fall migration continues to deliver both the expected and the exceptional across the Upper Peninsula's premier birding locations. The county has logged 137 species over the past two weeks, with waterfowl and gulls dominating the numbers at Marquette's Lower Harbor while inland ponds and marshes support a steadier stream of dabbling ducks and migrant songbirds.
Waterbirds Still Moving Through Marquette Harbor
The Lower Harbor remains the county's most active venue for volume birding. American Herring Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls continue to pile up there, with 400 and 220 individuals respectively recorded as recently as yesterday. These numbers reflect the seasonal concentration of gulls along Lake Superior's shoreline as they stage before continued migration. Common Mergansers are present in smaller numbers (9 birds on the 16th), and the harbor continues to attract the occasional dabbler pushed in by weather systems or simply pausing during southbound movement. With today's forecast calling for mostly cloudy skies, 67 degrees, and minimal wind from the northwest, conditions favor continued waterbird activity along the breakwater and outer harbor. The calmer water will make scanning easier than what strong winds would deliver.
Inland Marshes and the Dabbling Duck Peak
The Dead River marshes have become the reliable place for seeing waterfowl diversity right now. Wood Ducks at 78 individuals rank among the county's top counts over the past two weeks, concentrated at Gwinn Sewage Ponds as of September 15th. Canada Geese (50 birds) and Mallards (26 birds) showed at the Dead River marshes on the 16th, alongside White-throated Sparrows (13 birds) working the marsh edges. Blue-winged Teal (15 birds) were still at the ponds through mid-week, suggesting that this species' southbound movement is still underway. Northern Shovelers (7 birds) appeared at Chocolay River Harvey on September 12th, though no recent confirmations have come in. The Gwinn Sewage Ponds deserve priority for a birder wanting to cover waterfowl on a day like today when conditions are stable and visibility is good.
Black-backed Woodpeckers at Presque Isle
The most significant story in Marquette County right now centers on Black-backed Woodpeckers, which have been recorded multiple times at Presque Isle Park over the past week. A single bird was seen there yesterday (September 16th), following additional sightings on September 10th. This is notable for the Upper Peninsula, though Black-backeds are never truly routine. Presque Isle Park's 257 all-time species make it the county's strongest hotspot, and migration activity there has also delivered Orange-crowned Warblers (3 birds on September 14th) and a Harris's Sparrow (September 10th). An American Goshawk showed up at Provost Lake on September 15th, adding to what has been an above-average week for raptors during hawk migration season. Presque Isle Park is unmissable for any birder in the county this week; the trails there offer the best chance at both the unusual sightings and the steady stream of Cedar Waxwings (10 birds on the 16th) and Common Yellowthroats (8 birds as of the 14th) still working through.
Conditions Today and Tomorrow
Today offers mostly cloudy skies with minimal precipitation risk and calm winds, ideal for stationary birding or slow trail work. The dawn chorus window runs from 6:59 to 8:59 AM, though this deep into fall migration the dawn birdsong will be thin compared to spring; most resident and breeding species have either left or stopped vocalizing. Tomorrow cools slightly (60 degrees) with a northeast wind shift, which could push additional migrants through if any are still stalled to the south. The day length at 12 hours 31 minutes continues its steep autumn decline, placing hard cutoffs on evening birding sessions.
Today's Strategy
For a birder with a full day, start at Presque Isle Park early to catch any Black-backed Woodpecker activity and work the trails during the morning hours. The park's diversity and recent rare bird activity make it the priority. Follow with an afternoon visit to either Gwinn Sewage Ponds or the Dead River marshes to census waterfowl. The Lower Harbor can be worked in between or saved for late afternoon if gull photography or detailed gull ID work is the goal. The county is not at peak diversity right now, but the Black-backed Woodpecker returns and the steady flow of dabbling ducks make this a worthwhile week to work Marquette County's established network.
For live map updates and full county eBird data, visit https://birding.chrisizworski.com.