Chris Izworski's Michigan birding report focuses on Ogemaw County this morning, where 93 species have turned up in the past two weeks and the Rifle River Trail yard is functioning as the primary draw for migrants and residents alike. White-throated Sparrows lead the count at 21 individuals, with Ring-billed Gulls matching that total, and a steady stream of cardinals, bluebirds, and woodpeckers working the residential feeders and surrounding habitat. This is solid fall activity for the Northern Lower Peninsula, and the timing coincides directly with the push southward before October settles in.
The Rifle River Yard and Rare Finds
The Rifle River Trail yard continues to dominate recent sightings, and for good reason. Beyond the volume of White-throated Sparrows and Ring-billed Gulls, this location has hosted three separate Scarlet Tanager reports over the past two weeks, with the most recent on September 25. A Yellow-throated Vireo showed on September 28, making this yard mandatory for anyone working the county seriously. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have appeared five times, and Eastern Bluebirds eight times, indicating the diversity of migrants stopping through. A Great Crested Flycatcher was noted September 17. These are not routine counts for late September in this part of Michigan. The habitat clearly offers food and shelter that migrants need during the push south, and the yard work is paying off for whoever is monitoring it.
Secondary Activity and Weather Setup
The West Branch area around 48661 has picked up Chipping Sparrows, Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, and scattered fall residents. This grassland and edge habitat is the logical second stop if you are working the county. The forecast calls for rain showers likely throughout today and tomorrow, with southwest winds at 5 to 10 miles per hour. Conditions are overcast and cool at 66 degrees currently, dropping to 58 tonight. This weather pattern will ground some migrants temporarily and concentrate them in reliable habitat like the Rifle River yard. The light southwest flow is not ideal for pushing new birds in from the north, but the cloud cover and moisture may slow migration enough to hold birds in place longer.
Migration Window and Timing
Sunrise is at 7:31 AM with a two-hour dawn chorus window ending at 9:01 AM. Day length is 11 hours and 50 minutes, which means we are losing daylight at a measurable clip now. Late September is the heart of fall warbler and vireo movement through Michigan, and the eBird data confirms that warblers are still dropping in. The sparrow numbers are climbing, and the bluebirds suggest good feeding conditions in open areas. This is prime birding, even if the rain showers complicate fieldwork today.
If you are heading into Ogemaw County, start at Rifle River RA, which has 185 species on the all-time list and is clearly the focal point right now. If you have time and want to survey different habitat, follow up at Black Road grasslands and wetlands, which carries 169 species all-time and should show late-season sparrows and possibly shorebirds if water is present. Both locations reward patience during the dawn period before the rain intensifies.
For live updates and the full county data, visit https://birding.chrisizworski.com.