Chris Izworski's daily Michigan birding report turns to Presque Isle County this morning, where the past two weeks have delivered steady fall movement through the northern Lower Peninsula. The data tells a clear story: waterfowl are building on Lake Huron's nearshore waters, warblers are still filtering through in modest numbers, and Thompson's Harbor State Park remains the reliable hub for activity across the county.
Grebes and Mergansers Dominating the Water
The most significant concentrations right now are on the water. Horned Grebes number 22 individuals at Thompson's Harbor SP as of September 23, the highest single-species count in the past two weeks. Common Mergansers are running 21 birds near Rogers City on US-23 North, recorded September 22. Hooded Mergansers have shown up in smaller groups of 8 near Presque Isle village itself. These aren't peak numbers for October, but they indicate the seasonal shift is underway. Canada Geese have been steady at 30 birds along the Lake Street area in Presque Isle, though the most recent sighting dates back to September 26, so that congregation may have moved or dispersed. A Red-necked Grebe sighting at Thompson's Harbor on September 23 adds a minor point of interest, though only one individual was reported.
Warblers Still Present but Thinning
Yellow-rumped Warblers remain the most frequently reported songbird with 15 individuals logged as recently as October 2 along Lake Street in Presque Isle. This is peak season for reading the tail-end of warbler passage, and the presence of YRWA this late in the week suggests more birds could still be moving through. Blue-headed Vireos showed up at the same Lake Street location on September 29, three individuals. The warbler window in early October is narrow, and with tomorrow's forecast calling for sunny skies and westerly winds at 10 to 15 mph, conditions favor continued southbound movement. Today's slight rain chance and southerly winds may actually hold a few birds, though the 65-degree high is cooling down fast.
Sparrows and Fall Transients
White-crowned Sparrows are in the county, with 7 birds reported at Thompson's Harbor SP on October 5, the most recent observation in the dataset. Pine Siskins number 25 at Thompson's Harbor as of September 23, so there's potential for continued irruptive activity depending on seed availability inland. Ring-necked Pheasants and Ruffed Grouse both appear in the data from Thompson's Harbor, two birds each on October 5, a reminder that the upland cover along that stretch holds resident game birds worth noting.
Sparse Reporting Overall
It bears noting that only 45 observations across 45 species have been logged in the past 14 days countywide. This is not a bottleneck period like spring, and coverage appears uneven. No rare or notable sightings have been flagged by eBird, which suggests either a genuinely quiet passage or incomplete coverage on some days. The data leans heavily on a handful of hotspots and locations, particularly the Lake Street area of Presque Isle village and Thompson's Harbor SP.
Recommendations
Thompson's Harbor State Park remains the logical choice for Presque Isle County birding today. The site's all-time species total of 168 reflects its position as the county's most productive location, and the recent observations of grebes, siskins, sparrows, and pheasants confirm it's active right now. The park offers both shoreline access for waterfowl and upland habitat for transient songbirds and residents. Hagensville Road marsh, with 137 all-time species, would be a secondary stop if you're covering ground, particularly for sparrows and late warblers working through marsh edges. The 11.5-hour day length means a dawn arrival before 7:38 AM sunrise will give you the full window through mid-morning when activity peaks.
For live updates and detailed eBird maps of Presque Isle County, visit https://birding.chrisizworski.com.