Chris Izworski's daily Michigan birding report turns to Bay County this morning, where waterfowl are moving through in serious numbers and shorebirds are still active at the right locations. The past 14 days have produced 125 species across 125 observations, with some notable late migrants mixed in among the expected fall push.
Scaup, Gulls, and the Quanicassee-Linwood Corridor
Lesser Scaup continue to dominate the waterfowl picture in Bay County. The Quanicassee SWA Finn Road terminus recorded 112 individuals as recently as yesterday, making it the top hotspot for this species. That concentration is worth a specific visit if you are targeting diving ducks. The birds should remain through the cooling trend tonight, with temperatures dropping to 38 degrees by morning.
Bonaparte's Gulls are equally impressive at a different location. Linwood Road terminus has logged 79 individuals in the same 14-day window, last seen yesterday. If you are working through the gull species or simply want to see a strong numbers day, that spot has been consistent. The combination of scaup at Quanicassee and Bonapartes at Linwood suggests an active corridor worth covering methodically.
Late Shorebirds and Tern Activity
Shorebirds remain present, though the season is winding down. Pectoral Sandpipers (24 individuals) and Dunlin (19 individuals) were both confirmed at Linwood Road terminus yesterday. American Golden-Plover totaled 19 birds on October 18 at the same site. These are reliable species for late October in Bay County, but eBird flags several rarities worth noting: a White-rumped Sandpiper on October 19, and multiple Semipalmated Plover sightings (4 birds) at Bay City State Park on October 18.
The real news, however, is Forster's Tern. Two birds were confirmed at Linwood Road terminus yesterday and again on October 18. This is a species that does not linger into October with frequency in Michigan, making each report noteworthy. If the birds have not yet departed, they should be findable in the next few days before the weekend weather settles.
Warblers and Passerines
A Nashville Warbler at Nayanquing Point SWA on October 19 represents typical late-October warbler activity for the region. This species has been turning up sporadically across northern Michigan through mid-October, and Bay County is no exception. Savannah Sparrows (14 individuals) have been regular at Redtail Nature Preserve, and Dark-eyed Junco (12 individuals) appeared at Nayanquing Point SWA yesterday, indicating the first push of the winter finch and sparrow season.
Today's Conditions and Recommendations
The forecast calls for 65 degrees today with mostly sunny skies and light northeast wind at 5 to 9 mph. Sunrise is at 7:54 AM with a dawn chorus window of 7:24 to 9:24 AM. The conditions are stable but not particularly conducive to new warbler arrivals; northeast winds generally suppress inland movement of migrants. However, the Linwood Road terminus and Quanicassee SWA Finn Road terminus should continue producing waterfowl and shorebirds. If the Forster's Terns are still present, Linwood is your best bet.
For a morning session, prioritize Nayanquing Point SWA or Bay City State Park if you want to work the water and associated habitat in a single trip. Nayanquing has the higher all-time species total (275 species) and offers better access to multiple habitat types. The scaup concentration at Quanicassee Finn Road is hard to pass up if you are specifically targeting that species or simply want a numbers day on diving ducks.
Follow the live map and full county data at https://birding.chrisizworski.com.