Chris Izworski, reporting from Michigan, turns to Cheboygan County this morning as fall migration continues its slow crawl through the Northern Lower Peninsula. The last two weeks of data show 48 species with 48 observations, a modest turnover that reflects the transitional nature of late October. Waterfowl are building on the big water, sparrows are moving through, and resident species are settling in for the season ahead.
Waterbirds and the Mackinac Strait
The most productive birding in Cheboygan County right now centers on the lakes and straits. Greater Scaup, six individuals, were recorded at the Mackinac Bridge area in Mackinaw City as recently as October 23. That same location has yielded American Herring Gulls, also six birds. These are the high-volume water spots; expect similar waterfowl activity there today given overnight lows of 42 degrees and southeast winds at 10 miles per hour. The cold is marginal for driving new arrivals, but the scaup are already present, suggesting the deeper-water assembling has begun.
Burt Lake State Park has been quieter but steady. Common Merganser, four birds, appeared at Cheboygan Marsh and Gordon Turner Park on October 25. Double-crested Cormorants, three individuals, were at Burt Lake SP as recently as yesterday, October 26. Ring-billed Gulls, three birds, turned up at Cordwood Point on the same date. The county's lake systems are functioning as expected for this season.
Sparrows and the Savannah Anomaly
The noteworthy sighting this period is the Savannah Sparrow, one bird, flagged at Duncan Bay Nature Preserve on October 25. This is an outlier for late October in Cheboygan County and worth a targeted search if you are working that preserve today. American Tree Sparrows, three birds, turned up at Cheboygan Marsh and Gordon Turner Park on October 25, a more expected find for the season. The presence of early Tree Sparrows alongside a stray Savannah Sparrow suggests the broader sparrow corridor is active through the region, even if numbers remain low.
Residents and Finches
Purple Finches, eight individuals, were recorded at Greenwood Preserve on October 18. That location carries restricted access, so verification there will depend on permission. Red-winged Blackbirds, eight birds, were at Cheboygan Marsh and Gordon Turner Park on October 25, likely lingering migrants or staging birds. Wild Turkey, seven individuals, appeared at Burt Lake SP on October 25. Black-capped Chickadees, four birds, were recorded at Burt Lake SP on October 26, consistent with year-round presence and the start of tighter flocking behavior as days shorten.
Eastern Bluebirds, five birds, were noted on Roberts Lake Road in Indian River on October 18. This is a more seasonal cluster and could be worth checking if you are in that corridor today; bluebirds can linger into November in favorable habitat.
Weather Today and Tomorrow
Today brings mostly cloudy skies, 55 degrees, and light southeast winds at 10 miles per hour. The rain chance sits at 13 percent. Tomorrow improves markedly: sunny, 68 degrees, lighter southwest winds of 5 to 10 miles per hour. If you are targeting active migrants or waterfowl response, tomorrow afternoon and evening will offer better conditions than this morning. Sunrise is at 8:09 a.m. with a dawn chorus window from 7:39 to 9:39 a.m., but the overcast this morning will mute vocalizations. The day length is down to 10 hours and 26 minutes; the season is advancing rapidly.
Hotspots to Target
For birding Cheboygan County today, Cheboygan Marsh and Gordon Turner Park remain the most active site in the eBird record, with recent sightings of Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Mergansers, and American Tree Sparrows. Duncan Bay Nature Preserve, with that Savannah Sparrow still potentially present, is worth a visit if you are curious about the outlier. Cheboygan State Park, the county's all-time hotspot with 239 species recorded, offers the broadest coverage for a full morning's work.
The data from Cheboygan County is thin by comparison to peak migration weeks, but the infrastructure is there. Water is productive. Sparrow passage is ongoing, however modest. Get out and turn over the cover.
Live updates and the full county eBird map are available at https://birding.chrisizworski.com.