A Buckeye Goes North

Northern Hawk Owl

It's official...we're going to Whitefish Point in mid-October.  I am unbelievably excited about this trip.  Of course I'm a little apprehensive about the Great UP North.  It's a different world up there.  As a city boy, I'm sort of thinking there will be a bit of a culture shock when we get up to Whitefish.

Whitefish Point is a narrow peninsula that juts out into Lake Superior in the UP.  The place is widely regarded as one of the best birding hotspots in Michigan, if not the country.  In the spring it is not uncommon to see 3000 raptors pass through the area in a single day.  Arguably, however, the main attraction at Whitefish Point is the migration of waterfowl species.  In the fall, the number of birds passing through the area can range between 50,000 and 100,000 water birds.  For me, this means possibly adding Black Scoter, Surf Scoter, Red-necked Grebe, and Harlequin Duck.

Possible Birds at Whitefish Point

Here's a question.  How do we know that these impressive numbers of birds pass through this beautiful area every year?  The answer: The Whitefish Point Bird Observatory.  For 30 years the WPBO has recorded and documented the spring and fall migrations.  The importance of organizations such as WPBO can not be understated.  The collection and analysis of this data allows us to monitor bird populations, and work towards solutions when we see a decline in a species.

Realistically I think I have a decent shot at picking up 9 species at Whitefish Point.  But check out the list I have here.  This is a list from eBird of all the birds seen at Whitefish Point in October throughout the years.  Actually, it's just a list of all the birds seen there in October that I haven't yet seen this year.  The full list of October sightings at Whitefish totals 223 species.  The potential for Elissa and I to add a considerable amount of new life birds is very possible.

For those of you who have been there, what do you like best about Whitefish Point?  Do you have any advice regarding where to look?  Where should we stay or eat?  What else should we check out while we're up there?  I have already received some great advice from some very generous people, but I would like to get as much information about Whitefish Point as I can.  I want to have a game plan before we go into the wilderness.  After all, I am a city boy.  Happy birding everybody!

Recent Notables: Long-billed Dowitcher, Philadelphia Vireo, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Bird Count: 264

Information for this post was gleaned from:

Whitefish Point Bird Observatory.  Homepage (website).  Retrieved from http://www.wpbo.org/

Michigan Department of Natural Resources.  "Whitefish Point Bird Observatory."  Retrieved from http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/wildlife/viewingguide/up/33Whitefish/index.htm

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Northern Hawk Owl (website). Retrieved from http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Hawk_Owl/id