2024 Fall Waterbird Count Week 9

This week saw some unseasonably warm weather and lots of south winds, making it less than optimal for water bird migration. However, large rafts of redheads forming, a good day on October 20th, and some rarities made this week very special. Redheads (3,997) have been numerous this week and are starting to form a large raft underneath the Mackinac Bridge numbering around 1,000 individuals. We also noted high numbers of white-wing scoters (217), long-tailed ducks (357), common loons (158), and a good number of red-necked grebes (22). Red-breasted mergansers (463) and common mergansers (142) were also moving through in good numbers this week.
We saw a few returning species, Bonaparte’s gull (19) was fairly common late in the week, as were some very late common terns (7). Common terns are early migrants so seeing them this late into October was a delight. We also noted American wigeon (1), Northern shoveler (1), bufflehead (2), canvasback (3), surf scoter (4), lesser scaup (55), greater scaup (17) and common goldeneye (7). Both Canada goose (141) and Sandhill crane (23) were seen this week but in lower numbers then previously recorded. We were lucky enough to see both mute swan (5) and tundra swan (2) this week along with red-throated loons (2). We hope that once the season goes on more of these birds will arrive.
The highlight of the week, and probably the highlight of the entire season came on October 21st, when a red phalarope (1) was spotted in the middle of the Mackinac Straits! This was the first time a red phalarope has ever been recorded in the Mackinac Straits and is rarely seen this far inland. This bird was last seen flying west, toward Lake Michigan, we can only hope it turns around and pays us a second visit.