2024 Fall Waterbird Week Five

Migration has been picking up this week in the Mackinac Straits. We recorded 31 species of waterbirds using the straits, and 8 additional species of migratory raptors. We have seen some new faces and more of some old ones. We noted the first greater scaups (7), hooded mergansers (5), buffleheads (4), canvasbacks (9), killdeer (1), sanderling (1) and Sandhill cranes (571). All of those Sandhill cranes moved through on September 23rd, a day that saw strong North winds and bright sunny skies.
But there were two birds that made their presence known for the first time this season that are worthy of praise. On September 19th at McGulpin Point, cackling goose (1) and parasitic jaegers (2) were both seen! These are pretty rare birds in the Mackinac Straits and throughout all of Michigan. The cackling goose was seen in a flock of their larger cousin, Canada goose, and the parasitic jaegers were seen acrobatically chasing some ring-billed gulls attempting to steal food. We were incredibly lucky to see them only hours apart!
Other than our new arrivals we noticed an uptick in many other birds. Common loons (225) also came through strongly, and on the 23rd 126 individuals were counted on that day alone. We also saw more red-throated loons (36) this week. Lesser scaup (78) have been a frequent visitor, as have both long-tailed ducks (39) and white-winged scoters (30). Horned grebes (11) and red-necked grebe (37) have both been more common this week than last.