(Above photo: Northern Hawk Owl)

Last Saturday, Cindy Mom led a group of birding enthusiasts on all day birding quest. The group started in Harbor Springs with Sugar Island off the eastern Upper Peninsula as their destination. Here is Cindy's detailed report of what they saw:

Starting from the Little Traverse Conservancy office in Harbor Springs on the morning of Saturday 1/23:

- Jurek's (Emmet County, on the NE corner of Robinson and Pleasantview) --19 Bald Eagles out in the field north of the store, feeding on carcasses.

- On the right shoulder of 1-75, northbound, about 5 miles north of the exit for M-134 -- 1 mature Bald Eagle, many Ravens, and a (probable) coyote feeding on roadkill.

- Centerline Road in Rudyard -- 3 flighty Snowy Owls, and about 14 Snow Buntings, which perched on the roof of a yellow house on the east side of Centerline.

- Northeast corner of Pealine Road and M-48 -- a Hawk Owl perched on a spruce tree next to a tan house

- North side of M-48, 1/4 mile east of Hancock, in the farm fields -- 12 mature and at least 2 immature Bald Eagles feeding on something in the field.  (Thanks to Jim & Jody Patton and Betty Maxson for the location on this one!)

- Northeast corner of 22 Mile and Riverside -- Northern Shrike

- Riverside south of 17 Mile in a backyard on the east side of Riverside

-- a bunch of Turkeys Riverside south of 15 Mile, west side of the road, perched and eating catkins in a paper birch tree in the front yard of a house

-- 5 Sharp-Tailed Grouse, including a very pale one, beautiful!  They
eventually flew west to the trees at the edge of a field, and we were all surprised by how white they looked when in flight.

- Southwest corner of 15 Mile and Riverside -- lots of Snow Buntings in with the horses

- Northwest corner of 15 Mile and Riverside -- a Hawk Owl perched on the telephone lines

- We heard about a recent sighting of a Gyrfalcon near Riverside & 9 Mile, and looked around there but didn't see one.  Anyone know if it was a dark or light morph bird that had been seen?

- East side of the road just south of 7 Mile and Riverside -- Rough-Legged Hawk, dark morph

- South of the Sugar Island Ferry, flying north along the St. Mary's River

-- mature Bald Eagle.  This eagle then landed on an island north of the ferry.

- Also at the Sugar Island Ferry -- One Herring Gull and 2 Goldeneyes
(flying).  There was a noticeable lack of the usual ducks at the Ferry.

- On the east shore of Sugar Island, between 7 & 8 Mile -- 3 Black Ducks mixed in with a flock of about 30 Mallards.  Also, at bird feeders: Goldfinches, Black-Capped Chickadees, Blue Jays.

- At the Bailey-Lagerstrom Preserve, Section 34 at the south end of Sugar Island -- Several Pine Grosbeaks and one Waxwing (sp?). A shiny mylar balloon drifted westwardly overhead, while being chased by a Raven. We also had tracks of snowshoe hare (many!), deer, coyote, squirrel, mouse, and bobcat.  We saw a porcupine in a big oak tree, with much of the bark chewed off the limbs above the porcupine. An active beaver lodge at this preserve provided the opportunity for us to feel the warm air coming outthe "chimney" at the top of the frozen lodge. We also saw five deer cross the road after our snowshoe trip at the preserve, and a couple of Pileated
Woodpeckers were sighted on the drive north from the preserve.

Thanks to everyone who has been posting their bird sightings on PetAud and UP Bird Net!  It makes finding these birds almost magically easy.

Cindy Mom
Little Traverse Conservancy Stewardship Specialist

Cindy Mom
Stewardship Specialist
Little Traverse Conservancy
3264 Powell Road
Harbor Springs, MI 49740
231-347-0991 phone
231-347-1276 fax
cindy@landtrust.org