Leaf Out

Spring has been advancing across the Keweenaw and at long last the forests are starting to glow green.

Migration has been spotty with daily totals between 4 (5/23) and 360 (5/26), the 27th however offered a refreshing change with over 1,000 birds for the day (for just the third time this season).

With that thousand birds the season’s total is now over 9,200, which means it avoids setting a new record low season total for the count and with almost three weeks left in the season there’s still a chance to climb up the rankings.

Broad-winged Hawks continue to dominant the daily totals with juvenile numbers starting to build. The adults moving through now are showing the wear of migration with many having missing wing or tail feathers.

Warbler migration has been picking up with 20+ species recorded locally in the last week or so. Other migrants recently include Upland Sandpiper, Red-headed Woodpecker, Northern Mockingbird, and Western Meadowlark.

Entertainment this week was provided by the local Common Raven pair fledging two young. So far they’re still figuring out the whole “flying thing” and spend the majority of the day awkwardly perched, begging food from the parents.