Ice & Snow

The weather lately has consisted of rain, fog, and snow resulting in a lack of raptor migration.

But other birds have been migrating as spring slowly returns to the Keweenaw. Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers arrived in the last week along with American Woodcock, Wilson’s Snipe, YB Sapsucker, Rusty Blackbird, and Western and Eastern Meadowlarks. Spring migration!

Cherri Allen found a Eurasian Tree Sparrow at her feeders on the 6th, which was joined by a second on the 10th. These represent record early arrival dates for this species, with nearly all the previous records occurring in May.

Winter hasn’t quite left the Keweenaw, with lingering flocks of Common Redpolls (with a Hoary or two mixed in), and Bohemian Waxwings still common in the area.

As the title suggest the highlights of the month so far have been ice & snow. Specifically a first spring Iceland Gull (third county record? Definitely in the running for bird of the spring!) that has been loafing about town for nearly a week now. And a Snowy Owl that spent a foggy, raining midweek day getting mobbed by crows as it moved around town trying to find some peace and quiet, and apparently breakfast, lunch and dinner! It started the day sitting on the dock by Jamsens Bakery (which is closed til mid-May), then flew over the Mariner (closed midweek in April) and landed on the roof of The Pines (also closed midweek in April), at some point in the day it was also seen at the Harbor Haus (also currently closed). It apparently didn’t know The Genny was open or it could have picked up some groceries or a snack!