Isle Royale

 Friday July 19th

Signed off on another bucket list destination with a trip up north, almost to Canada, to Isle Royale National Park.

eBird Trip Report

July 1st

Arrived late last night to Houghton, Michigan for my trip out to Isle Royale.

Ranger 3 being loaded at the Visitor Center

Mallard

But today was spent exploring a bit of the U.P. Started by checking out the Isle Royale National Park Visitor Center, where the Ranger 3 was docked. Did a little birding here with Herring Gulls, Ring-billed Gull, American Robins and American Crows. 

White-tailed Deer at Nara Nature Center

 Just to the southeast of town, visited Nara Nature Park, walking the boardwalk through wetlands. Actually, had my best birding of the trip with lots of active birds including Red-winged Blackbirds, Mallards American Goldfinches, Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Cedar Waxwings, Song Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Alder Flycatcher, Sedge Wren, Red-eyed Vireo, Tree Swallows, Black-capped Chickadees, American Redstarts, Pine Warbler, Indigo Buntings and Great Blue Heron.

American Goldfinch

Calling Sedge Wren

Copper Harbor Lighthouse

Moved on, 46 miles, to the northern tip of the peninsula to Copper Harbor and a visit to Fort Wilkens State Park. 

It's also at the northern terminus of US 41, which is interesting as US 41 travels all the way to south Florida where I call home.

Large-leaved Lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
 Flourishing at the Terminus of US 41

 Visited the historical Fort Wilkens State Park at Copper Harbor where the birding wasn't very active - American Crow, Chimney Swift, Song Sparrow and Red-eyed Vireo

July 1 - 6

On the second day, I set sail on the fully equipped Ranger 3 from its dock in Houghton, embarking on a six-hour journey across Lake Superior to Rock Harbor in Isle Royale National Park. The park serves as a sanctuary for backpackers, hikers, and anglers. My stay, however, was a 5-night sojourn at Rock Harbor Lodge, offering quite rudimentary accommodations without Wi-Fi or television. 

This trip has been on my bucket list for years, initially intending to backpack across the island. However, since my backpacking days have concluded, I devoted my time to bird-watching and cataloging the plant life. Also took the Passage Island Tour to see the lighthouse.

I embarked on brief hikes daily, aiming to observe any of the island's typical wildlife. Unfortunately, I

Passage Island Lighthouse

did not encounter any moose, beavers, red foxes, or wolves. The wolves are particularly elusive around humans, making sightings a rarity. The Isle Royale Red Squirrels were lively near Rock Harbor, and I also spotted a snowshoe hare. Spotting waterfowl, Common Ravens, and Herring Gulls was straightforward, but forest birds were another story. Most identifications were by ear, as the birds proved challenging to spot amidst the thick foliage. The most frequently identified species were the Canada Geese, Mallards, Common Loons, Red-breasted Mergansers, Nashville Warblers, Swainson's Thrush, Chipping Sparrows and Winter Wrens. Other species included Golden-crowned Kinglet, Black-throated Green Warblers, White-throated Sparrows, Bald Eagles, Tennessee Warbler, American Redstart, American Crows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Parula, Cedar Waxwings and Dark-eyed Junco. Species I missed from my wish list included Common Mergansers, Gray Jays, Common Golden-eyed and Sandhill Cranes.

Wood Lily

Herring Gulls

Rock Harbor

Isle Royale Red Squirrel

Mallard

Red-breasted Merganser

Canada Goose

Common Loon

Rock Harbor Lighthouse

Passage Island

Passage Island

View from Stoll Trail

New Year

 Sunday January 9th

River Otter

Ventured out to build a fresh list for a new year.  Visited venues throughout the area looking for interesting birdlife. At Torrey Island at Belle Glade saw that the Vermilion Flycatcher was still active as were a pair of River Otters.  Was told that it was suspected that the otters were being fed as they showed little concern with the walkers and birders.

Went back out to the cane fields to look for the raptors seen recently. Succeeded in relocating the White-tailed Kite, Northern Harriers, Bald Eagles, American Kestrels, Peregrin Falcon, Barn Owl and Red-tailed Hawks. Dipped on finding swainsen's hawk.

American Kestrel at Belle Glade Marina

Peregrine Falcon

Northern Rough-winged Swallow at Belle Glade Marina

Bald Eagles

Lots of the shorebirds and seabirds located at Bunche Beach and Fort DeSoto. 

Snowy Egret at Fort DeSoto Park

Red Knot at Fort DeSoto

Banded Piping Plover at Fort DeSoto

Red-breasted Merganser at Fort DeSoto

Caspen Tern at Fort DeSoto

Black-bellied Plover at Fort DeSoto

Brown Pelicans at Fort DeSoto

American Oystercatcher at Fort DeSoto

Limpkin at Six-Mile Cypress Slough Reserve

Chasing Birds - North Florida Day One

 Sunday January 24th

Recently made my annual trip to North Florida and the Panhandle. Spent four days checking out birding Hot Spots including The Celery Fields, Fort De Soto Park, Sweetwater Wetlands, Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail, St Marks NWR, Lake Jackson Mounds State Par, Crowder Landing, Torreya State Park and Paynes Prairie State Park. Usually like to include Florida Caverns State Park, but most of the property remains off limits from damage from Hurricane Michael over two years ago

Emu -
lives at the Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary adjacent to the Celery Fields

Day 1 - Saturday

Purple Martins taking up residence at the martin house at The Celery Fields

First stop was a short visit at The Celery Fields in Sarasota County. Some of the birds observed included the recently arrived Purple Martins, plus Blue-winged Teal, Long-billed Dowitchers, Least Sandpipers, Nanday Parakeets, Least Sandpipers, Northern Harriers, Bald eagles, Lesser Yellowlegs, Roseate Spoonbills and Brown-headed Cowbirds. Dipped on any rails, bitterns, purple gallinules etc.

Red-breasted Merganser seen at the fishing pier at Fort De Soto Park

From Sarasota traveled to Tampa Bay. At the rest stop stop at he north end of the Skyline bridge was able to add a couple of hundred Black Skimmers, plus my FOY sighting of a Common Loon.  Several Red-breasted Mergansers and Great Egrets were present.

Forster's Tern at Fort De Soto Park

Next was a stop at Fort De Soto Park, which sits in Tampa Bay. Was here to observe sea ducks, shore birds and such. Just before reaching the park, checked the Terra Verdi Ponds which were loaded with hundreds of Lesser Scaup and Redhead ducks. Began birding at the North Beach at Fort De Soto. Some of the birds here included Wilson's Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Sanderlings, Semipalmated Plovers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Dunlins, Ruddy Turnstones, Ring-billed Gulls and various wading birds.

Whimbrel seen at the Fishing Pier

Left this spot to check the two fishing piers for any scoters, loons or horned grebes. ended up with four Common Loons, but no scoters or grebes. Did have well over a hundred Laughing Gulls, plus Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gull, Royal, Sandwich and Forster's Terns. Had nice looks at a pair of Whimbrels. Also had more Red-breasted Mergansers, American White & Brown Pelicans, Cormorants, Osprey and Palm Warblers.

Black-bellied Plover at the Fishing Pier

Wrapped up the in Gainesville. First checked out any activity along the Gainesville-Hawthorn Trail. This now paved, but former railroad line was wayyy to popular on this Saturday afternoon, for any serious birding. The traffic on the path was terrible, with skate boarders, cyclists, runners and people using transport I hadn't seen before. In the past I had seen chipping sparrows, cedar waxwings, ruby-crowned kinglets, Carolina chickadees and more. But not today.

Armadillo rooting for dinner
 at Sweetwater Wetland

Last stop was the Sweetwater Wetlands. Arrived here close to closing and that was fine.  Cause the Rusty Blackbirds come into roost just at sunset. Before getting to the rusty blackbird stack-out spot, spent time looking for any other interesting birds. Some of these included Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Buffleheads, Sora, and a Merlin bomb a flock of roosting cowbirds.

The Park Ranger set me up on the spot to wait for the rustys to arrive and as I was waiting I noticed a group of birds  scanning and scoping the marsh nearby and suspected that they were also waiting on the rustys to arrive. Turns out they were friends of mine from home. Dave and Tammy McQuade had met up with Eary and Jennifer Warren and their two kids in Gainesville to look for the Rusty Blackbirds and a Calliope Hummingbird.  The Warrens had driven up from Cape Coral and the McQuades' were wrapping up a very successful cross-country birding trip. 

Bufflehead at Sweetwater Wetlands

Got to see the Rusty Blackbirds, about 60 of them. So I was now done for the day, with another long day tomorrow.

Pied-billed Grebe at Sweetwater Wetlands

Silhouette of a Rusty Blackbird.  Best I could get in the fading light