|
The 106th CBC, December 14th 2005 to January 5th 2006 This unique birding opportunity is a natural event led by a number of different groups and individuals throughout the United States during the last 2 weeks of December. The collected sightings are then put into a database that is used to monitor over-wintering species and population trends. In previous years, participants have been able to view over 20 different species of birds. Staff from The Nature Conservancy will lead us on the count. All levels of experience welcome! For a comprehensive listing of Christmas Bird Counts in the state, click the link below. |
Northern Hawk Owl  Photo courtesy Fermata, Inc. |
| The
northern shore of Lake Huron is a place rich in marshes, rocky peninsulas
and sandy coves. Forests of white cedar, balsam fir, white birch and qauking
aspen dominate the shores. Hardwood forests of sugar maple and beech favor
the deeper soils inland. Wetlands range from marshes along Lake Huron with their neighboring sedge meadows, to bogs with tamarack and black spruce and white cedar swamps. White and red pine tower above sand ridges and old beaches near the lake Meadows and other grasslands can be found just inland from the lake and at the northern end of Drummond Island. |
|
| The birds that call these places home | |
| This rich diversity in habitat and the changing seasons provide a constantly changing panorama for bird watchers. Few of the 250 species of birds found in the Les Cheneaux area remain here all year. Some migrate through, others breed here and winter far south, while still others breed as far north as the arctic and come south to winter here. | |
| Winter in Les Cheneaux | |
| Winters are snowy. Rare northern raptors (such as the great grey owl) appear occasionally, while pine grosbeaks, evening grosbeaks, crossbills and redpolls are more frequently seen. Persistent birders may spot spruce grouse, black-backed woodpeckers, gray jays and boreal chickadees. | |
| Spring | |
As snow and ice melt, birds trickle back and the growing tide of returning or migrating birds reaches a spectacular peak in mid to late May. Those here earliest include robins, juncos, siskins and blackbirds. These are soon followed by waterfowl and loons. Finally, large numbers of songbirds alight. The movement of the warblers into the Les Cheneaux area can be spectacular. Literally hundreds of vireos, thrushes and brightly-colored warblers, tanagers and grosbeaks may crowd the shoreline areas where they feed on tiny midges hatching in the near-shore waters. |
|
| Summer | |
More than 15 species of warblers call Les Cheneaux home. Each has a favored habitat: American redstarts and black-throated green warblers for example, are commonly found near white cedar trees. Blackburnian, black-throated blue and mourning warblers are scattered throughout the shoreline area. In secluded spots on water, bald eagles and loons nest. Marshes support nesting black terns and sedge wrens. Look for grassland birds like sharp-tailed grouse, northern harriers, bobolinks and Savannah sparrows in grasslands north of M-134 or at Maxton Plains on Drummond Island. |
|
| Fall | |
The cool, crisp northern winds bring birds flying south. Mixed flocks of chickadees, nuthatches, warblers and vireos move through quickly. Migrating flocks of blue jays, broad-winged hawks and a steady stream of sharp-shinned hawks, merlins and the occasional peregrine falcon follow this shoreline westward toward Wisconsin. Sandhill cranes call high above, in flocks of dozens heading over the lake. As in spring, close looks at this shoreline will reward you with sights of loons, red-necked grebes and waterfowl. Beaches and rocky points provide stopover sites for small flocks of horned larks, American pipits, Lapland longspurs and snow buntings. |
|
| Bird Watching Sites | |
Some of the best places to watch migrating birds in the Great Lakes area are along shorelines, and the northern Lake Huron shoreline is one of several excellent spots. Springtime is particularly rich in the sounds and sights of migrating bird life. Early birds arrive in the Lower Peninsula as early as February, and continue moving northward through the state until early or mid-June. Fall migration begins in July, and finally winds down in November. Best bets for birding along the northern Lake Huron shoreline include:
|
|