This month I was able to add 90 species to my virtual big year! The migrating birds, especially the warblers, really helped with this huge jump in species. It also helps that more people are out birding and reporting their sightings to eBird! It’s exciting to check birds off my list, and I’m really getting up there in numbers. Non-birding folks that I’ve spoken to about my experience are often shocked by how many species I’ve been able to see in Michigan. It’s great to see their shock grow when I explain to them how many more birds I’ve yet to see!
At this stage, with migration winding down and resident birds raising their young, I might have to bolster my strategy for hotspot choice. To keep adding species to my list, I will have to start chasing species. Chasing species is not something I would typically do when birding in real life — I appreciate any birds available in the places I’m visiting. However, the goal of a big year is to see as many species as possible. So in the name of the game, let the chase begin.
Heading into June, I’ll research where one may locate the species I’m missing. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for rarities and try to gather some insight from birders who are more experienced than me. I look forward to updating you on my progress!
Featured photo: Prothonotary Warbler | public domain
Species Highlight:
Bay-breasted Warbler
I was able to add the Bay-breasted Warbler to my list on May 16 at Tawas Point State Park. I find these warblers to be striking in their coloring, especially since they aren’t remarkably bright. They are primarily grayish in color with rich red-brown and buff highlights. Bay-breasted Warbler populations vary based on outbreaks of spruce budworm. The birds are abundant during infestations and decline when budworms are scarce.
Photo: Bay-breasted Warbler by Garrett Sheets | APA
Biggest Day
My biggest day of the month was May 16 at Tawas Point State Park. I was able to see 163 species! The day before, in the same location, I was able to see 162 species. Throughout the weekend at Tawas Point State Park, I added a total of 28 new species! Tawas Point State Park is known as a premier birding hotspot, especially in the spring when migrating warblers are densely packed into the trees along the shore of Lake Huron. Birders often flock to Tawas from mid to late May to see as many species of migrating birds as possible. Vagrants and rarities can also be spotted in Tawas due to the proximity to the Lake Huron shore.
You Can Help My Virtual Big Year!
I’m always up for suggestions on places to go on certain days, especially if people are going out birding. I don’t get to add any species if no one is reporting to eBird in the location I pick on that given day. You can email me your birding plans at lcain@michiganaudubon.org.
Hotspot Highlight
This month I’d like to highlight Lake St. Clair Metropark in Harrison Township, Mich. Lake St. Clair Metropark offers many recreational activities besides birding. The park consists of wetlands and lake shorelines, and trails wind through meadows, marshlands, and groves of cottonwood trees. With 230 commonly seen species, the park is a great place to see waterfowl. Over five days, I was able to add 20 species to my list at Lake St. Clair Metropark.
Lindsay Cain is Michigan Audubon’s education coordinator. If you are interested in learning more about our events, workshops, presentations, or event sponsorship opportunities, please contact Lindsay at 517.580.7364 or lcain@michiganaudubon.org.
You can follow Lindsay’s virtual big year journey through her monthly blog posts or start your Fantasy Birding adventure and look for her on the scoreboards. You can find her under the username “lcain” with a Turkey Vulture as her avatar.