The Michigan Audubon Blog: all things Michigan birds and conservation. This page includes action alerts, news, and special information, posted by Michigan Audubon staff.
2021 Birdathon Tallies 152 Species
The 2021 Birdathon at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory on May 30 was a successful and exciting day, with 152 species counted! Our field staff and dedicated volunteers worked together to identify species such as the Parasitic Jaeger, Red-throated Loon, [...]
Spring Waterbird Count Brings Surprises
Here at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory (WPBO), the spring waterbird count begins April 15 and goes for six weeks, ending May 31. During this time, I was tasked with counting all the waterbirds I could see that passed the [...]
Community Spotlight: Mike Bishop
Mike Bishop was a faculty member in the Department of Biology at Alma College for roughly 20 years. He taught biology, ornithology, and scientific methods, all while being an advocate for Whitefish Point Bird Observatory and an active board [...]
June Adds Few Species to Lindsay’s Virtual Big Year
This month has been my least productive in terms of adding species to my list. Of course, I did expect this. At the beginning of the year, it’s easy to check some species off my Big Year list. Then [...]
Managing a Purple Martin Colony
Many Purple Martin landlords across the country are interested in maximizing their fledge rates for chicks at their colonies. It is possible to attract these backyard friends without getting into the deeper aspects of related citizen science, but for [...]
Sanctuary Highlight: Ronald H. Warner Sanctuary
Amenities: Parking. Social trails. No restrooms. This hidden gem in Barry County is home to many breeding forest birds, and you might just spot that Acadian Flycatcher or Scarlet Tanager that has been eluding you while visiting. Ronald H. [...]
Michigan Birding Highlights: What To See in June
June, the beginning of summer, is when most songbirds are in full swing with their breeding season in Michigan. Territorial individuals singing to defend their spatial territory and to attract or reinforce a pair bond with a mate create [...]
May Brings Warblers and More to Lindsay’s Virtual Big Year
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 [...]
Birding Adventures at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory
Bonarparte's Gull. Photo by Karinne Tennenbaum On Aug. 1, 2020, my mother and I left the house at about 5:30 a.m. and drove five hours up from Ann Arbor to a campground near Whitefish Point Bird Observatory. [...]
Michigan Birding Highlights: What To See in May
It’s warbler time! Remember last month (April MBH), when we talked about the basics of bird identification, what features to look for on a bird, and other elements such as location or habitat to help you make an identification? [...]