It's been a couple of months of the bird breeding season now. There hasn't been much in the way of rare, or new birds being seen. This is because most birds have settled down into their territories and are producing a viable batch of offspring. The group of birds known as shorebirds, are one of the latest to breed but yet one of the earliest to leave the breeding grounds to start traveling south.
Shorebirds winter in warmer climates like southern N. America or even Southern S. America. They make a huge push through our region in late may and early June on their way to their breeding grounds in the northern tundra! While they are there, they don't waste much time. They will breed and raise their young all in just a few weeks. When the hatchlings are old enough to leave the nest, they all slowly start their long journey south. Now that they aren't in a hurry to breed and produce offspring, they travel at a much more casual pace south.
The traveling south has definitely started as people are starting to report more shorebird sightings. If you're planning on doing some birding and would like to find something new, going to a shore line or a mudflat would be your best bet. Yesterday Brian Brosky reported seeing an American Avocet north of the light house at the Ludington State Park. Today 7/15 Matt McConnel has reported 2 more Avocets in Manistee along the beach! These are incredible birds to see are worth chasing. Like mentioned above, they might stick around for a couple days as they aren't in much of a hurry to go south.
Photo taken by Brian Brosky north of the Ludington State Park Lighthouse.
Comments