Sault Ste Marie Trip - 2007
By Jerry & Robbie Kolak
On Friday, February 16th, 14 of us were able to participate on our annual weekend birding trip to the Soo. We had a great deal of fun locating the birds listed below. We also enjoyed our fellowship together at various restaurants. I have found out that eating is a very important part of this trip. Just driving around all the backroads we managed to drive more
than 200 miles.
RED CROSSBILLS We were able to locate a group of 7 at the corner
of Ranger Road and M-28.
SNOWY OWLS 2 were located on Centerline Road.
SHARP-TAILED GROUSE 45-50 on 9 Mile Rd at Nicolet, also 9 Mile Road near Ridge.
WILD TURKEYS at the feeders on Kinross Road about a mile north of Thompson Road.
EVENING GROSBEAKS, CEDAR WAXWINGS and ONE RED-BELLIED
WOODPECKER on Ranger Road about a mile south of Dollar Settlement at the two houses with feeders.
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, MALLARDS, COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSER at the loading dock for Sugar Island.
RUFFED GROUSE, PINE SISKIN, WHITE & RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH at Hulbert Bog. No Gray Jay, however.
Many ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, PURPLE FINCH, SNOW BUNTINGS, and 4 NORTHERN SHRIKES throughout the area.
Remaining species seen: BALD EAGLE, ROCK PIGEON, MOURNING DOVE, DOWNY, HAIRY & PILEATED WOODPECKER, BLUE JAY, CROWS, RAVENS, BLK.-CAPPED CHICKADEES, STARLINGS,
TREE SPARROW, JUNCOS, GOLDFINCH, HOUSE SPARROW.
On the extended trip that four of us made from Feb 19-21 we were able to add WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and COMMON REDPOLLS on West Curley Lewis Drive approximately 3 miles east of M-123.
2 HOODED MERGANSERS at the Sugar Island dock along with 2 MUTE SWANS on the west shore of Sugar Island.
Just before sunset on the 19th we were able to view 1 SHORT-EARED OWL for 15 minutes flying on the east side of Forrest Road just north of 11 Mile Road. On the 20th, about 5:15 p.m. we returned and found 3 SHORT-EARED OWLS flying along the south side of 11 Mile Road approximately 700 feet west of Forrest. It took a great deal of patience and time for these owls.
The Soo in Winter of 2006- February 11-12
by Barb and Leonard Graf
After scouting out the area on since Wednesday with Jerry & Roberta Kolak and Al & Sandy Kolak (from TN), we stopped to check in at the Plaza Motor Motel on Friday afternoon and were greeted with other early arrivals - Elise & Joe Brook, Carol & Ed Hartshorn, and Tom & Steffi Podolan. Soon, several headed out for a pre-weekend excursion.
Friday evening found Larry & Cindee DuBey joining the group at The Wall, a wonderful Chinese restaurant we've come to know for its delicious seafood buffet. After eating our fill and enjoying a lively visit, we retired to our respective motels (Super 8 and Plaza Motor Motel). John & Nancy Skelley had arrived while we were at dinner.
Saturday morning everyone was eager and ready to go before the scheduled 7:30 a.m. start time. John & Shirley Mesch had joined the group. Sixteen of us were all assembled in four vehicles, with walkie-talkies on, and on our way. We were searching east of I-75 and the four Kolaks were checking out the west side. The weather was cool but not exceptionally cold for winter in the Soo. Temperatures hovered in the high teens and low twenties for most of the day. Soon the newest members were dubbed, "the Fledglings."
We skipped going to the Power Plant as the Gyrfalcon hadn't been seen or reported there recently. The weather had been too nice and the river was not frozen, which means the Gyr's food source was spread out along the river probably. It was fairly quiet - bird wise - until someone squawked "Sharpies!" on the walkie-talkie. However, it was a fleeting look by people in the car(s) near the rear of the caravan. Onward we drove, east, south, east, south, east. Another call, "Sharp-tailed Grouse on your left." The response, "You must mean on the right." "No, I mean on the left." We had Sharp-tails on both sides of the road. This time we were able to hear them, kind of a low gaggle, and a first for most of us. After picture taking, we continued on to Dunbar Forest and were rewarded with sightings of Purple Finches, Black-Capped Chickadees, Pine Siskins, Blue Jays, White-breasted Nuthatch. Pine Grosbeaks, Rough-legged Hawks and a Bald Eagle were also seen enroute to the "Hoary Redpoll" house. We did not see the Goshawk that was seen in the area on Friday morning while it captured its Mourning Dove for lunch. We reached the "Redpoll" house at the east end of 11 Mile Rd. The owner, Lois, was very gracious and invited us into the yard; our group of twenty plus other birders had close-up looks at Common Redpolls and beautiful Pine Grosbeaks.
Everyone was "on their own" for their lunch destinations. By 1:30 everyone had been fed and watered and were ready to resume. The afternoon birders did locate a nice Snowy Owl, I heard. Other birds seen throughout the week included Snow Buntings, Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs, Ravens, Crows, Shrikes, Common Goldeneyes, and American Goldfinches
Saturday evening we gathered at Abner's, a local restaurant known for its buffet. Steffi initiated some of us with her special mantra. We visited, saw the beautiful quilts that Nancy had made, and turned in fairly early.
Our leader, Leonard, let us sleep in a little on Sunday morning; the start time was set for 8:00 a.m. We headed west toward Soo Junction. The Northern Hawk Owl was waiting there for us! A couple, photographers, from Ohio had brought a live mouse to treat the Hawk Owl. We watched them and the Hawk Owl for quite a while before turning toward Hulbert Bog to locate the Boreal Chickadee and Grey Jays. Many people have been putting out bird seed and suet along the road and keeping the Chickadees, Jays and Nuthatches very happy. We also saw at least four deer on this road. The Grey Jays were cooperative but the Boreal Chickadee did not show up for us on Sunday. We finished with Sunday brunch at McGowan's in Trout Lake. Life birds were seen by some, and a good time was had by all!
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The Soo in Winter!
By Barb Graf
Most people from northern Michigan head south for the winter. They dream of places like Florida, Texas, and Arizona. These people have earned the nickname of "snowbirds." But there is another group of northern Michigan people who head north in the winter; they go to the "Soo!"
Located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the "Soo" is formally known as Sault Ste Marie. It is the oldest city in Michigan, having been founded in 1668 by Father Jacques Marquette, and the third oldest in the U.S. The 2000 census lists a population of 14,400 people for the city. It is believed that the word "sault" or "jump" refers to the 21 foot elevation difference between Lake Superior and Lake Huron.
This elevation difference is responsible for the need for the construction of the famous Soo Locks - a series of locks which allows ships to travel between Lake Huron and Lake Superior - which began construction in the 1700s only to be destroyed in the War of 1812. Construction again began in the 1850s, was picked up by the federal government in the 1870s and completed in 1968.
Near the St. Mary's river and the Soo Locks you'll find Lake Superior State University, which was founded in 1946 on a U.S. Army site, Fort Brady. LSSU has a current student population of 3,500 and 14 buildings registered on the U.S. historic registry.
Since the early 1990s, groups of birders have "discovered" the Soo as an area to visit in the winter. My first visit to the Soo was cold, blowing and beautiful. At the historic power plant, I saw my first ever Gyrfalcon. The next year, a Northern Hawk Owl was sitting about 8 feet up in an aspen tree by the side of the road near the high school. The third year, while watching a Northern Shrike, a lady came out to the car and told us about this owl that was in a tree near her barn. The owl had been there quite a while and didn't seem to be afraid of her or her horses. It was a small owl, with little dots on its forehead. As she welcomed us onto her property and through her barn, I was treated to another "lifer," a Boreal Owl. On it went, each year I was adding another new species to my list. I was hooked on going to the Soo in winter. In 1992 or 1993, there was an invasion of Great Gray Owls, on Sugar Island and on the mainland. My first Great Gray was about 10:00 in the morning; it was sitting in the top of a spruce tree in a small backyard. Another year, a Great Gray almost flew through the window of the van! Another year, I saw this bird in the distance. As we were setting up the scopes, the bird flew towards us and landed on a power pole just in front of the car.
We bird by caravan, spending a fair amount of time in the warm cars. We've seen other wildlife, such as, wolf or fox. Other birds that might be seen include Evening Grosbeak, White-winged Crossbill, Red Crossbill, Snow Bunting, Gray Jay, Ruffed Grouse, Cedar and/or Bohemian Waxwings, Ravens (or Cravens!- a cross between a Crow and Raven - when we aren't certain.), White and Red-breasted Nuthatches, Common and Hoary Redpolls. This list goes on . . .
But birding is not the only activity we do at the Soo. We also like to eat! Lunch is usually a quick affair. However, dinner is a time to get together and visit and share the day's sightings. A few after dinner, may decide to visit the local casino; but they still need to remember that we will be leaving early the next morning to locate the birds we didn't find on Saturday! Bring plenty of warm clothes and be ready for life birds, fun, and food. We meet on Saturday at 7:30 a.m. at the Plaza Motor Motel, across from the State Police Post and start our weekend. Come and join us for a weekend at the Soo in Winter for a little history, birding, food, and fun.
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Sault Ste. Marie 2004 - February 13-15
by Barb and Leonard Graf
The GTAC Sault Ste. Marie trip was very successful. The weatherman was very cooperative. The temperature was seasonal (-10 deg. Sunday morning to 21 degr.) No snow and little. 16 birders made up this years group.
The trip "officially" began at 7:30 Saturday morning and by 8:00 we had seen a Gyrfalcon sitting on the ice at the power plant. The trip ended shortly before noon on Sunday with the sighting of Gray Jays at Hulbert Bog.
Here is a list of the 30 species that were seen on the trip:
Common Goldeneye
Bald Eagle
Rough-legged Hawk (4)
Gyrfalcon
Ruffed Grouse
Sharp-tailed Grouse - Doing a mating dance
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Snowy Owl (3)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Shrike (3)
Gray Jay
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
European Starling
Bohemian Waxwing
Snow Bunting
Northern Cardinal
Pine Grosbeak
White-winged Crossbill
Common Redpoll
American Goldfinch
Evening Grosbeak
Side notes:
2 Gyrfalcons were seen together sitting on the power house cupula on both Friday afternoon and Monday morning.
1 Hoary Redpoll was seen near the Tahquamenon Falls on Sunday afternoon.
1 Brown Creeper was seen on a cross-country ski trail near the Soo on Monday.
There have not been any reports of either Great Gray Owls or Hawk Owls from the Soo area this winter.
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Sault Ste. Marie & Great Backyard Birding Count - Feb. 15-16, 2003
by Cindee Dubey
Congratulations Grand Traverse Audubon. We did it!! We made the top ten list (if only for a few days). Traverse City had 32 species reported. The final number 10 city in Michigan had 34.The group on the Sault Ste. Marie field trip logged 37 species. We had a red-necked grebe, which Leonard says is a first for him at the Soo in February(pretty impressive). We were also the only group reporting the gyrfalcon on the bird count. Several other groups saw it but many others missed it. We were treated to short-eared owls flying over a field on Saturday night. This was a life bird for several of us. There were great looks at snowy owls and a Cooper's hawk that was just sitting in a tree, near a feeder. We had a bald eagle perched in a tree and another in flight and even an immature one sitting in a tree on Sugar Island. We saw snow buntings in a tree (a somewhat unusual sight). We saw several rough-legged hawks, northern shrikes and even a few redpolls. There were also many great looks at white-winged crossbills this trip. We had a far away look at a northern hawk owl and had sharp-tailed grouse at a feeder, though they didn't stay long. At Eckerman we even saw a gray jay. We had 14 gray jays at Hulbert along with red-breasted nuthatches and a brown creeper. We had some chickadees there too but they were all black-capped. The trip was notable for the species we did not see too. We saw no evening or pine grosbeaks this year and very few purple finches. The redpolls were there but not as abundant as some years. We also saw no waxwings of either type.
A good time was had by all and we thank our leaders,
Barb and Leonard Graf.