Whitefish Point Bird Observatory
Organization | Michigan Audubon Society |
---|---|
Location | Chippewa County, Michigan USA |
Coordinates | 46°46′14″N 84°57′24″W / 46.77056°N 84.95667°W |
Established | 1978 |
Website | www.wpbo.org |
The Whitefish Point Bird Observatory (WPBO) is located in
History
Michigan Audubon formed a Whitefish Point Committee in 1976 to secure a license for access to the
WPBO began annual monitoring of spring migrations beginning in 1979. By 1989 it expanded to include the monitoring of fall migrations and additional interpretative and research activities. In 1998, Michigan Audubon received a federal land patent for 2.69 acres (0.0109 km2; 0.00420 sq mi) of the old light station property, which is now managed by the WPBO for research and educational activities.[1]
Due to the researchers' exposure to extreme weather, WPBO adopted the procedures of observatories in Britain that use small buildings along the rocky points of the coast where people can stay to monitor migrating birds and keep records and report observations at the stations during migration. The WPBO has collaborated with Michigan Audubon to record over 300 species of birds at Whitefish Point.[1]
Features
The
Thousands of birds use Whitefish Point as critical stopover habitat to replenish energy reserves before venturing across Lake Superior during spring and fall migrations. A WPBO study found the highest density of migrant landbirds within 1.5 kilometres (4,900 ft) of Whitefish Point, with higher densities along the shore than at inland locations.[1]
The federally endangered
Research programs
Staff and volunteers
WPBO has a paid staff during migration that includes a field ornithologist, two owl banders, a waterbird counter, a hawk counter, and a gift shop manager.[5] Experienced birders lead field trips to some of "Michigan's best birding 'hot spots'".[6] An annual fund raiser called the "Spring Fling" celebrates bird migration at Whitefish Point.[7]
Diurnal raptor census
Professional staff document the migration of
Raptor banders licensed by the
Owls
WPBO conducts the spring and fall banding of migrating owls using mist nests, as well as summer study of juvenile northern saw-whet owl dispersal at Whitefish Point [9]
The 20-year owl banding project has recently increased the number of owls banded by as much as eightfold by the addition of audio lures that are used to broadcast owl calls. Owls are captured in 10 feet (3.0 m) high by 25 feet (7.6 m) wide specialty nets strung along clearings in the trees. Data are recorded with each banding and the owls are then released.[10]
Researchers report that "nearly one-third of the Boreal Owls banded in North America have been banded by WPBO.... The recent success of all three owl research seasons has begun to document that, on annual basis, Whitefish Point may very well play host to the largest and most diverse owl migration in North America."[11]
Waterbirds
Whitefish Point is an important spot for documenting and monitoring
The waterbird count is conducted during both spring and fall migrations from the beach near the tip of Whitefish Point. The daily eight-hour count starts at sunrise with some the highest numbers occurring on inclement days, but Whitefish Point's frequent fog makes it difficult to count during this weather condition.[9]
Shorebirds
For the first time in twenty three years, piping plovers nested at Whitefish Point and successfully fledged offspring in 2009. By 2012, three nesting pairs were confirmed at Whitefish Point that successfully fledged eleven young.[4] In 2010, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation awarded a $150,000 grant to Lake Superior State University to intensely monitor nesting piping plovers at Vermilion, Whitefish Point, and other shoreline areas in the Eastern Upper Peninsula.[13] The USFWS designated the shoreline from Whitefish Point to Grand Marais, Michigan as critical habitat for the piping plover.[14] The Great Lakes population of piping plover are isolated and extremely vulnerable to extirpation from the Great Lakes region.[14] On August 30, 2012, the USFWS added 19.85 acres (8.03 ha) acres and more than 1,000 feet (300 m) of Lake Superior shoreline as critical piping plover habitat to Whitefish Point Unit of the Seney National Wildlife Refuge.[15]
Songbirds
The observatory conducts a census program to document migrant
Canadian Migration Monitoring Network
Whitefish Point Bird Observatory is the only U.S.-based bird observatory in the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Lively, Jim (December 6, 2002). "Human Use/Natural Resource Management Plan for Whitefish Point" (PDF). USFWS. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016., 4,5,7,9,15,16.
- ^ "Whitefish Point Unit". USFWS. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
- ^ "Whitefish Point – Important Bird Area". National Audubon Society 2010. Important Bird Areas in the U.S. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
- ^ USFWS. August 1, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ^ "WPBO Count and Staff". Michigan Audubon Society. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
- ^ "WPBO Trips". Michigan Audubon Society. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
- ^ "Spring Fling at WPBO". Michigan Audubon Society. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
- ^ a b Filkens, Kenn. (May 9, 2004.) "Stan Marcus: 40 years of banding hawks at Whitefish Point." Evening News, p. 1 B.
- ^ a b c d "WPBO Research". Michigan Audubon Society. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
- ^ Schneider, Kim. (June 15, 2008.) “To the Point: Seeing mysterious owls of the eastern U.P. a hoot.” The Flint Journal, p. F2.
- ^ Neri, Chris. (Spring – Summer 2008) “Spring owl banding at the point.” The Migrant, 25(4). 2–3.
- ^ a b "Whitefish Point IBA". Audubon Society]. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- St. Ignace News.
- ^ a b United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). "Recovery Plan for the Great Lakes Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)" (PDF). USFWS. pp. ii, 28. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
- ^ Janisch, Tony (September 7, 2012). "Whitefish Point Land Preservation". Whitefish Point Bird Observatory. Archived from the original on January 13, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
- ^ "Canadian Migration Monitoring Network". Bird Studies Canada]. Retrieved November 17, 2008.
External links
- Audubon – Whitefish Point Important Bird Area
- Canadian Migration Monitoring Network
- Michigan Audubon
- Owl Banding at Whitefish Point
- Whitefish Point Bird Observatory—Hawk Migration
- Whitefish Point Bird Observatory—Owls
- Whitefish Point Bird Observatory—Owl Research
- Whitefish Point Bird Observatory—Sightings
- Whitefish Point Bird Observatory—Waterbirds
- Whitefish Point Unit of Seney National Wildlife Refuge Archived March 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine