From: Karen Markey To: birders@umich.edu Subject: [birders] Kirtland's Warbler Census Diary 2010 (Part 1 of 3) Date: Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:24:42 -0400 I am reporting my participation in the Kirtland's Warbler (KW) Census. This is my 8th year as a volunteer on the Mio Team that is made up of U. S. Forest Service (USFS) staff and dedicated citizens. Every year from June 6 to 11, the Team surveys federal and state jack pine forests. Some people volunteer for a few days, others, like me, volunteer for a full week. Here is the first installment of a daily account of my experiences on the 2010 census: Day 0 (Saturday, June 5), Drive to MIO I get an early start on my trip north to Mio, Michigan, a 3-hour drive from northeast Ann Arbor. The most eventful road birds are the Turkey vultures at the Flint landfill. I rush through my favorite Birch Run outlet stores so I can arrive at the Holiday Motor-In before dinnertime. I go to dinner alone at the Rustic Inn about 15 miles northwest of Mio (on route 489, the road to Lewiston). The prime rib special with wine and salad bar costs $20 -- less than twice the price in Ann Arbor! The proprietor and I talk about this winter's lack of snow (only 51 inches) and its effect on business, how businesses like Garland Resort are featuring specials (all-you-can-play twilight golf for $30) to stimulate business, and her ideas for dining specials. Day 1 (Sunday, June 6), PINE RIVER I awaken at 3:45 am. The drive to PINE RIVER takes almost an hour so I try to snooze in the truck. At the PINE RIVER CAMPGROUNDS, our Mio team joins the Huron Shores team, making for about 3 dozen census-takers. Although the pouring rain stops at dawn, the jack pine forests are sopping wet. I am assigned summer interns Katherine and Mitch. Mitch is a junior at MSU and census first-timer. When we arrive on our transect, it is misty and cold. Hardly 200 meters into our transect, we hear a KW, he suddenly pops into view, and he sings his distinctive "choo-choo-chee- chee-wee-wee" song. We pace another 200 meters, hear a KW, and again, he perches and sings in front of us. Wow! How's that for a fast start! Unlike last year's dry conditions which stimulated jack pines to emit clouds of yellow pollen as we brushed past them, this year we get whipped in the face with wet pine bristles and wiry pin oaks. PINE RIVER pin oaks are especially large and unyielding. At the end of our two 1-mile transects, we have seen 2 of 9 KWs. The teams fill the wee Chat and Chew in Glennie for brunch. My raingear has kept me dry but my feet are squishy wet. The rain picks up on the return drive to Mio and continues through evening. I treat myself to pan-fried walleye at the Rustic Inn, and it is absolutely delicious. Day 2 (Monday, June 7), ELDORADO Hooray! This morning I get to sleep in -- to 4 am. Despite clear and cool conditions, I grab raingear because the trees are bound to be wet from yesterday's all-day rain. Driving south on F-18, I notice green trees turning to a singed brown and then to a deep black. This is where the Meridian Boundary Fire burned about 8,500 acres, 12 residences, and many outbuildings on May 18 and 19, 2010. (Go to http://www.crawfordco.org/Meridian%20Fire.htm for facts and photos.) Already the green grass is growing beneath coal-black trees -- a stark contrast between new and old life. Where our team assembles is adjacent an older jack pine plantation I have censused in the past but it is totally black now. Hairy woodpeckers and Eastern kingbirds are already cavorting in the charred remains. Phil, USFS Forest Biologist, pairs me with Stuart, a retired tax attorney from Northern Virginia who, like KWs, summers in Michigan. Phil speculates that we will have many KWs who have relocated there from the recent burn. Stuart navigates our transect through bushy trees 5 to 7 feet high and stops every 200 meters so I can listen and triangulate birds on the map. I take my time at each stop because I am hearing birds from 4 or 5 directions. I orally scan in a clockwise direction so that I do not double over previous efforts. Do we see KWs? You betcha! 5 KWs come into view without us leaving our transect to search for one. When we are done, we have marked 24 KWs on our 2-mile transect. Phil's prediction was right on. Comparing our results to the adjacent census team, we have 39 KWs total! If there is such a thing as KW tenement living, this must be it. After joining the team for lunch at the Branch Cafe in Mio, I motor to a marsh on unmarked federal land on Mischler Road where I have seen Golden-winged and Mourning warblers in the past. Instead, I should have changed into dry gear because the blister on my toe is getting worse. I press on, hiking the forests surrounding the marsh, see Brown creepers, and spot a Yellow-bellied sapsucker entering her nesting hole. Very cool. KW volunteer Larry and I drive to Lewiston for a great meal at the Lewiston Lodge on the lake. Larry is a fellow academic from MSU so we have plenty to talk about. For readers unfamiliar with the KW census, let me quickly review how we census the jack pine forests. The KW Census Coordinator assigns a KW Section Leader maps through which are drawn 2 to 4 parallel transects (transect=a path that cuts through the forest) separated by about a quarter mile. 2- or 3-person teams walk parallel transects at the same time. When we are done, we compare the locations of singing KWs with adjacent teams. We decide which birds are "duplicates" and one of the teams omits the "duplicate" bird from their map. The Section Leader then consolidates bird locations onto 1 map and returns it to the Census Coordinators. A transect is rarely a road or two-track; it is usually a line drawn on a map through a jack pine forest that teams navigate with map, compass, and GPS in hand. We stop at 200-meter (1/8 of a mile) intervals to listen for singing male KWs and use a compass to triangulate the location of a singing KW on the map. Singing KWs are audible a little beyond 1/8 of a mile. If we catches glimpses of a singing KW, we look at its legs for bands. I resist leaving the transect to search for a singing KW because KWs nest on the ground and I do not want to step on a nest. Tomorrow, I will continue this 2010 Kirtland's Warbler diary with days 3 through 5. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Subject: [birders] Kirtland's Warbler Census Diary 2010 (Part 2 of 3) Here is the second installment of a daily account of my experiences on the 2010 Kirtland's Warbler Census: Day 3 (Tuesday, June 8), MACK LAKE, No Pablo Burn At 5 am, we pile into the trucks, and the thermometer registers 30 degrees. Phil assigns us a section in the "No Pablo Burn." I am paired with Stephanie to whom I delegate navigation through the forest. Named for Pablo, a veteran fire crewman who was unable to fight the wildfire that burned this area in 2000, this forest features natural regeneration. The first three-quarters are difficult due to our need to avoid fallen timber, watch for animal burrows, and navigate hilly terrain. Stephanie navigates a straight line and does not deviate no matter what is in her way. Also she appears to be disinterested in seeing the birds on our transect. I struggle to keep pace with her. There are birds singing in all directions. Suddenly, a bird flies up from the ground. Oh no! Is it a KW? Did we step on its nest? Peering into a nest bearing 3 eggs, we hear Brown thrashers scold us. Whew! That was close. Stephanie presses on. I mark a total of 19 KWs on the map and catch a glimpse of 1 along the way. Near the end, I hear and see a large group of birders. Stephanie tells me these must be KW Tour attendees who are marveling at SuperBird, the KW who perches on high snags to the delight of the crowd surrounding him. While I stop to get a brief glimpse of SuperBird, Stephanie exits the forest. I pass up lunch at the Branch Cafe to return to Mischler Road. Again, no sign of Golden-winged or Mourning warblers. Phil recommends birding at prairies near the Hughes Lake Burn area where I see Upland Sandpiper, Clay-colored and Vesper sparrows, and Common nighthawks. Due to so much walking, the blister on my foot is not getting any better. During the week, few restaurants are open so I head to dinner at a mediocre pizza-and-beer joint north of MI-72 on Mapes Road. Most of the USFS summer interns and seasonal workers have chosen this too so I join them for a pan-fried perch dinner. Day 4 (Wednesday, June 9) OGEMAW (State Forest) We are helping Michigan-DNR census state land today. Ogemaw is one of my favorite census areas because the trees are spaced far apart and the hilly terrain makes for a scenic run. A night of rainfall is giving way to mist and fog. I am paired with Stuart again. The 6 KWs I hear today are all in the distance. We see none. Shuttling into trucks, we pass a field where a team reports several Upland sandpipers frolicking atop bare snags, one remains and puts on a show. After another great brunch at the Branch, I change into dry clothes and socks in the motel. Because my socks stink beyond belief, I have been collecting them in a plastic bag and storing them in the trunk of my car. My boots are soaked through and through, and their odor is so bad that I want to pass out. I need them tomorrow so I park them in the back windshield where the sun can dry them. I head to several prairies near the Hughes Lake Burn. Ugh! On the drive, I open the windows because the car smells so bad. I walk an ATV track under the watchful eye of yet another Uppie. The prairie at Hughes Lake and Union Corners Roads is too big for me to cover adequately but I see Brewer's Blackbirds, Purple Finches, Clay-colored and Vesper Sparrows. When I open my car door, I nearly faint from the bad odor. Driving past the new restaurant at the Songbird Motel in downtown Mio, I notice many cars parked and more pulling into the parking lot. Do I really need to make a reservation ... in Mio? I call, and the hostess tells me she has reservations only after 7 pm. I shower, dress, and make a stop at the Dollar Store for more bandaids. The Songbird is wonderful -- I start with a glass of wine, then comes chicken noodle soup and breads with 3 butters (plain, garlic, and cinnamon). Next is a relish tray bearing cottage cheese, homemade coleslaw, pickled corn, olives, and carrots. Finally my entree (walleye) arrives. Everything is super and the bill minus tip comes to hardly $20 before tip. Day 5 (Thursday, June 10) MCKINLEY I remember this transect from the past -- the trees are high, bushy, and navigating is difficult. My blister tells me to volunteer for the shortest transect. Stuart and I have a little more than a half mile to cover. We hear 1 KW in the distance. Debriefing with the 2 adjacent pairs, we learn they have heard no KWs. Stuart and I census a large plantation with young jack pines. We walk about 2 miles serenaded by Indigo buntings and Brown thrashers. Due to heavy dew, I change into dry socks and dry boots. Captive in wet boots all day, the blister just won't go away. Again, I park my wet boots in the back windshield of the car. The afternoon is marked by a smelly drive to Wakeley Lake, a federal reserve on MI-72 about 8 miles east of Grayling. I walk trails on the north and east sides because other trails are closed due to trail reconstruction and nesting loons. The most fruitful area looks onto the lake where I hear or see Black-billed cuckoo, Least flycatcher, Yellow-bellied sapsucker, Red-breasted nuthatch, American redstart, Pine warbler, and much more. Of course I return to the Songbird tonight (it is only open Wednesday to Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon) and dine on prime rib that is as tender as butter. Tomorrow, I will finish my 2010 Kirtland's Warbler diary with day 6 and a list of birds seen and heard. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Subject: [birders] Kirtland's Warbler Census Diary 2010 (Part 3 of 3) Here is the final installment of a daily account of my experiences on the 2010 Kirtland's Warbler Census: Day 6 (Friday, June 11), ST. HELEN'S (State Forest) Again we are helping Michigan-DNR census state land. On the long drive to St. Helen's, an orange-red sun breaks through the clouds turning the sky pink and red. As I drive south on F-18, I marvel at seeing these colors through the blackened forest of the Meridian Burn. I partner with Mitch, and our transect covers 1 mile. The trees are low with many open areas, and the terrain is even and flat. At long last, it is warm and dry. For the first time in 6 days, I am NOT wearing raingear. Not having seen a KW for 2 days, I would really like to finish the census with a good long look. Walking the transect, it seems like every KW is on our transect. We catch brief glimpses of an elusive bird and move on. Despite hearing another KW a few feet away, the bird refuses to be seen. A third KW is on our transect, he pops up into view atop a jack pine tree affording us great looks. As we pull ourselves away from him, another KW perches atop a bare snag, pushes his head back, and sings repeatedly. He flies to the next snag and repeats. We press on and hear KWs in all directions. First-timer Mitch pitches in on triangulating KWs. Not far from the end of the transect, a KW perches 15 feet away from us at eye level on the snag of a bushy oak and sings his distinctive "choo-choo-chee-chee-wee-wee" song. I say to Mitch, "This has gotta be the definitive look at a KW." Then the bird perches even closer to us. Oh my, it just doesn't get any better than this! Arriving at the end of our transect, I count 15 KWs on our map of which we have seen 5. I hand over my map to fellow census-takers and head to my car. A KW sings loudly. I am tempted to search for him but I know I must hurry home and attend to my many responsibilities there. Total KWs Seen and/or Heard: My personal subtotal A (male KWs heard only) = 61 My personal subtotal B (male KWs seen) = 14 My personal KW TOTAL = 75 Here is a list of the birds I saw or heard during my trip north. KEY: k = birds that share the jack pine forests with KWs m = birds on the wooded margins of jack pine forests h = birds I heard but did not see Canada geese Great blue heron Little green heron (US-23 flyover) Killdeer Upland sandpipers Wild turkeys Red-tailed hawk Red-shouldered hawk h American kestrals k Mourning doves k Black-billed cuckoo Yellow-billed cuckoo h Common nighthawks Belted kingfisher h Pileated woodpeckers h Yellow-bellied sapsuckers Red-bellied woodpeckers k Hairy woodpeckers Northern flickers k Eastern kingbirds m Great crested flycatchers m Eastern phoebes h Eastern wood-pewees m Alder flycatchers m Least flycatcher Tree swallows Turkey vultures k American crows Northern ravens k Blue jays k White-breasted nuthatches h Red-breasted nuthatches h Black-capped chickadees k Brown creepers House wrens m Brown thrashers (k, very common in Jack pines) Bluebirds k American robin m Hermit thrushes (k, very common in jack pines) Cedar waxwings h Red-eyed vireos m Blue-headed vireo Warbling vireo Nashville warblers (k, very common in jack pines) Black-throated green warblers h Yellow-rumped warblers m Kirtland's warblers American redstarts Chestnut-sided warblers Pine warblers m Palm warbler Ovenbirds (k, typical in older jack pine) Common yellowthroats m Brown-headed cowbirds k Red-winged blackbirds m Brewer's blackbirds Common grackles European starlings Baltimore orioles Scarlet tanagers m Dark-eyed juncos k Purple finches American goldfinches k Indigo buntings m Rose-breasted grosbeaks m Eastern towhees k White-throated sparrows h Chipping sparrows k Swamp sparrows Song sparrows Vesper sparrows k Lincoln's sparrows k Clay-colored sparrows k Field sparrows k * * * * * * * * * * * * * Karen Markey Professor School of Information, 304 West Hall, 1085 S. 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