From: BRapai@aol.com
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 21:42:46 EDT
Subject: [birders] Wilderness S.P. report
To: birders@umich.edu

Birders:

Just got back from three glorious days at Wilderness State Park, 
which is just west and south of Mackinaw City. Weather was 
wonderful and warm, and the birding was pretty good for late 
September. Numbers and variety were way down on Tuesday after a 
cold front moved through Monday night. 

If you've never been there before, parts of this state park -- 
especially the Sturgeon Bay area -- have great shorebird habitat. 
I was kicking myself for showing up five weeks too late! 

Here are the highlights:
American Pipit (seven)
Bald Eagle (one first-year juvenile)
Black-bellied plover
Horned Lark (flock of at least 25)
Dark-eyed Juncos
Northern Goshawk
Northern Waterthrush
Peregrine Falcon
Raven
Red Knot (four)
Ruffed Grouse
Semi-palmated Plover
Snipe

Most interesting insight: Ravens and crows living side-by-side. I 
was under the impression that ravens tended to chase off crows 
and there was little to no overlap in range. Well, there they 
both were, sharing the same park, seeming to tolerate one 
another. 

Oh, and the state-published bird checklist is a hoot. It lists 
"Brown Crooper", "Wilson's Snipe" and "Common Sapsucker" as 
species of bird found in the park. Your tax dollars at work! 

Bill Rapai
Grosse Pointe