Yesterday morning, boaters and fishermen came upon a sizeable bird kill on Lake Superior between Grand Marais and Paradise Harbor. Molly Hoffman called to tell me about it this morning. Apparently "hundreds" of small birds including Swainson's Thrushes and warblers were seen dead in the water, floating in "slicks" of debris, including birch branches with leaves still on them. The DNR went out there yesterday afternoon and picked up some of the carcasses. It's hard to know what happened.
If anyone has observed anything like this, or has any ideas what may have happened, I'd appreciate hearing from you. I've posted what I know about it on my blog, along with John Idzikowski's comments (he's an authority on using weather data and radar to study nocturnal migration) and would like to keep people updated. http://www.birderblog.com/?v=09-08-05#09-08-05_113806.txt Laura Erickson Duluth, MN Staff Ornithologist Binoculars.com www.birderblog.com There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. --Rachel Carson > Hi folks, > The migration is in full swing! Don't forget Hawk Ridge this fall--we've > got a lot of programs planned, and more staff at the overlook to answer > questions and point out passing birds. For those wanting a quieter > experience, there are 9 other overlooks on our trail system from which to > view migrating raptors. Trail maps can be found on our website. Please > feel free to contact us for help planning your trip. > > There's still time to register for Hawk Weekend, scheduled for September > 23-25. Dr. Mark Fuller will speak on Friday evening about raptor > migration, > and humorist & birder Al Batt will tell "Bird Stories" on Saturday > evening. > Join us! More information can be found at > http://www.hawkridge.org/events/hawkweekend.html > > For those of you interested in receiving the weekly "Hawk Ridge News" via > email, please visit our website to read the latest edition & subscribe: > http://www.hawkridge.org/about/news.html > > We had a terrific look at an immature SWAINSON'S HAWK yesterday afternoon > at > Hawk Ridge. It was also a record day for passerines: 271 birds were > banded > in 8 hours! > Debbie > __________________________________ > Debbie Waters, Education Director > Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory > P.O. Box 3006 > Duluth, MN 55803-3006 > (218) 428-6209 > [email protected] > www.hawkridge.org > > "I am a predator. I hunt for knowledge!" --4th grader, Northern Lights > Elementary > > "Migration--it's a family tradition!" --4th grader, Great Lakes > Elementary > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.10.19/92 - Release Date: 9/7/2005 > _______________________________________________ > mnbird mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.mnbird.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mnbird >
