A grasshopper sparrow sings. (Scot Stewart photo)

“One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.” – Henry David Thoreau

Summer is here today! As expected, it arrived on the 11:54 a.m. wind. Still really does not feel like it is summer though. Cool days continue to dominate the Upper Peninsula weather scene. And it’s not just here — last weekend Chicago news reported the city had 14 days last year through June 15 where temperatures were 83 degrees or above. This year they had experienced none. Near Lake Superior large temperature gradients are still having graphic effects on vegetation. Near the Wetmore Bog off Co. Rd. 550, wild lily-of-the-valley, Clintonia (also known as bluebead) and starflower are just now blooming. They usually bloom during the third week of May in that area. Closer to Lake Superior at Wetmore Landing the wild lily-of-the-valley is still in bud. In town close to the lake some apple and lilac blossoms are still in bud as well.

Despite the cold temperatures, bird migration does seem to have wound down. The good news for birds like sandpipers still heading north two weeks ago found unseasonably warmer temperatures in places like Nome, Alaska, near the Arctic Circle. Ice and snow are gone after a near record warm May when daily temperatures were up to 15 degrees above the yearly averages. How those temperatures affected insect and other invertebrate populations and impact bird populations will be studied this summer.

Here is the Upper Peninsula, cooler temperatures will undoubtedly affect insect populations. Only six days in May were above average according to statistics with Accuweather https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/marquette-mi/49855/may-weather/333678 and only two days were above 69oF in May. Midge hatches were unseasonably late and other insects like larvae feeding on tree leaves have also been affected. For the insect eaters like warblers and vireos feeding in the canopy, and aerial feeders like flycatchers, swifts and swallows, the weather in these next few weeks will be critical as clutches hatch and new young will need to be fed.

Back at Wetmore Pond blue-headed vireos, eastern wood-pewee, common yellowthroats, pine and chestnut-sided warblers could be heard singing, and at a location a few miles north rose-breasted grosbeaks and a scarlet tanager were also heard. Red-eyed vireos are also now singing loudly across the area too.

Wrens seem to be having a good year. On the south side of Marquette house wrens have been heard singing on territory at a number of locations. Along the Wisconsin-U.P. border, marsh wrens seem to be sporting good numbers.

There are a few areas in the U.P. currently being managed as grasslands areas with the hope of encouraging grassland bird species to stay for the summer. One such site in Alger County west of the AuTrain Basin is the AuTrain Wildlife Area and Refuge. It contains a section of grasslands east of the town of Limestone that frequently attracts great bird species. Recently, a number of interesting species not common in many other places in the central U.P. were found. On June 13, two species of grasslands sparrows, field and grasshopper sparrows ere heard singing. For both species the northern boundary for their range in the Midwest effectively ends at the Wisconsin border of the U.P. and extends to Canada only in the prairie states where grasslands are found. An eastern towhee was also seen there. The southern and eastern U.P. counties lie at the northern edge of its range in Michigan.

A western meadowlark was found there too. Its range officially extends across the entire U.P. but the eastern meadowlark is more common. An upland sandpiper and a northern mockingbird were seen as well. The upland sandpiper is unusual across the U.P. and is a grasslands species occasionally found in open areas on the sands plains in the area. The northern mockingbird is most likely another vagrant, one of a number of mockingbirds seen in the area this spring.

The number of unusual species seen at the AuTrain Wildlife Area and Refuge underscores the importance of maintaining a variety of habitats to increase and improve species diversity. Grasslands species were probably more common across the U.P. following the changes brought by extensive logging to the area years ago. Sharp-tailed grouse formerly used the AuTrain area as a lek in springtime where the males danced during courtship. Unfortunately, the birds have not been seen there in a number of years and have disappeared from several other locations across the Marquette-Alger County area. At one time sharp-tails were found all the way to Isle Royale. Today there still are several areas where they are active in the eastern U.P., particularly in Chippewa County.

The boreal habitat found along the Peshekee Grade in western Marquette County is another specialty area attracting birders in search of species like boreal chickadees, black-backed woodpeckers and gray jays. This spring they have been difficult to find there. Last Monday a birder reported finding nine species of warblers and an evening grosbeak, but none of the boreal birds.

Summer is the time to find what species the habitat around home supports. A glance in an apple tree may lead to the discovery of a family of red-eyed vireos. The suet or peanut feeder may attract a family of red-breasted nuthatches now fledging. Summer is a great time to find what each local has to share.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Scot Stewart is a teacher at Bothwell Middle School in Marquette and a freelance photographer.