A pine siskin is shown. (Scot Stewart photo)

“Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day.” — Shira Tamir

The recent strong winds recently sending aspen, birch, cherry, and maple leaves have created dramatic dances with stormy clouds, rains, sometimes dramatic in their own, to send the final glory of the season to their winter places of rest. The trees did a great job, now they must be encouraged to try again to produce another great show again next year.

The past week did provide an amazing show along the shore of Lake Superior with some of the best crimson maple leaves seen in recent memory. A drive from Marquette to Grand Marais was one solid color bonanza. The best part was this final blast of color also brought a lovely array of new birds in what could be the start of the final rush of migrants heading out of Canada and Alaska to their winter homes.

Pine siskins have been the news of Whitefish Point in Chippewa County for several weeks as large numbers streamed down the shore and across Lake Superior from Canada into the Upper Peninsula. By last Tuesday the waterbird counter had counted over 18,000 passing the point, headed southward for the winter. A check this week showed the number had risen to over 49,000! And that is with a two-day break when no counts were made at the point. The sharp increase was due to an incredible day – last Saturday, when 19,260 were counted!!

Only 300 were seen the day before, but 7,000 were counted on the 19th.

So, what’s up with the incredible irruption? Last year only 149 were counted at the point. There is little noted so far anywhere on the internet regarding this migration news, but the reason winter finches move is food. Crossbills, goldfinches, redpolls, and siskins move southward in irregular waves from winter to winter as birch seeds and conifer crops fluctuate. Siskins summer across the boreal forests of Canada, some do rarely summer as far south as the Upper Peninsula, and populations ease southward in fall in search of food.

The change that stands out the year is the condition of the boreal forest across Canada after a summer of extreme heat, drought, and fire. Over 8000 fires in Canada have burned more than 5 million acres this year having a huge impact on forest habitat. Assessment of that impact on bird life will definitely take so time to sort out and the full explanation for the extreme numbers may never totally be known for sure, but the summer fires have almost certainly played a part in this unbelievable movement.

Here in the central U.P. large flocks have begun appearing, with some big groups out at Presque Isle in Marquette. Siskins are mostly dark brown, with lots of streaks, and yellow wing bars and outer tail feathers. At feeders they might be mistaken for goldfinches or house finches, but their scrappy behavior quickly helps them stand out as their open their wings to push other finches away and challenge even each other. In the past few years, many of the siskins seen here in late fall and early winter seem to have quickly moved on and not stayed in the area. It will be interesting to see where all these go!

Long-tailed ducks have begun their large movement past the point now too. Last year more than 49,000 were counted at the point. 15,000 have already been tallied this year. They have begun showing up in the Lower Harbor in Marquette now too. Diving duck numbers have picked up there too with redheads, greater and lesser scaup also showing up, especially just south of the ore dock.

The biggest birding news though in the U.P. has been the discovery of a black-chinned hummingbird in Copper Harbor. It showed up last week at a feeder and has drawn dozens of birders from across the area. It was still there this past Wednesday. It has a distinguishing small purplish-blue throat patch – gorget. Adult birds have a solid patch stretching across their necks.

Wandering hummingbirds drifting through the U.P. in fall seem to follow the Lake Superior shoreline, especially in September, October, and early November. Black-chinned hummingbirds have a summer range from southern British Columbia in Canada to eastern Texas and a winter range along the west coast of Mexico.

Maybe a good choice to be in the U.P. right now and not in the path of Hurricane Otis, but with snow on the way soon it will be interesting to see just how long it remains in the Copper Country.

It is the first one to be reported in Michigan.

It underscores the importance of leaving hummingbird feeders up until late in the fall. The feeders won’t delay the departure of a lingering hummingbird, but it can help it regain its body fat to continue on. If it does stop at a feeder at this time of year, it can be really important to grab pictures of it showing throat, belly, tail feathers, if possible, and complete body views.

This late in the season, a hummingbird could very well be a very special bird!

Snow buntings are dominating the beaches, fields, and roadsides currently.

Some robins are taking advantage of the mountain ash berries around Marquette, dunlins are still moving through with 125 at Whitefish Point last Wednesday, and an unusual dove, either a Eurasian collared dove or a ringed-turtle dove, both non-native species made a brief appearance on Marquette’s East side on Monday.

It continues to be a great fall!

Scot Stewart is naturalist at the MooseWood Nature Center, a writer and photographer.