Articles
- Birding Hotspots in the United States: Merrymeeting Marsh in New Durham, NH
- Birding not eco-friendly?
- The Birds Watch Back - Week 4
- Fall Festivals in the near future
- The Birding Hotspot’s product gets featured in Birder’s World magazine
- Live Bird Cameras on the Web
- Pelican swallows cell phone at zoo
- Rook intelligence - link to Aesop fable?
- eBird releases list of most wanted counties
- Inside the brains of birds: Zebra Finches
- Birding Hotspots in the US: Drummond Island
- “All About Birds” Gets a Facelift
- Wader populations decline rapidly
- ABA Regional Symposium in North Dakota
- Eagle Watching banned amidst Chaos
Birding Hotspots in the US: Drummond Island
Near Sault Sainte Marie in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, there is a little known island teeming with bird and wildlife opportunities. Drummond Island, this little-known and under-documented paradise for birds and other fauna, is a true hidden gem of the northern Midwest. There are over a dozen ecosystem types to be found on Drummond Island, with six forest types, including old-growth such as on Harbor Island in Potagannissing Bay, five types of wetlands, inland lakes and rivers, and sand dunes. Except for the dunes, each wetland deciduous and evergreen system is large enough to hold an assortment of avian species. Many prominent ornithologists have found Drummond to be a wonderful location for catching birds in all seasons at different points along the migration corridor. Commonly sought sightings include common loons, red-necked grebes waterfowl, raptors and owls. Warbler migrations are especially spectacular on the Island, and several species of conservation concern nest there. American bitterns nest at the marshy lake near Scammon Point, large numbers of black terns nest at Maxton Bay, and common terns frequently nest on shoals near Espanore Island. Ospreys and Bald Eagles have nested on Drummond recently. After the long flight north, a preoccupation with the local wealth of caterpillars and midges helps make the birds easy to see. Come to Drummond during the summer when the air is full of song and courtship dance as the southern edge of northern species and the northern edge of southern nesters await your discovery all over the Island. Come to Drummond in the fall to travel miles of brilliantly lined roads and trails. Flickers, warblers, thrushes, vireos, sparrows, and flycatchers will be among the birds moving through then.
Bird watchers will marvel at eagles and osprey, as well as owls and hawks. Many varieties of ducks are visible, and Canada geese return to the Island each spring. Loons call and dive in area waters and over 200 varieties of songbirds are also present. Monarch and other species of butterflies flit among the flowers all summer.
