Bird Checklist for Tawas Point State Park


Bird Checklist
for Tawas Point State Park

Iosco County, Michigan

298 species

Last updated - January 8, 2011



Tawas Point State Park is on the end of a sand spit on the northwest shore of Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay, west across the bay from Michigan's "thumb" and near Tawas City and East Tawas.

This park is undoubtedly the best migrant trap in the Saginaw Bay area. Birding is best during times of rapid migration such as during strong south winds in spring and strong north winds in fall. The spring migrants tend to follow the lakeshore and actually migrate south for a time to the tip of the point, which faces southwest. Bad weather after a prolonged high pressure situation also tends to ground many migrants in the park. Soon after these conditions subside, the spring migrants slowly work their way northward out of the park. Equally impressive migrations occur in the fall. North and westerly winds push passerine migrants south and to the east edge of the Michigan land mass, respectively. Late August and September are the best for the majority of passerines. The stronger flying water birds and sparrows are seen in large numbers later in the fall (October and early November) especially during periods of strong north and east winds which force them south and towards the shoreline. [excerpted, with permission, from Birds and Bird Finding in the Saginaw Bay Area (1995), by Ron J. Weeks]

The Tawas Point Birding Festival, a three-day event, is held each year in mid May at Tawas Point State Park. The festival includes seminars and field trips to birding sites in the Tawas Point area.

This birding site and its location are described further at the bottom of this document.


Checklist of the Birds of Tawas Point State Park

No claim is made that this is an "official" checklist, but it can be considered a reliable guide to the birds that may be found at Tawas Point State Park.

English NameScientific Name
DUCKS, GEESE, and SWANSAnatidae
Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Brant [Casual] Branta bernicla
Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
Wood Duck Aix sponsa
Gadwall Anas strepera
American Wigeon Anas americana
American Black Duck Anas rubripes
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
Northern Pintail Anas acuta
Green-winged Teal Anas crecca
Canvasback Aythya valisineria
Redhead Aythya americana
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
Greater Scaup Aythya marila
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
Harlequin Duck1 Histrionicus histrionicus
Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata
White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca
Black Scoter Melanitta americana
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis
Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
Common Merganser Mergus merganser
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
PARTRIDGES, GROUSE, TURKEYS, and OLD WORLD QUAILPhasianidae
Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus
Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
NEW WORLD QUAILOdontophoridae
----- -----
LOONSGaviidae
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata
Common Loon Gavia immer
GREBESPodicipedidae
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
BOOBIES and GANNETSSulidae
----- -----
PELICANSPelecanidae
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
CORMORANTSPhalacrocoracidae
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
BITTERNS, HERONS, and ALLIESArdeidae
American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
Great Egret Ardea alba
Snowy Egret Egretta thula
Tricolored Heron [Casual] Egretta tricolor
Green Heron Butorides virescens
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
IBISES and SPOONBILLSThreskiornithidae
----- -----
NEW WORLD VULTURESCathartidae
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
KITES, HAWKS, EAGLES, and ALLIESAccipitridae
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis
Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
CARACARAS and FALCONSFalconidae
American Kestrel Falco sparverius
Merlin Falco columbarius
Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
RAILS, GALLINULES, and COOTSRallidae
Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
Sora Porzana carolina
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
American Coot Fulica americana
CRANESGruidae
Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis
PLOVERS and LAPWINGSCharadriidae
Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica
Wilson's Plover [Accidental] Charadrius wilsonia
Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus
Piping Plover Charadrius melodus
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
STILTS and AVOCETSRecurvirostridae
American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
SANDPIPERS, PHALAROPES, and ALLIESScolopacidae
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
Willet Tringa semipalmata
Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica
Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Red Knot Calidris canutus
Sanderling Calidris alba
Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla
Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
Ruff [Casual] Philomachus pugnax
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata
American Woodcock Scolopax minor
Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Red Phalarope [Casual] Phalaropus fulicarius
GULLS, TERNS, and SKIMMERSLaridae
Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Black-headed Gull [Accidental] Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus
Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla
Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan
Mew Gull [Accidental] Larus canus
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
Herring Gull Larus argentatus
Thayer's Gull Larus thayeri
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
Least Tern [Casual] Sternula antillarum
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Black Tern Chlidonias niger
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri
SKUAS and JAEGERSStercorariidae
jaeger species Stercorarius ---
PIGEONS and DOVESColumbidae
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
CUCKOOS, ROADRUNNERS, and ANISCuculidae
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
BARN OWLSTytonidae
Barn Owl [Accidental] Tyto alba
TYPICAL OWLSStrigidae
Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio
Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus
Barred Owl Strix varia
Long-eared Owl Asio otus
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus
GOATSUCKERSCaprimulgidae
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
Eastern Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus
SWIFTSApodidae
White-collared Swift [Accidental] Streptoprocne zonaris
Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
HUMMINGBIRDSTrochilidae
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
KINGFISHERSAlcedinidae
Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
WOODPECKERS and ALLIESPicidae
Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
Black-backed Woodpecker Picoides arcticus
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
TYRANT FLYCATCHERSTyrannidae
Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi
Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris
Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum
Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii
Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus
Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe
Say's Phoebe [Casual] Sayornis saya
Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
Couch's Kingbird2 [Accidental] Tyrannus couchii
Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher3 [Casual] Tyrannus forficatus
SHRIKESLaniidae
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor
VIREOSVireonidae
White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
Bell's Vireo [Casual] Vireo bellii
Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons
Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius
Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus
Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
JAYS, MAGPIES, and CROWSCorvidae
Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
Common Raven Corvus corax
LARKSAlaudidae
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
SWALLOWSHirundinidae
Purple Martin Progne subis
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
CHICKADEES and TITMICEParidae
Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus
Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
NUTHATCHESSittidae
Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
CREEPERSCerthiidae
Brown Creeper Certhia americana
WRENSTroglodytidae
Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
House Wren Troglodytes aedon
Winter Wren Troglodytes hiemalis
Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris
KINGLETSRegulidae
Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
OLD WORLD WARBLERS and GNATCATCHERSSylviidae
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
THRUSHESTurdidae
Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi
Veery Catharus fuscescens
Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus
Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
American Robin Turdus migratorius
MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS, and ALLIESMimidae
Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
STARLINGS and ALLIESSturnidae
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
WAGTAILS and PIPITSMotacillidae
American Pipit Anthus rubescens
WAXWINGSBombycillidae
Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
LONGSPURS and ALLIESCalcaridae
Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
WOOD-WARBLERSParulidae
Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora pinus
Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera
Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina
Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata
Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla
Northern Parula Parula americana
Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica
Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia
Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina
Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens
Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica
Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus
Kirtland's Warbler Dendroica kirtlandii
Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor
Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum
Bay-breasted Warbler Dendroica castanea
Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata
Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea
Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea
Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum
Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis
Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla
Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis
Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia
Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina
Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla
Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis
Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens
TANAGERSThraupidae
Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea
Western Tanager [Casual] Piranga ludoviciana
NEW WORLD SPARROWS and ALLIESEmberizidae
Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea
Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida
Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla
Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
Lark Sparrow [Casual] Chondestes grammacus
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum
Henslow's Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii
Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii
Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana
White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
Harris's Sparrow Zonotrichia querula
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
CARDINALS and ALLIESCardinalidae
Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
Blue Grosbeak [Casual] Passerina caerulea
Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
Dickcissel Spiza americana
BLACKBIRDS and ALLIESIcteridae
Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus
Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula
FINCHES and ALLIESFringillidae
Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator
Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus
House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera
Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea
Hoary Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni
Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus
American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis
Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus
OLD WORLD SPARROWSPasseridae
House Sparrow Passer domesticus

TOTAL SPECIES COUNT FOR TAWAS POINT STATE PARK: 298

The above species count is for all birds in the list, including species listed below.

1Harlequin Duck - G. T. Moulthrop; November 1958 or 1959 // The following is from Ron Weeks: Gene Kenaga's book (1983) on the Saginaw Bay area says that the Harlequin record is from the unpublished records of G. T. Moulthrop for "first week in Nov 1958 or 1959 Tawas Pt." The sighting may have been at the fishing area just north of the park. It is not possible to say that the sighting was from the park proper as records are designated only "Tawas Pt" in Kenaga's book. Further, Tawas Point State Park may not even have been established in the late 1950s.

2Couch's Kingbird - Sight and voice record, May 27, 2007.

3Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Myrtle & Elmer Wilke, et al. (Midland Nature Club field trip); May 19, 1984 (Weeks 1995). This record is undocumented and so is not accepted by the MBRC.

MBRC Review List species are in blue. top


List Contributors

This checklist has been constructed using input from a number of birders who have been among the most frequent and regular visitors to Tawas Point State Park but largely from a list that Ron Weeks emailed to me. I have also used a printed checklist from Tawas Point State Park (copyright Ron Weeks), compiled in November 1997. (Gary Nelkie may be maintaining a current version of that same list.) The Michigan Bird Records Committee, too, has contributed to and reviewed this list. If you have a species in your Tawas Point State Park list that is not in the above checklist, you are invited to submit it for inclusion.

Location

The Tawas Point State Park is located just over an hour's drive north of the Saginaw-Midland-Bay City tri-cities area and less than three hours from the Detroit area. It is at the extreme northwest corner of Saginaw Bay.

Directions and Maps

Location, directions, and site maps

Description

The following description was excerpted, with permission, from the section on Tawas Point State Park in A Birder's Guide to Michigan (2004), by Allen T. Chartier and Jerry Ziarno.

Tawas Point State Park is one of the the premier birding spots in the Midwest, with more than 290 species recorded. A sandy cape, sometimes referred to as "Michigan's Cape Cod," hooks south and slightly west into Saginaw Bay. The point is an exciting migrant trap in the spring, but can also be very productive through the summer and into autumn. The park consists of 200 acres, with over 200 excellent campsites and long, sandy beaches on both sides of the point. Trails lead from the parking area out to the end of the point and past a lighthouse which is usually open for tours. In early spring and late fall, large numbers of diving ducks ... [are present] in the open waters of Saginaw Bay. A variety of shorebirds may be seen feeding on the vast areas of sand beach, with good numbers arriving in mid-May and remaining through the end of the month and into early June. Fall migrants may arrive early in July, with stragglers lingering to November. ...

Tawas Point is best known for the major fallouts of passerines which occur during migration, generally when weather fronts move through the area in spring. The best time to witness such an event is usually during the period of May 15-25. The trees on the exposed point are not very tall, enabling good views of the many species of passerines that can be present. It is not unusual to observe as many as 24 species of warblers in a single day. ...

Excellent spots for viewing passerines, especially warblers, during a fallout are the scrub pines immediately to the south of the lighthouse, the brushy areas to the right (west) of the main trail about halfway down to the tip, and the scrubby trees at the point itself. Another dependable warbler hotspot is the area between the lighthouse and the campground. Because of Tawas Point's location, there is always the possibility of true rarities. ...

In addition to the Chartier and Ziarno book, see the book by Ron Weeks, Birds and Bird Finding in the Saginaw Bay Area (1995). Also see Joe Soehnel's Saginaw Bay Birding web site.

Access

Tawas Point State Park is open for birding year round. A Michigan State Park Motor Vehicle Permit is required for entry. You may purchase an annual permit (24,ドル or 6ドル for seniors 65+) or day permit (6ドル) as you enter the park. Permits are good at all Michigan state parks and recreation areas.

There is good parking east of the lighthouse and nearby restrooms in a building near the parking lots. At times you may find the gift shop open and the lighthouse open for tours.

There is a large campground area at the north end of the park. The campground is always open, and if the gate to the main part of the park is closed when you get there, you can always park where the garbage dumpsters are located just opposite the campground entrance and walk in from there.

The gate for automobile access to the day use area and lighthouse is open year round and 24 hours per day except from May to September. During those months the gate is closed at 10:00pm and opened at 8:00am.

The entire park is open for walking, but some sections of the beaches (marked) are off limits in spring and summer months as Piping Plovers have several times attempted nesting here.

If you have any questions regarding the State Park, you can call (989) 362-5041 or contact the Manager, Chuck Allen, at allence(AT)michigan.gov.


Bruce M. Bowman, 2150 Spruceway Ln., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 / (734) 994-5398
Bird Checklist for Tawas Point State Park Bird Checklist for Tawas Point State Park top home

created by / comments to: Bruce M. Bowman bbowman99@comcast.net

created: August 11, 2005
last modified: January 8, 2011

This page has been visited times since August 11, 2005.

URL: http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/michigan/tawas_pt.html

AltStyle によって変換されたページ (->オリジナル) /