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Waterbirds Fall 2021

Season Summary

Species Count
94
Total Count
34,420

Species Composition

Species composition changes over time depending on weather, seasons, and many other factors. This chart displays the composition over a time period you select.

Click on pie pieces to see more detail. If there are more than seven species, click on "Other" to see a breakdown of the rest.

Display

Many sites have a protocol that is designed to maximize finding particular species. If you select "Focus Species," only these species will be shown.

Date Selector

The control box below the pie chart lets you select a date period for the chart.

You can push the buttons "1d," "1w," or "1m" to zoom the graph to 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month.

The graph shows the overall volume seen on each day. You can drag the sliders on each side of this graph to adjust the start and end dates.

Species Composition
August 9th to December 31st

Drag the Sliders Below to Change the Dates Shown

Hourly Data

The time shown in the top row is the start of the one hour period.

Select Day

Choose a date to load the hourly table for that day. Only days that have data are shown.

Daily Counts

These charts show which species are most numerous at different parts of the season. Hover your mouse over a chart to see the number for a given day. The right column shows season totals and the left side shows the maximum for a single day. Each graph is scaled so that the single-day maximum is the highest point on the chart.

Sort By
  • Focus Species: Show the highest priority species at the top of the list.
  • Taxonomic Order: Sort the species by their scientific classification.
  • Alphabetic Order: Sort the species by their common name.
  • Abundance: Sort the species with the largest number counted at the top.

Daily Counts

Canada Goose
0
Mute Swan
0
Trumpeter Swan
0
Gadwall
0
American Wigeon
0
American Black Duck
0
Mallard
0
Northern Shoveler
0
Show More Species

Waterbirds Fall 2021

The Mackinac Straits area is a concentration point for migrating birds every spring and fall.

Directions

The Waterbird count is conducted from McGulpin Point on the west side of the peninsula and Graham Point on the north side of the Straits on alternate days in 2020. To McGulpin Point: Take Central Ave. west from Mackinaw City to the corner of Headlands Rd., turn north and follow the road to the waters edge to find the Waterbird Counter. Graham Point is at the south end of N. State St. (where the road ends) in St. Ignace.

Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch

Because of its geography, the Straits of Mackinac is one of the best places in the country for studying raptors in both the spring and fall migration seasons. Depending on spring weather conditions, the Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch operates on one of two sites near Mackinaw City, MI that are about a mile apart from each other. In the fall raptor counts are conducted at Point LaBarbe, near Saint Ignace on the north side of the strait. MSRW also counts Waterbirds utilizing the strait as a migration corridor and/or stopover area.

About the Data

All data displayed on this site are preliminary and have not yet undergone quality control. Written permission is required to use the data.

Support

Help support raptor conservation with a charitable gift to Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch