A Townsend’s solitaire looks on. (Scot Stewart photo)

“The weather just went from 90 to 55 like it saw a state trooper.” — Unknown

Well, the temperatures did a little bit different drop, more like 50s to 30s but it still seemed like a quick terrific drop. There was even ice on the docks on Lake Superior last Tuesday morning, so it did seem a bit drastic in the wake the winds Monday that stripped most of the remaining leaves from many trees. The conclusion of the departing low pressure system was a fine veneer of frost, and even a tad of ice along Lake Superior on some surfaces.

On the bay in Marquette’s Lower Harbor, a fine collection of water birds stopped over at the start of the big blow. It included a wide array of expected species, but a few surprises too. With the array of small craft docks, piers and the ore dock, there are a variety of sites where different diving species can feed in more sheltered nooks. This has been a bit more evident as the winds roiled up the main portion of the lake.

On the north side of the Lower Harbor near Mattson Park a few horned grebes and at least one long-tailed duck have been foraging. The grebes have been regulars in the harbor this fall, with up to seven being seen on some days. They feed on a variety of foods, including aquatic insects, frogs and tadpoles, crayfish, and small fish. In Lake Superior they may find crayfish on the bottom down to around twenty feet but have been seen mostly eating the lake’s fish – sculpin, minnows, and other small species.

According to Cornell’s All About Birds page, they do have an interesting habit of eating feathers. These feathers can form a plug in the birds’ digestive systems, giving more time to digest fish bones. Adults may even feed the feathers to young to help with their digestion.

Last Monday 44 long-tailed ducks were seen in the Lower Harbor on Monday during the high winds, and most of them forage along the breakwall, near the end of the concrete portion. Occasionally single ones may be found on the Dead River, or along the Mattson Park dock. Last week one was there, near the maple trees resting on the surface reflection the golden colors of the autumn trees.

On the south side of the ore dock a nice variety of ducks and grebes have been feeding between the two new walking piers. Because of the narrower stretch of water there it is possible to get better looks at many of the visiting waterbirds. Diving ducks like scaup, scoters, and even a ruddy duck have been found there this past week. The black scoters are heading south from Quebec and Newfoundland in the east to the Atlantic Coast for winter. They eat a large variety of foods, from aquatic plants to crustaceans and mollusks. All these are found in the Lower Harbor. With the high winds and rough conditions, three spend a large amount of time between the piers.

The black scoters are solid black in breeding plumage with a bright yellow nob on the top of their bill near the base. Now in their non-breeding plumage they are a plainer gray, with two-tone heads, black tops, and gray bottoms.

With them were a continually changing group of species. Up to three horned grebes were seen there one day. They are not too shy and have been feeding very close to the south pier occasionally. The same has been true for some of the scaup too as a pair eased into the stretch on Tuesday for great close-up views. The other diver deserving a little more attention this past week was the ruddy duck. It was present for just a short while last Monday in the same area. Distinguished by its upturned tail, it did stand out, even in the misty rain and wind. There was one in the same area this past May, in full breeding plumage, including a bright blue bill, but the one here this week was in drab, non-breeding grays. Although they are rare visitors to the area, they have been turning up more regularly on Lake Superior in the Marquette area during migration times.

This fall looks like a good time to see gray jays in Marquette and Baraga Counties. Last weekend birders found them at two different locations know for them in the past. The first was at a long-running feeding station in the village of Diorite. They frequently begin showing up at the feeders in November, visiting throughout the winter months. The second location where they were seen the same day was on the Peshekee Grade, also known as the Huron Bay Grade, along the Baraga-Marquette County line. In both places three jays were seen. Mostly absent last winter, it was great to get reports of both sightings, with the hope they will stick around for the winter.

Over at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory north of Paradise things are wrapping up this week for the waterbird counter and naturalist. It has been a good fall for them with 204 species seen there since August 15 when the count began. Data collection was done differently this year, with online live counts and data displays were discontinued, but weekly highlights and some daily counts were posted. The official count ends today. This past week did find a Townsend’s solitaire at the point. One did have an extended stay last winter too. So, great fall birding has continued even though the balmy weather has not!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Scot Stewart is naturalist at the MooseWood Nature Center, a writer and photographer.