Brockway Mountain is THE place to see migrating raptors in the spring.   Spring counts there have recorded up to 25,000 passing along its ridge between 15 March and 15 June.   On the best days the raptors are often at eye level!   Days with southerly winds are best - north wind days not so much.   Brockway Mtn is quite unique in that raptors move both east and west along the ridge.  The long winters and heavy snows can lead to the Brockway Mtn Drive not being open for car traffic some years until early May!  So check ahead if you are coming from afar.

The Sturgeon River Sloughs Wildlife Area has two separate units:

• The north unit is just SE of Chassell, Michigan and right on US 41.  It has a modest trail and a viewing tower.

• The south unit is just over 1 mile west of US 41 on the Arnheim road which is 10 miles north of Baraga.

The south unit has many impoundments that can be walked around. This wildlife area has a species list of over 200 species.

Special breeders include:  Sedge Wren, Trumpeter Swan, Sandhill Crane. Short-eared Owls are seen sometimes in spring and fall.

The Baraga Plains are several thousand acres of sand plain habitat about ten miles SW of L'Anse. Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, Sandhill Crane, Upland Sandpiper, Vesper Sparrow, Palm Warbler and Red Crossbill are some of the more interesting species that nest there. Lots of state-owned land make most areas open to birders. Access roads come in from US - 41 near Alberta, from M-28 at Covington, and from M-38 west of Baraga.

The tiny town of Copper Harbor has quite a list of rarities seen there - usually in the spring or fall.  It's had Lewis's Woodpecker, several Western Kingbirds, a few Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, a Green-tailed Towhee and a Nelson's Sparrow.  In the fall especially it might have a few scoters or Long-tailed Ducks on the harbor.

Keweenaw Bay has a few different access points:

• Ojibwa Beach just north of Baraga,

• Head of Keweenaw Bay (along US 41 between L'Anse and Baraga),

• 1st Sand Beach at Pequaming.

Each spring and fall Keweenaw Bay hosts quite a few Common Loons, Red-necked Grebe, Horned Grebe, and many duck species. All three Scoters have been seen - especially in fall but they are rather rare. Flocks of Common Terns and Bonaparte's Gulls pass through in May. Shorebirds are not common but Marbled and Hudsonian Godwits have been recorded as well as a few Red Knots and Ruddy Turnstones. Black-bellied, American and Semi-palmated Plovers are seen every year and in fall a few Buff-breasted Sandpipers are seen. Least, Semi-palmated, Pectoral Sandpipers and Sanderlings are more common. Ojibwa Beach is usually best for shorebirds.

Located along the southeast shore of the Keweenaw Peninsula near the Portage Canal, White City is a low-key but productive spot for lakeshore and migration birding. Its combination of sandy beach, canal edge, scattered trees, and open lawn creates a natural funnel for birds moving along the Lake Superior shoreline.

Spring migration can be especially rewarding. Look for migrant songbirds using shoreline trees and shrubs as stopover habitat, including Yellow-rumped, Palm, Black-and-white, and Nashville Warblers, along with sparrows, kinglets, and flycatchers. The lake and canal attract waterfowl, gulls, Common Terns, and occasional loons, while raptors may pass overhead during peak migration days.