{"id":448,"date":"2021-08-28T01:23:47","date_gmt":"2021-08-28T01:23:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michiganrootsbirding.com\/?p=448"},"modified":"2021-08-28T01:23:47","modified_gmt":"2021-08-28T01:23:47","slug":"peak-of-shorebird-migration-new-buffalo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michiganrootsbirding.com\/2021\/08\/peak-of-shorebird-migration-new-buffalo.html","title":{"rendered":"Peak of Shorebird Migration – New Buffalo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Before we begin I want to announce that I have added a new feature to my blogposts. All images can be clicked on for an enlarged view while staying on the same page as the article. As I learn how to build a website on my own, new features may pop up. If I think a new feature is significant, I will let everybody know within a blogpost! I have not gone back through old posts to update this feature, but hope to do so in the coming weeks. Additionally, I apologize to anyone who may have subscribed to my blog for email alerts. That feature is currently not working correctly. I have been working on the issue, but it is not resolved yet. Let’s get to it…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re looking for a great shorebird experience to hone your ID skills, or if you need a quick fix for a photo op, head over to New Buffalo Beach! In my opinion, the final weeks of August and the first weeks of September are the best time to see shorebirds in both diversity and quantity. Shorebirds seem to be attracted the the sheltered portion of the beach at New Buffalo’s harbor. Mounds of Duckweed, a small aquatic plant that can often be found covering stagnant ponds in a layer of green slime, is slowly deposited on the sandy shores whenever passing watercraft come through the channel. The Duckweed attracts invertebrates, a critical source of nutrition for shorebirds, seeking to refuel for the next leg of their journey south. Additionally, New Buffalo sits in the very extreme southwest corner of the state, towards the bottom of Lake Michigan. The south end of the lake creates a phenomenon coined “Bottom of the Lake Effect.” Migrants following the shoreline southward are funneled into a few key locations bordering the southern shores of Lake Michigan including New Buffalo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One aspect of this beach I like in particular is the small bank on the south side of the channel. This area is not publicly accessible and provides an area for shorebirds to feed undisturbed. This means you can expect to spend more time with the birds with less of a risk of the birds vacating the area completely in search of a quieter location. Different birds may move back and forth across the channel as they seem fit, which adds an element of excitement for anyone visiting. I imagine the plethora of food hiding in the Duckweed is a bit of a motivator for a hungry sandpiper to stick around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This past month, I’ve made two visits to New Buffalo. Both experiences were incredible, and I’ve banked over 3000 photos. I’ve been mostly working on photo composition with my Nikon D500\/Sigma 150-600mm combo. I’ve brought home a lot of sand, laying prone on the beach, eye-level with the birds. I even ruined a nice pair of khaki shorts, when I army-crawled through some goose poop! If you plan on working the beach in a prone position, be sure to wear clothing you won’t mind getting dirty. Laying prone for shorebirds is going to greatly increase the “coolness” factor of your shots. Getting level with your subject creates a more captivating composition, and the viewer builds a stronger connection to the subject. Let’s be real. You want more likes and comments on social media. This will do it for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Laying prone with a shorebird while using single-point auto-focus can yield exciting results.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Prone photography takes patience. I always take time to study how the shorebirds are moving. It is important to know if they are moving towards or away from your stakeout position. I aim to choose a spot some distance away and allow them to approach me on their terms. Trying to approach a flock straight off is going to end badly. At first, expect some individuals to give you a wide berth, but if you continue to remain still, your presence will become less threatening. During my visit last weekend, I spent nearly three hours with the shorebirds. By the time I left, I was able to freely move around within the flock without any reaction from the birds. I was picking my subjects as I pleased and getting better poses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last weeks haul of shorebirds at New Buffalo was the most diverse I have ever experienced at that location. About a dozen Sanderlings worked the water’s edge, occasionally moving over the cresting Duckweed and into the view of my Sigma 150-600mm lens. Although several “more interesting” subjects were nearby, I couldn’t help but take a number of shots of these funny little birds. Their “cuteness” factor is through the roof. Some individuals were in wintering plumage, mostly white with mottled gray\/black wing and back feathers. Others had some rusty feathers still clinging to their face and breasts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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