Birding Montrose Point
What to See | Other Critters
In early fall, numbers of migrating Monarch butterflies use the trees and shrubs to rest before continuing south. For a few days in September of 2003, there were literally thousands of these showy black and orange butterflies at Montrose. Monarchs can also be seen flying over the Point, somewhat akin to migrating raptors.
Several different species of bats are regular during late summer and early fall. The best time to see these volant mammals is in early morning as they come in off of Lake Michigan after a night of migration. Unfortunately for the bats, the local Peregrine Falcons prefer to hunt them over birds.
Terrestrial mammals observed include White-tailed Deer, Raccoon, Red Fox, Coyote, North American Beaver, Striped Skunk, and Virginia Opossum.
Finally, a number of different fish have been recorded, including Freshwater Drum, Smallmouth Bass, Burbot, Longnose Gar, Northern Pike, and several introduced salmonids. Many of these can be seen in Montrose Harbor.
For a small park in the middle of a large urban area, the diversity of wildlife seen at Montrose is truly impressive.