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Top Birding Hotspots! |
Here are the top three Spring birding hotspots in or near Michigan.
1.) Point Pelee National Park
Located near Leamington, Ontario; Point Pelee National Park is the
most popular birding location in Canada. The park is especially well known
for its spectacular songbird migrations that concentrate there after crossing
Lake Erie and before continuing north to their Canadian nesting areas.
Point Pelee has recorded an amazing 360 species, most of which are migrants.
The average birder can see up to 100 species a day during spring migration!
Between my husband and I, last year we recorded over 80 total species,
23 of which were warblers, in only 2 days. Warblers and other colorful
songbirds abound here in May, all in full breeding plumage and singing.
Their sights and sounds will delight birders of every skill level.
In spring there are definate times to see specific types of birds.
By mid-March, waterfowl are abundant; shorebirds are the most common during
April, and the songbirds are the most plentiful during May; mid May being
the best. My first real birding experience was here a few years ago with
my husband on Mother's day. It was a day neither of us will ever
forget.
Directions to the park from the Detroit-Windsor area are as follows. Take
the Ambassador Bridge and highway #3 east to Leamington. Once there
just follow the signs. It is only about 35 miles from Detroit.
The Festival
of Birds runs for the entire month of May at Point Pelee. For more
information about the festival or Point
Pelee National Park call (519)322-2365 or click above to view their
web pages.
2.) Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and Crane Creek State Park
Located right across Lake Erie from Point Pelee just outside of Oak Harbor,
Ohio. (East of Toledo; west of Cleveland) Also well known for its
songbird migration in the spring, the attraction there is the Warblers.
You can see 30+ species here and on a good day it can seem to be "raining"
warblers.
It is suggested that birders schedule their visit here during the last
two weeks in April and the first two weeks in May to witness spring migratioin
at it's best. Southwest winds followed by a low front will produce a buildup
of warblers near the south shore of Lake Erie. The best birding locations
are the beach ridge along the lake and the boardwalk trail (aka 'bird trail')
The mile-long boardwalk trail is one of three good hiking trails in the
area open to visitors.
Magee Marsh Wildlife Area hosts the 15th Annual Canada Goose Day March
7, 1999; celebrating the spring migration of waterfowl through Ohio. The
event is sponsored by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the Oak Harbor
Chamber of Commerce. The event is free and is open to the public. Also,
May 10 is International Migratory Bird Day at Magee Marsh.
Magee Marsh Wildlife Area is located on State Route 2, 17 miles west of
Port Clinton, between State Routes 19 and 590. For more information, call
(419) 898-0960 or view the Crane Creek website at http://www.ohioparks.net/cranecreek/
3.) Whitefish Point
Located
on the northern peninsula of Michigan, land birds congregate at the tip
of Whitefish Point before crossing Lake Superior to their Canadian nesting
areas. At the same time loons, gulls and waterfowl are migrating along
the lakeshore.
Migrating hawks are the central focus of most birders who visit here with
water birds and owls coming up a close second. The timing of your visit
will determine what birds you'll see. During April you can see owls, including
Boreals, Great Grays and Northern Saw-whet Owls. During late April and
early May hawks are the most common, including Broad-winged, Sharp-shins,
red-tails and some Red-shouldered hawks, Coopers hawks and Northern Goshawks.
You'll also find eagles and falcons passing through at this time.
Most songbirds migrate through in early May along with the Common and Red-necked
loons, Red-breasted and Common Mergansers, and white-winged scoters.
Whitefish Point is 12 miles north of Paradise, Michigan, in the far eastern
Upper Peninsula. Paradise is 60 miles north
of St. Ignace on Highway M123. Take I-75 from the Detroit area to the Mackinac
Bridge. M123 to Paradise.
For more information, contact the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory at (906)
492-3596 or view their website at http://www.wpbo.org/
Also check out this link to Wild
Bird's top 50 Birding Hotspots.
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