Things You'll Need:
- Bird watching guide
- A spotting scope or binoculars
- Sunscreen
- Water
- Notebook
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Step 1
Begin a Michigan bird watching trip in the famous Saginaw Bay area. The area has a concentration of 6 large protected areas, such as wildlife areas, state parks and refuges. They provide crucial habitat for such species as Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Couch's Kingbird, Tri-colored Heron and the very rare Kirtland's Warbler. Over 250 bird species have been recorded in the area around Saginaw Bay.
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Step 2
Enjoy a remarkable experience in autumn when the skies above southeastern Michigan teem with tens of thousands of raptors during their annual migration. This is one of the largest, concentrated raptor migrations in the Western hemisphere. As the raptors migrate from their breeding grounds in Canada, they must pass by Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Raptors riding thermal air currents must travel through a restricted space over Michigan which provides for a remarkable aerial display of these migrating birds of prey.
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Step 3
Visit the northeastern tip of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory to find migrating raptors, water birds and song birds. The area is a natural corridor for birds during their spring and fall migration periods, the major months for bird watching in the area. The Whitefish Point Management Unit of Seney National Wildlife Refuge is nearby and is well worth a visit any time of the year.
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Step 4
Spot the endangered Kirtland's warbler, symbol of the Michigan Audubon Society. This is a difficult task since it is one of the rarest members of the wood warbler family. It depends on 5 to 20 year old jack pines for its nesting sites and has a very restricted home range. Adding this bird species to a person's lifetime list is well worth the effort.
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Step 5
Print out directions and bird species checklists for the various areas of Michigan. Consult local birding reports before traveling to increase the chances of spotting a rare species (see Resources below).
