WHAT TO BRING: If the trip is scheduled to go beyond 11:00 a.m., bring a lunch. Binoculars are essential; scopes, field guides, insect repellant, layered clothing and waterproof footwear are suggested. Notice that even trips which don't have a set leader will still take place - we'll all pitch in and have a good trip anyhow.
WEATHER CONDITIONS: Unless noted, all trips take place regardless of normal rain and snowy weather. However, trips will be canceled in extreme blizzard conditions.
1. Harley Ensign Memorial Boating Access Site- Leader: Joanna Pease January 20st (Saturday) 10:00 AM
Harley Ensign, or the "DNR boat launch" to some, is a classic place to visit in the winter. Because the mouth of the Clinton River often stays open while many other bodies of water freeze, there can be thousands of overwintering ducks and gulls, with an occasional rarity mixed in. There is also the possibility of seeing Snowy Owls which often roost on buildings near the access site.
There will be a spotting scope available for viewing, but please bring your own if you have one. Meet in the parking lot at 32995 S. River Rd., Harrison Township. Dress very warmly, as it can be very cold with winds blowing across the lake.
After viewing at this site, anyone that has interest can join Joanna to walk out to the point at nearby Lake St. Clair Metropark, in the afternoon, to look for more ducks. Be sure to RSVP to Joanna by text at (313) 720-9475 or by email at centymeme@aol.com so you can be notified if this trip is cancelled due to inclement weather.
2. Belle Isle: Shiver on the River - Leader: Colleen Traylor February 3rd (Saturday) 10 AM
Belle Isle has many overwintering ducks and often some rarities, which makes for excellent winter birding. We'll meet at the first turn-off overlooking the river, immediately after Belle Isle's entrance booth. Most of the birding will consist of driving along the river and getting out of the car when there are birds to see. The trip will end at the nature center. During this particular weekend, there will be events at the Isle's Dossin Museum and the newly refurbished nature center, which you can enjoy after birding. Bring lunch, water, and dress very warmly.
Contact Colleen at (248) 627-6872, or grandmothernature2@gmail.com with any questions.
4. Kensington Metropark - Leader: Wade Leonard March 13 (Wednesday) 10 AM
Come enjoy the Kensington Metropark nature trails and continue our annual tradition of hand-feeding the birds including chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, and other! Everybody loves to hold the birds and see them so close! Bring seed for the birds and lunch for yourself. Insider tip: they seem to love shelled peanuts and sunflower seeds the most. Meet at the nature center parking lot. Entrance fee or annual sticker required. RSVP to Wade by e-mail WadeLeonard1922@att.net. If weather is inclement, make-up day will be Wednesday, March 20. Be sure to RSVP so you can be notified if the date changes.
5. Stony Creek Metropark - Leader: Joan Bonin March 30 (Saturday) 3:00 p.m.
Stony Creek Metropark's Inwood section has an active eagle's nest that is well seen from an observation platorm. We are privileged to have Joan Bonin lead this walk, as she has been monitoring and advocating for the eagles for years and can tell us all about their history and habits. At this time of year, the eagles are on their nest and we may be able to observe them changing guard. In addition, there could be a few early spring migrants along the trail, so we will also do a little birding as we go. We will meet at the parking lot on Inwood Road right next to the cell tower (lot is on the north side of the road, west of Mound). The walk to the observation platform is approximately one quarter mile. A scope will be provided, but bring your own too if you have one. Sometimes ticks are already starting to emerge this time of year, so bring repellant. Please RSVP to Joanna Pease by email at centhymeme@aol.com or text at (313) 720-9475 Click for Map
6. Pine Tree Acres Landfill- Leaders: Joanna Pease and Kathleen Klein April 27 (Saturday) 9:00 AM
The Pine Tree Acres Landfill staff has graciously agreed to allow is into the landfill property again this time to see the many species of migrants that use the site as a stopover area. The site is a certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council and has wetlands, woods, and open fields. Because of this habitat diversity, there is potential to see many different types of birds including shorebirds, hawks, warblers, gulls, and birds of open meadows. It is also fascinating to see how the landfill operates and the efforts that have been made to make it a wildlife area.
RSVP to Joanna by April 25th by text at (313) 720-9475 or by e-mail at centhymeme@aol.com. We will meet at the main office of the landfill at 36600 29 Mile Rd in Lenox Township. This time of year, the roads at the landfill can be muddy, so we will carpool using those cars that are SUVs. The trip should end by noon.
5. Tomlinson Arboretum- Leader: Barb Baldinger May 8th (Wednesday) 9 AM
Tomlinson Arboretum is a 24-acre park with hundreds of native trees, wildflowers, shrubs, a wildflower prairie, a pollinator garden, and a rain garden, which are all maintained by volunteers. With its creek and surrounding woods, many species of birds, including migrating warblers, are attracted to this site. There is also a variety of nesting birds, including Mallard, Blue Jay, House Wren, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, and Common Grackle.
Meet at the cul-de-sac parking area at the end of 18 Mile Rd., 0.6 miles east of Garfield Rd. Contact Barb Baldinger by email at bbwren@yahoo.com to RSVP or obtain additional information.
Join us at Magee Marsh in Ohio, a world-renowned place for an amazing migrating warbler experience. Whether you’re an experienced birder or not, there will be many knowledgeable people present and willing to report rarities and help with tough identifications. You never know what amazing birds might show up. Pre-registration was encouraged during our January-February issue, but if you missed that deadline, still contact Colleen for details on lodging availability. You may need to find alternative lodging, but you’re welcome to join regardless! Contact Colleen for these details and RSVP at (248) 627-6872 or by email at grandmothernature2@gmail.com.
7. Lake St. Clair Metropark Big Day Count May 4th (Saturday) 7 AM
Lake St. Clair Metropark is looking for volunteers for its annual big day count. This yearly count demonstrates the importance of the vital habitats in the park for migrating birds, and provides an opportunity for us to see a variety of beautiful spring migrants. Birders of all levels are needed to help.
Call Erin Parker at (586) 463-4332 to pre-register. Meet at the Nature Center at 7:00 a.m. Coffee and snacks will be provided. Event ends at noon. You may also wish to bring lunch.
8. Macomb Audubon Spring Campout Tawas State Park- Coordinator: Colleen Traylor May 17 - 19, 2024 (Friday to Sunday)
Join us for our annual and incredibly fun weekend at Tawas State Park and environs including Tuttle Marsh, surrounding grasslands and riparian habitats along the Au Sable and Rifle Rivers. The area is one of the best places in Michigan to view migrating birds including many warblers, grassland birds, waterfowl, marsh birds and shorebirds. In addition, amazing rarities can show up. Contact Colleen Traylor, 248-627-6872 or grandmothernature2@gmail.com to sign up and obtain details of lodging and meeting arrangements.
9. Welcome Warblers Bird Sit: North Clinton River Park- Leaders: Sue Hobig and Joanna Pease May 24th (Friday) 9:00 AM
Join us at Farmstead Park as early as 9am (updated from 9:30am), which is a great place for seeing migrating birds. If you are interested in birding but have limited mobility, we would love to have you join us. The group will be sitting (please provide your own chair) just a short distance from the parking area. You could even stay in your car, but we will be birding together and helping each other find and identify birds. There is a paved trail nearby for those who would like to do a short walk with Joanna. Pack your binoculars and a chair to join Brenda and Joanna on this May morning.
Weather hotline is (586) 446-2711, so if there is inclement weather, please call this number first before coming out. Farmstead Park is located at 12160 Clinton River Rd., Sterling Heights, 48313.
10. Stony Creek Metropark- Leader: Joanna Pease June 2 (Sunday) 8:30 AM
In early June, there are still migrating warblers and breeding birds setting up their territories. Stony Creek has an abundance of both, so join us at the Southdale A parking lot to look for as many species as we can find in the woods, the meadows, and on the lake. Trip should end by noon. Entrance fee or Metroparks sticker required.
RSVP to Joanna by text at (313) 720-9475 or by email at centhymeme@aol.com
11. Pointe Mouillee State Game Area: An Exploration by Car- Leaders: Tom Heatley and Jim Fowler August 24 (Saturday) 8 AM
Pointe Mouillee SGA provides some of the best shorebird viewing in the state, especially during late summer and early fall.
Leader Jim Fowler has been guiding field trips here for many years for various Audubon groups. He has a special permit which allows cars to enter on these trips. A limit of four vehicles may caravan onto the dikes. We can only accept twenty people and ride sharing is required. If you are not fully vaccinated for COVID-19, please wear a mask. If anyone feels ill that day, stay home.
Reservations will be accepted starting July 1st and can be made through August 20th. Make your reservation by emailing Joanna Pease at centhymeme@aol.com. Please include your name and phone number so you can be reached regarding any changes. You will receive an email reply to let you know if you’ve made the list of twenty. Spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Bring water, a hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
Directions: Take I-75 south to Exit 26, then take S Huron Rd. east to U.S. Turnpike. Take U.S. Turnpike south to Sigler Road, then head east on Sigler Road until you reach the parking lot at the end.
12. Shiawassee NWR- Leaders: Joanna Pease and Wade Leonard September 11 (Wednesday) 9:00 AM
Shiawassee National Wildlife Reserve is known for its fall migrants, including waterfowl and shorebirds in the wetlands and passerines along the nature trails. It has a Wildlife Drive Auto Tour with observation platforms and many opportunities for stopping. One of the great spectacles there is the large groups of American White Pelicans as they stage before migrating south. You never know what else might be there during our visit.
We will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the northwest part of the parking lot at Dodge Park, 40620 Utica Rd., Sterling Heights, to carpool to the refuge. For those who want to drive on their own, meet at the Shiawassee refuge parking lot at the beginning of the wildlife drive at approximately 11:00 a.m., located at 6006-6050 Bishop Rd, Saginaw, MI, 48601. The coordinates are 43.32526 N, 84.03292 W.
Bring a pack lunch, a lawn chair, water, and any optics you like to use. The wildlife drive can take up to three hours to cover, depending on what is there. We will not be back to Dodge Park until around suppertime. RSVP to Joanna by text at (313) 720-9475 or email at centhymeme@aol.com.
13. Freedom Hill County Park- Leaders: Joanna Pease September 21 (Saturday) 9:00 AM
Freedom Hill County Park has a newly completed nature trail which runs along Red Run and includes both dry meadow and wet riparian habitats. It is a trail not often visited by birders, so it will be fun to explore and learn what types of birds use it as a stopover point in fall migration. The trail is about 1.5 miles long and mostly level, so it is easy walking.
Be sure to bring your binoculars and or cameras. The trip should end by 11:00 a.m. RSVP to Joanna by text at (313) 720-9475 or email at centhymeme@aol.com. The address is 15000 Metropolitan Parkway in Sterling Heights.
14. Kensington Metropark- Leader: Wade Leonard October 16 (Wednesday) 10 AM
Come enjoy the nature trails at Kensington Metropark in Milford, where we'll continue our popular tradition of hand-feeding the birds. Common “takers” include Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, Tufted Titmice, and Downy Woodpeckers.While we’re there, we’ll also enjoy the views of other birds along the trails. Bring some bird seed, optics, and hydration and/or a lunch for yourself. We’ll meet at the Nature Center parking lot. Park entrance fee or annual sticker required. RSVP to Wade by e-mail WadeLeonard1922@att.net.
