WoodSong- Off the Beaten Path

Nature is often my source of inspiration, but bird watching is always my source of joy. Birds, by their nature, live in the moment and I have spent a lifetime of moments enjoying them for what they are. Harbingers of song and flight, beauty and grace, power and tenacity.

Michigan’s diverse habitat is home to roughly 430 species of avifauna. Large decidious, coniferous & boreal forests are home to many upland game birds, diurnal raptors, and cavity nesters; our abundant lakes and beaches invite many shorebirds and waders; and our marshes support many waterfowl species and passerines.

My husband and I have had a love for the wilderness since childhood with varied interests in natural history, so naturally most of our cherished memories involve observing birds, in some shape or form over the past few decades. We participated in banding American Woodcock for several years with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and continue to volunteer our time and energies to help with various surveys and projects. We currently monitor our area lakes as ‘Loon Rangers’ and have also worked with the Birds in Forested Landscapes Surveys for Cornell Lab. of Ornithology. We’ve had many fufilling experiences by venturing off the beaten path and it’s off those paths where we feel most at home.

We have met many good friends along the trails, and we incorportate bird watching into most of our daily activities- be it dashing to the store with binoculars always handy; meeting with friends for spectacular fallouts during spring migration; or sitting under tall pines in below zero windchills while mimicking a Barred Owl in the hopes of hearing an answering call . That’s the beauty of watching birds- it can be done most any time, and most any place.

For many years we lived near Saginaw Bay and spent countless hours at Nayanquing Point Wildlife Area, an incredibly beautiful natural refuge with hundreds of species of birds, including the oldest colony of Yellow-headed Blackbirds in the state.

We now call Ogemaw county home, and we’re thrilled with the variety of birds that are found in this area of the state, including the endangered Kirtland’s Warbler, which nests and breeds a small distance away from our home. Their nests have been found only in jack pine stands located in northern Michigan, and a few have followed suit in the scattered areas in the Upper Peninsula, although this is NOT a managed area as of yet.

Although we keep life lists of birds sighted over the years (and it’s always fun to add a life bird to that list) we rarely join in the hoopla for rare bird alerts. Some of our most memorable sightings have been totally unplanned and close to home and it’s those unexpected moments that keep bird watching interesting and spontaneous.

There are many scenic ‘birdy’ areas to enjoy nearby. Tuttle Marsh Wildlife Area, in neighboring Iosco County, is a 5,000 acre wetland project that supports many bird species. Another hotspot in nearby Oscoda County is Tawas Point State Park , aka “Michigan’s Cape Cod”. With only 200 acres, Tawas Point has a bird list of 290 species and seeing 25 species of warblers on a fallout day is not uncommon.

Our most favorite bird-watching area is the 4,500-acre Rifle River Recreation Area, where we spend much time year-round. The scenic Rifle River snakes through the park with many tributary creeks that wind through the hilly terrain. There are over 10 lakes and ponds within its boundaries with plentiful bogs and fens. Hardwood forests and coniferous woods can be found close together here, providing very diverse habitat for a wide range of birds as well as unique flora.

Dorothy said it well while stranded in Oz. “There’s no place like home”. To date, we’ve observed 135 separate avian species on our property (and still counting). While most of the birds found right out our door may not be considered a rarity, to us they’re each special and unique in their own beautiful way. We’ve had rarities, but we don’t report them, as they’re usually seen while passing through on their journey northward.

And the birdsongs.. they are simply priceless. I appreciate birdsongs as much as I enjoy viewing the bird itself. Nothing in the world is as beautiful as that first rich note of a returning migrant bird. Each spring, wood warblers awaken the area with a virtual bang of color and song. These beautiful bundles of energy, members of the passeriformes order, are some of the most colorful birds in the avian world. During the spring season, the bird population in North America increases by two to five billion with the arrival of neotropical migrants. Once they arrive, the woods are transformed into a huge concert hall where the price of admission is to merely become still.. and listen. Encores are given regularly.

Avian photography is an extention of my profound admiration for these beautiful creatures that have given me so much joy over the years. There are times when photography can enhance my overall experience, but the most rewarding moments are those spent with my full attention on the bird rather than camera settings.

We should be very consious of the impact of our actions on not just birds, but all wildlife. This should apply whether bird watching in a designated refuge or within our own yards. Although there are many books and field guides available on avifauna, nothing can replace time spent afield to broaden ones understanding of bird behavior and to hone identification skills.