March 12, 2018
Contact: Holly Vaughn, 313-396-6863
Spring birding tours at
Michigan’s Wetland Wonders
Nothing
says spring like the “conk-a-ree” call of a red-winged blackbird or the raucous
sounds of a sandhill crane. Celebrate spring and explore Michigan’s wetlands with
a birding tour at one of the Wetland Wonders – or managed waterfowl areas –
around the state.
Highlights
of the birding tours may include diving and dabbling ducks in full breeding
plumage, trumpeter and tundra swans, osprey, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, and many others. Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife staff members and
volunteers from Ducks Unlimited and Audubon Clubs will lead the tours, which may
include a “sneak peek” driving tour into refuge areas that normally are closed.
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The birding tours will be held on the following dates:
- March
17 at 8 a.m. – St. Clair Flats State
Wildlife Area, 3857 Columbine Road, Harsens Island; 810-748-9504
- March
24 at 9 a.m. – Fish Point State Game
Area, 7750 Ringle Road, Unionville; 989-674-2511
- March
31 at 9 a.m. – Fennville Farm Unit of
the Allegan State Game Area, 6013 118th Ave., Fennville; 269-673-2430
- April
7 at 9 a.m. – Maple River State Game
Area, southwest corner of South Baldwin and Crapo roads in Washington
Township, east of U.S. 127; 616-446-0555
- April
7 at 9 a.m. – Shiawassee River State
Game Area, 225 East Spruce St., St. Charles; 989-865-6211
- April
14 at 9 a.m. – Muskegon County
Wastewater System, meet at the Muskegon State Game Area Office, 7600 E.
Messinger Road, Twin Lake; 231-788-5055
- April
14 at 9 a.m. – Pointe Mouillee State
Game Area, 37025 Mouillee Road, Rockwood; 734-379-9692
- April
14 at 9 a.m. – Nayanquing Point State
Wildlife Area, 1570 Tower Beach Road, Pinconning; 989-697-5101
If
you have questions about bird tours, please contact the appropriate office at
the phone number listed above. Most tours will meet at the area’s headquarters
building. Please dress for the weather and bring binoculars. Spotting scopes
are also helpful for long-range viewing. The ground may be quite muddy and wet,
so plan to wear boots.
Michigan's Wetland
Wonders are the seven premier managed waterfowl hunt areas in the state:
Fennville Farm Unit at the Allegan State Game Area (Allegan County), Fish Point
State Wildlife Area (Tuscola County), St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area on
Harsens Island (St. Clair County), Muskegon County Wastewater Facility
(Muskegon County), Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area (Bay County), Pointe
Mouillee State Game Area (Monroe and Wayne counties) and Shiawassee River State
Game Area (Saginaw County). To learn more about Michigan’s Wetland Wonders,
visit michigan.gov/wetlandwonders.
/Note to editors:
An accompanying photo is available below for download. A suggested caption follows.
Red-winged
blackbirds are some of spring’s first arrivals at Michigan’s Wetland
Wonders./
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