Officials taking regional approach to birding

PORT CLINTON – Each spring, thousands of people from across the world visit the Port Clinton area to watch colorful migrating birds.

But they don't just visit here.

Many continue on to other marshes along the lake in Michigan and Ontario that provide habitat and viewing of warblers, shorebirds and more.

Magee Marsh Wildlife Area in Carroll Township and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Benton Township are located on two major migratory bird flyways and have long been recognized as some of the best birding spots in North America.

Other locations, such as Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge and Erie Marsh Preserve in southeast Michigan, also are working with officials in the Port Clinton area to capitalize on the opportunity their natural areas provide for birding.

"You'll start seeing a sense of identity from the Detroit River to Western Lake Erie to talking about the system as a whole," said Patrick Doran, Nature Conservancy Michigan restoration director. "That's part of a theme we're seeing from Sandusky, Ohio, to Detroit, Michigan."

The Nature Conservancy owns Erie Marsh in the Monroe, Michigan, area, and the marsh is considered part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, the only international wildlife refuge in North America.

Like the local marshes and spots along the Sandusky and Portage rivers, the refuge and marsh are stopover spots for migratory birds throughout the year to rest and feast on insects and berries.

Each May, Black Swamp Bird Observatory puts on the annual Biggest Week in American Birding, a festival of events and guided walks and trips for bird enthusiasts to see rare species and learn more about nature and birding.

Although the Biggest Week is centered between Maumee Bay State Park in Lucas County and Magee Marsh and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in western Ottawa County, participants often travel to Canada and Michigan to see birds, said Mark Shieldcastle, Black Swamp Bird Observatory research director.

"That's growing to the point where it's hard to find a hotel room in the Toledo area," Doran said.

If birders don't see the endangered Kirtland's warbler — a sighting on most birders' bucket lists — in Ohio, they'll move on to Michigan, where the birds breed in only a certain area of the state, Shieldcastle said.

"Especially the West Coast birders who come here will look for Kirtland's," he said.

The festival also includes excursion opportunities for birders to travel to Point Pelee National Park in Ontario and Point Mouillee State Gaming Area in southeast Michigan.

"We really cover pretty much the entire Western Basin," Shieldcastle said. "It's a concerted effort to try to impress on birders the importance of habitat and conservation.

"We want to open up their eyes to this area that there's more than just the Magee Marsh boardwalk. (Although), there is no question it is the crown jewel."

The Ohio and Michigan marshes also offer different things.

Magee Marsh is one of the best places to see many different migrating birds at once, Shieldcastle said. The marshes in Michigan also offer viewing sites, but the volume of birds might not be as large.

Michigan marshes, like Point Mouillee and Erie Marsh, however, have specific habitat for shorebirds throughout the summer shorebird migration is from March through early June in the spring and from late July to November in the fall, offering many months of viewing, he said.

"It all kind of works together as a complex," Shieldcastle said.

mksmith@gannett.com

419-334-1044

Twitter: @kristinasmithNM

Mark your calendar

The Biggest Week in American Birding is May 8-17. For information, visit www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com.