Whitefish Point Bird Observatory

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FIELD TRIPS

See: 2008 Field Trips

See: Spring Fling 2008 Friday April 25 through Sunday April 27, 2008

REGISTER  NOW for the  2008 FIELD TRIPS

The Birding Michigan Field Trip Series offers birders of all skill levels the opportunity to spend time in the field with experienced leaders in some of Michigan’s best birding “hot spots” while at the same time supporting the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory’s research and education programs.  These trips focus on visiting great birding places during peak times throughout the state and provide a great way to improve your identification and bird finding skills.  Leaders for all trips are experienced birders and knowledgeable in the birds of Michigan.  All have led numerous trips for WPBO or other birding organizations.  They will make every attempt to ‘show you the birds.’

To register, fill out the registration form and mail with your check or credit card number to the address on the form.

If you have questions or need more information on these trips, contact Jerry Ziarno by email at gziarno@aol.com or call (989) 832-5936

Registration information for all trips

• Payment is required at time of registration.  Cancellation with refund must be made one week in advance of field trip date.
• Space is limited on all trips.
• All registrants will be required to sign a waiver of liability form before participating in any field trip.

All registrants will receive a trip confirmation upon registration.

REGISTER  NOW for the  2008 FIELD TRIPS

Winter Birding in “the Sault”

Two Field Trip Dates
Saturday and Sunday, January 19-20, 2008 
Saturday and Sunday, February 16-17, 2008

Whitefish Point Bird Observatory has sponsored these winter field trips in the Sault Ste. Marie area for over 10 years.  Winter in the Upper Peninsula is truly a unique experience and birding varies greatly from year to year.  Some of the regularly occurring winter birds include bald eagle, rough-legged hawk, ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, snowy owl, pileated woodpecker, Northern shrike, common raven, red-breasted nuthatch, snow bunting, purple finch, gray jay, and pine siskin.  In many years, irruptive and uncommon species such as Northern goshawk, gyrfalcon, Northern hawk owl, great gray owl, boreal chickadee, Bohemian waxwing, pine grosbeak, red crossbill, white-winged crossbill, common redpoll, hoary redpoll or evening grosbeak may be present.  January trip leaders are Lathe Claflin and Mike Sefton.  February trip leaders are Jerry Ziarno and Tom Wheeker .

These trips are all day Saturday and Sunday morning.  Trips begin and end in Sault Ste. Marie, MI (Chippewa County).  All registrants will receive a letter prior to the trip with more details and directions to the meeting location.  Weather conditions can be extremely variable in the Upper Peninsula.  As long as road conditions are satisfactory, these trips will be held rain, snow or shine.  Transportation will be via carpool in personal vehicles. 

Trip cost:  $60/person for WPBO members and $75/person for non-members.

The fee does not include lodging, meals, and park fees (if any). 

Birding the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge and Saginaw Bay

Saturday, March 22, 2008 (tentative date)

Many areas of the 9,000 acre Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge near Saginaw are inaccessible to the public.  This trip, however, will provide birders with a “behind the scenes” tour of the refuge.  This trip is planned during the period when migrating tundra swans may be present.  Numerous Canada geese and a good diversity of ducks also use the refuge in early spring as well as raptors and early migrating songbirds.  The afternoon will be spent birding areas along the Saginaw Bay.  Trip leaders are Jerry Ziarno and SNWR Staff.

This all day trip will begin at the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw County.  All registrants will receive a letter prior to the trip with more details and directions to the meeting location.  Transportation during the trip is via personal vehicles. 

Trip cost:  $35/person for WPBO members and $50/person for non-members.

The fee does not include meals, accommodations, or park fees (if any). 

Birding in Paradise

Friday, April 25, 2008 (pre-Spring Fling trip)

If you plan to attend the 2008 Spring Fling, why not get a head start on the weekend with this pre-Spring Fling trip.  This field trip will begin at the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory in Chippewa County and will focus on migration at the point including raptors, waterbirds, and early passerines.  The trip leaders will work with participants to improve their skill at identifying raptors in flight above the hawk watch platform and waterfowl flying out over the point.  Weather and time permitting, we will visit other birding areas in the WPBO vicinity. The trip leaders are Jerry Ziarno and Tom Wheeker.

This all day trip begins at dawn.  Registrants will receive a letter prior to the trip with details and directions to the meeting location.  Transportation during the trip is via personal vehicles. 

Trip cost: $35/person for WPBO members and $50/person for nonmembers. 

The registration fee includes leadership costs.  The fee does not include meals, accommodations, or registration costs for Spring Fling.

 Searching for Spruce Grouse

Sunday, April 27, 2008 (post-Spring Fling trip)

Spruce grouse is on the “most wanted list” for many birders and can be difficult to find on your own.  We will visit specific locations where the birds have recently been seen.  The trip leader is Lathe Claflin.

This trip begins at 9:00 a.m. in Paradise (Chippewa County) and will last about 3 hours.   Registrants will receive a letter prior to the trip with details and directions to the meeting location.  Transportation during the trip is via personal vehicles. 

Trip costs: $30/person for WPBO members and $45/person for non-members.

The registration fee includes leadership costs.  The fee does not include meals, accommodations, or registration costs for Spring Fling.

 Breeding Birds of the Eastern UP

Saturday and Sunday, June 7-8, 2008

Michigan's Upper Peninsula is the nesting ground for numerous neotropical emigrants that are not found at lower latitudes.  Joyce Peterson, Lathe Claflin and Mike Sefton will lead this trip, centered in Newberry.  Among the numerous species we will  see, we will target Olive-sided, Yellow-bellied, and Alder Flycatchers: Sedge Wren; Northern Parula, Palm and Mourning Warblers; and Clay-colored, LeConte's, and Lincoln's Sparrows.  Serious efforts will be made for Canada and  and Connecticut Warblers.  The elusive and rare Black-backed Woodpecker has been seen on previous trips.

This trip is all day Saturday and Sunday morning. Trip begin and end in Newberry, MI.  All registrants will receive a letter prior to the trip with more details and directions to the meeting place.  These trips will be held rain or shine.  Transportation will be via carpool in personal vehicles.   This is a popular trip, so sign up early to reserve a spot. 

Trip Cost: $60/person for WPBO members and $70/person for non-members.

The registration fee includes leadership costs but does not include lodging or meals.  Participants are responsible for arranging their own overnight accommodations

 Fall Migration at the Point

Saturday, September 20, 2008

While bird migration at the Point in the spring is very well known, fall migration can also be quite spectacular, especially for water birds.  Fall is also the season when rarities often are observed at the point.  Target birds, in addition to the numerous waterfowl, include Red-throated Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Scoters, Sandhill Crane and, with a little luck, one of the Jaegers is a possibility.  Owl banding will be in operation during the night and we may be able to view a Saw-Whet or Boreal they captured the previous night. The trip eaders are Jerry Ziarno and Tom Wheeker.

This is an all-day trip that will begin at the WPBO Gift Shop.  All registrants will receive a letter with more details prior to the trip.

Trip cost: $30/person for WPBO members and $45/person for non-members. 

Registration fee covers leadership costs but does not include meals or accommodations.

REGISTER  NOW for the  2008 FIELD TRIPS

Whitefish Point Bird Observatory Annual Spring Fling

Friday April 25^th, Saturday April 26^th, Sunday April 27^th 2008

• Mark your calendars, download fill out and send in your registration, and make your room reservation. You don't want to miss the Spring Fling this year!
   
• The registration fee  for the weekend includes workshops, demonstrations, bird hikes, banquet and keynote speaker. Special workshops are all designed to maximize your birding pleasure. There will be lots of activities, and also time to relax and spot birds.
   
• Your registration fee also admits you to the Saturday evening banquet.

Download Spring Fling 2008 Flyer

Download, fill out and send in  Spring Fling 2008 Schedule and Registration

Keynote Speaker

Julie Zickefoose Letters From Edebn

Reading from her daily nature notes and showing her sketchbooks, Julie demonstrates how these notes translate into finished works of writing and art. From bobcats to talking starlings, feisty copperheads to murder mysteries, her journal is anything but dull. She offers tips on starting and keeping a nature journal, and finishes with an essay that, like all her writing, is inspired by events recorded in her journal. Julie Zickefoose is a widely published natural history writer and artist. She has presented illustrated lectures for nature organizations and festivals across the country, and exhibited her paintings at universities, museums, galleries, and in juried shows. Illustration credits include The New Yorker, Smithsonian, Spider, Cricket, and Ladybug. She has written and illustrated articles for Country Journal, and Bird Watcher's Digest has published more than 30 of Julie's articles and 17 of her cover paintings since 1986. She accompanies her writing with paintings and drawings. "A South African Tapestry," Bird Watcher's Digest (March 1995) took an Apex Award for Feature Writing. Her illustrated book, The Bird-friendly Backyard: Natural Gardening for Birds (Rodale, 2001) has sold more than 40,000 copies, and Enjoying Bluebirds More . Her monthly commentaries bring a glimpse of Appalachia to NPR's All Things Considered.   Julie will be signing her new book, Letters From Eden: A Year at Home, in the Woods, during the weekend festivities. Copies will be available at the Owl’s Roost Gift Shop See http://www.juliezickefoose.com/

Friday – April 25, 2008

Saturday – April 26, 2008

Sunday – April 27, 2008

Special hours for Owl’s Roost Gift Shop during Spring Fling:  7 AM - 4 PM. A few Banquet tickets may be available at the Gift Shop.

Download Spring Fling 2008 Flyer

Download, fill out and send in  Spring Fling 2008 Schedule and Registration

See you in Paradise!

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