Bird watching in the Springtime

With the arrival of spring, it is a great time to get outdoors and view Mother Nature, especially her birds. The area offers a variety of opportunities. The annual Tawas Birding Festival will be held May 19-22, 2016 at the Tawas Bay Beach Resort & Tawas Point. This is considered the biggest little birding festival in the Midwest. During the 2015 festival over 200 species of birds were recorded including Kirtland’s Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, numerous raptors, shorebirds and more. If you are an avid bird enthusiast this is a must-attend festival. The festival includes daily seminars, field trips and spectacular locations for viewing. Visit the Tawas Point Bird Festival for more information and to register.

North of Oscoda in Paradise is the annual Spring Fling held April 29-May 1 at the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory’s celebration of bird migration. During spring and fall this area has a phenomenal concentration of migrating owls. From April 1 to May 31, the owls are banded to learn more about the owl population and monitor their activities over time. For more information about the owl banding program and research, visit the website.