APRIL
27 & 28: Mackinaw Straits Raptor Watch – Broad-Winged Bonanza weekend
https://www.mackinacraptorwatch.org/events/
MAY
17-18 (Friday – Saturday) – Tawas Point Migration Days (sponsored by AuSable Valley Audubon)
http://ausablevalleyaudubon.org
Spend an amazing weekend witnessing a spectacular spring migration in northeastern Michigan along Lake Huron. View a wide variety of migratory birds as they rest and feed at Tawas Point State Park. From waterfowl to songbirds, you’ll see it all! The Tawas Point Migration celebration offers nonstop birding activities and interesting information sure to entertain everyone.
Birding and photography volunteers will be available at Tawas Point (Free to all) 8 a.m. to dusk on Friday & Saturday. Information will be available for birding spots, including Hale, Oscoda, Tawas City, and East Tawas, such as Tuttle Marsh, Largo Springs, Lumberman’s Monument, and the Scenic River Road Byway. A bird sighting list will be on display near the lighthouse trailhead on Friday & Saturday.
MAY-JUNE
29 – 2 (Friday through Tuesday) – Aldo Leopold Festival
Beginning in the early 1890s, the Leopold family made annual treks from their Burlington, Iowa, home to their cottage, first by steam ferry from Chicago to Mackinac Island and later by rail. There, young Leopold spent his days in the woods and on the water. He would map trails and make lists of flora and fauna. His efforts & influence on modern land ethics, land and wildlife conservation, and the American love of the land are celebrated annually during this festival at the Les Cheneaux Islands, Michigan in the U.P. near Hessel Michigan. Registration opens April 1, 2024.
For more information: https://www.aldoleopoldfestival.org
31-1st (Friday-Saturday) – Kirtland’s Warbler Festival (Local Event of Interest – A Kirtland Community College sponsored event)
https://www.facebook.com/kirtlandwarblerfestival /
JUNE
8 (Saturday) – Nature Fest – Green ER
Come check out our G.T. Audubon booth at the Nature Fest in Elk Rapids Veterans Park. This event will be held from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. We are in the planning stages of our booth and will have more information to share in the next couple of months. Save-the-Date!
23-28 (Sunday thru Friday) – Michigan Young Birders Camp (sponsored by Michigan Audubon Society)
The 2024 Michigan Young Birders Camp (MYBC) will be held June 23–28 at Alma College. Participants will travel around the state, visiting different habitats and important bird areas. Throughout camp, we’ll discuss bird conservation topics, identification tips and techniques, and hear from guest speakers on topics related to birds. Click here: Michigan Audubon Young Birders Camp Information
*COMPLETED COMMUNITY EVENTS 2024*
APRIL
24 (Wednesday) – BLUEBIRDS: Thinking Inside the Box (Video Presentation) (Completed)
Public Welcome / Bring a Friend. 7:00 pm at UUCTC / 6726 Center Road / TC, MI 49686.
Wildlife photographer, Charles St. Charles takes you on an adventure INSIDE the box of nesting bluebirds. Filmed in Tustin, MI, it highlights the life cycle of the Eastern Bluebird and explores how they find mates; build nests; lay & hatch eggs; and raise their young. Sponsored by the Universal Unitarians Green Sanctuary Committee. *This video will be shown after the regular Wed. Night Potluck at 5:30pm. If you wish to attend the Potluck also, please contact Chris Lautz to let her know you are coming: chrislautz7777@gmail.com
13 (Saturday) – Bluebird Nest Box Workshop (Free) (Completed)
Michigan Bluebird Society will be holding a Nest Box Workshop on Saturday, April 13th from 10:00 until noon. It will be held at the Boardman River Nature Center at 1450 Cass Rd, TC. The event is FREE and pre-registration is not required. The program will cover subjects like how to select the right nest box, locate a box properly, mount a nest box and monitor it to ensure optimal results. Nest boxes, poles, and some accessories will be available for sale, so attendees can leave with everything they need to successfully attract nesting bluebirds. There will be bluebird experts on hand to answer questions. (Note: all sales proceeds after costs go to help bluebird education and conservation.) Event contact: Greg Miller at ridgeview1111@gmail.com
13 & 14: Mackinaw Straits Raptor Watch – Red-tailed Hawk weekend (come master the ID of this very common but very variable raptor. (Completed)
20 (Saturday) – MakerFest: Green Edition / Recycle Smart & TADL program (Completed)
Grand Traverse Audubon Club will have a booth at this event to be held inside the Howe Arena at the G.T. Civic Center from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. We’ll demonstrate how to report and identify birds in our area. We’ll let you know the birding hotspots we’ve found. We will be raffling off Bluebird Nest Boxes. In addition, at 1:00, we’ll have a binocular workshop regarding best binocular magnification for birding; focusing; and maintaining & cleaning them. There is a long list of interesting vendors and activities: MakerFest 2024 – Special Earth Day Edition!