Warblers on the Water

The tenth annual Beaver Island Birding Festival, Warblers on the Water, will be held on Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan. The island is a spring migratory song and shorebird mecca with over 200 species of birds recorded from the island. Registration is limited, and birders are urged to register early through the Beaver Island Community Center ticket office. Additional information on birding the archipelago can be found through the Beaver Island Birding Trail website at http://www.beaverislandbirdingtrail.org.

The theme for this year’s events centers around celebrating the biodiversity of the islands of the Great Lakes. Researchers and expert field-trip leaders will guide participants to some of the 30+ birding sites on the Beaver Archipelago islands, including boat trips to High and Garden Islands. The Memorial Day Weekend schedule will also include field trips emphasizing botany and herpetology, and all trips are designed to introduce participants to the history and scenery of the islands. The keynote speaker on Sunday is Dr. Francesca Cuthbert of the University of Minnesota who directs part of the Great Lakes Piping Plover Recovery Plan and is involved in research and conservation of colonial waterbirds in the Great Lakes region.

Transportation to the island is via ferry or air taxi. Lodging is available on the island, and transportation for the various field trips will be provided to registered participants. More information about transportation, food, and lodging is available on the website.

For more specific information about Warblers on the Water visit our website and for information about the island visit the Chamber of Commerce’s website. The Beaver Island Birding Trail and Warblers on the Water are a project of the Beaver Island Association.