Lansing area hotspots
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Laura McKinnon wrote:

> Hello!  New birder in the area at MSU.  Can anyone recommend some good
> migration sites nearby?   Preferably less than an hour or
> so. Thanks,Laura.
>

    Welcome to Michigan!  Some birding areas that I know of in the
vicinity of Lansing are:  The MSU ponds at the corner of Jolly Rd and (I
think) College Ave, just west of the Okemos/Mason exit off I96.  This
spot is good for waterfowl and shorebirds in season.  Lake Lansing
(northeast of Lansing on Haslett Rd) is often good for waterfowl and
sometimes gulls.  Rose Lake Wildlife Area has a good mix of waterbirds
and landbirds.  It is on the Clinton/Shiawasee Co line just northeast of
Lansing.  Dansville SGA (southeast of Lansing in Ingham Co) is good for
migrants.  The Maple River marshes are a little further away (but
terrific for waterbirds - I've seen Eurasian Wigeon and King Rail there
- other rails (Virginia and Sora) are reasonably common) and there is
often good shorebird and waterfowl habitat in season.  Prothonotary and
Cerulean Warblers, among other birds of interest,  nest there.
Short-eared Owl can be found there in late fall and early spring (and
may winter and even may sometimes breed).  This area is located on the
Clinton/Gratiot Co line, maybe 25-35 miles north of Lansing.  Depending
on what part of the Lansing area you live in,  you may find it
convenient to go to the Portland SGA, in Ionia Co.  This is an area
somewhat like Dansville.  Even though the Lansing area is thought of as
being one of the poorest parts of the sate for birding, there are still
some good spots nearby.  You will need to get a Delorme Atlas or other
large scale map of the state (there are Atlases which are county based)
in order to find these areas and get to the entrances.

    Steve Santner