From: Karen Markey To: birders@umich.edu Subject: [birders] Kirtland's Warbler tour information for 2009 Date sent: Sun, 24 May 2009 14:19:37 -0400 Send reply to: Karen Markey Because I've taken the Kirtland's Warbler (KW) tour in Mio several times over the years and am a KW census volunteer, I get frequent email inquiries about KW tours. I'm posting KW tour details now for your information. See also the tours press release at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/EastLansing/tour.html . General information about KWs is at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/birds/Kirtland/ . The new U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Station is at 107 McKinley Road. Driving northbound on MI-33, pass McDonald's, go down the hill and turn right (east) onto McKinley Road. Turn left into the first driveway and you'll see the new station tucked into the woods. Go to the Station at 7 am, pay a small fee (about $5), get a short introduction from a ranger and watch a film about the warbler and USFS efforts to increase and increase its numbers and save its habitat. Then you get into your own car and follow the ranger to a place where a male Kirtland's Warbler is singing. You listen and look and finally see the bird (most of the time). The tour should be over no later than 10 am, usually earlier. The USFS Station sells KW t-shirts, postcards, and novelties so make your purchases before leaving on the tour. If you have specific questions about KW tours originating from Mio, call the Mio USFS office at 989-826-3252 during weekdays 8 to 4:30 pm. The benefit of taking the tour is that the guide knows where male KWs are singing and will sometimes let you walk a few steps into the forest. If you are not on a KW tour, you CANNOT walk into the forest on your own. KWs nest on the ground so walking into the forest could jeopardize nesting KWs. The forest is posted, and there are penalties for trespassing on federal and state forest posted property. If you are not on a KW tour, you must park on the road and struggle to see the birds on your own. (I have been 5 feet away from a singing male KW and could not find it because it was nestled inside a brushy jack pine tree. If you don't see a KW at the 7 am Mio tour, some folks drive to GRAYLING for the late-morning tour that starts at the Ramada Inn. I've not taken the Grayling tour but it is a possibility in the event that your Mio tour is unsatisfactory. To drive to Grayling from Mio, head westbound on MI-72. The Ramada Inn is on the strip that parallels I-75 at 2650 S. Business Loop, Grayling, MI, phone: 989-348-7611. Call the Ramada Inn for its exact location. If you go on a weekday KW tour, the more likely you are to join a small, manageable group of birders. One year, I was the ONLY person on the tour. The ranger and I endured an incredible thunderstorm and my reward was five stunning singing KWs viewed through the ranger's scope. What a treat! I have stayed at the Mio Motel, phone 989-826-3248 on MI-33, 415 N. Morenci Road. One night's stay is usually about $75. It is a very nice motel, clean, small refrigerator, microwave, leather couch even!, cable television with The Weather Channel and more, etc. A medium- sized Glenn's grocery store is adjacent the Mio Motel in case you need food or supplies. A nice diner is right across the street in case you need a meal; I believe the diner opens at 6:30 am which may not give you enough time to meet your 7 am tour. Some census volunteers stay at the Holiday Motor-in, 989-826-3743. The relatively new AuSable Valley Motel, 989-826-1737, features amenities such as hair dryer, microwave and refrigerator in your room, pool, hot tub, and a light continental breakfast served when you want it. Mio is not the world's dining capital so be prepared for diner- and pizza-type restaurant choices. Personally I am willing to drive about 20 miles toward Lewiston to dine at my favorite Rustic Inn (3163 No. Red Oak Rd., Lewiston, MI 49756, 989-786-4790, open Thursdays through Sundays) for salad bar, fish (always excellent), steaks, and a fully- stocked bar -- drive north on MI-33, turn left (west) onto F-32/MI-68, Miller Road, turn right (north) onto MI-489, and look for the Rustic Inn on the left (west) side of the road about 5 to 6 miles ahead. Alternatively, drive the full 25 miles into Lewiston and eat lakeside at Lewiston Lodge (1525 Fleming Road, Lewiston, MI 49756, 989-786-5261, open every day). At either, you will have a wonderful meal for a fraction of the cost of what you'd pay in Ann Arbor. 2008 was my sixth year as a census volunteer. I heard 56 Kirtlands, saw 11 males and 1 female. The 2008 census counted 1,808 singing male KWs, the highest total yet, and the 8th straight year the total exceeded 1,000 (see KW count statistics over the years at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/birds/Kirtland/Kwpop.html) . I will post a diary of my 2009 KW census experiences on our BIRDERS email list later in June. If you are really interested in saving this special Michigan bird, please consider volunteering for the KW census. You should be willing to devote 4 to 7 days to the census during the second week in June for the next 4 or 5 years and fund your stay up north (I deduct expenses from my taxes). If you are interested, send me your questions, and I'll pass your name on the USFS biologists. Enjoy your trip to see the Kirtland's Warbler! * * * * * * * * * * * * * Karen Markey Professor School of Information, 304 West Hall, 1085 S. Univ. Ave. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1107 USA Voice: 1-734-763-3581; Fax: 1-734-764-2475 Email: ylime@umich.edu Web site: http://www.si.umich.edu/~ylime/index.html