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BIRDINGPAL TOURS
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Birdwatching tours around the world |
Fixed date birdwatching tours around the world |
Birder friendly lodging in Michigan |
Field guides for Michigan |
Birdwatching in Michigan
Birding contacts and birdwatching information
Local Birdingpal Contacts
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Local Birdwatchers
Using the Birdingpal resources you must agree to the following: If you contact a local Birdingpal and make arrangement to go birding, you should note it is common courtesy to make sure you show up for the appointment. If for any reason you are unable to do this, the least you must do is contacting the local Pal right away. Please note that most Birdingpals are serious birdwatchers. It is a privilege to contact them, and your message should reflect it. A local Pal does not get paid, but should he/she offer to take you out birding, using their own vehicle, it would be courteous to pay for the fuel. A lunch and/or a small gift would also be appropriate, something as simple as a souvenir of your country, or a pin from your local birding club. _____________________________________________________________ We want to hear about your experiences with Birdingpals. Please contact us with any comments or suggestions you have. CONTACT US _____________________________________________________________ | ||||||
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Initial | Last Name | Area | Available | Language |
 | B | Bowman | Ann Arbor | Anytime | English, some German | |
| Ann Arbor is in one of the best birding counties in Michigan, and it's a 50-minute drive from one of the best birding locations in Michigan, Pte. Mouillee State Game Area. My birding web site is at http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/index.html | ||||||
| M | Boyce | Bellevue | Anytime | English | |
| I manage America's 1st crane sanctuary for Michigan Audubon and have been birding for 30 years. Baker Sanctuary hosts the largest annual gathering of Sandhill Cranes in Michigan and more than 200 bird species have been identified here. | ||||||
| R | Johnson | Berrien Springs | Anytime | English | |
| Lake Michigan is 10 miles to the west. Woodland, marsh and dunes habitat. | ||||||
| J | Palland | Center Line | Weekend | English, Danish | |
| S | SFitzpatrick | Cement City | Anytime | English | |
| My husband and I are avid birders and love taking people out to see south Michigan's many birding spots. We are ex-zookeepers with a lot of knowledge on wildlife and ecology and are happy to share out knowledge in a fun and engaging setting. |
Area:
The region in central south Michigan is home to a variety of unique habitats and birding opportunities. The hilly terrain is a remnant of past glacier movement and provides forests, fields, fens, marshes, and wetlands and numerous lakes. I am newly come to the area and it has been amazing to explore the ecosystems found here. My own 12 acre property (which I love to take people birding in) showcases many of these habitats with deciduous forest, wetland, stream, and field. Potential locations for birding in the nearby areas that have observed over 150 species are the Lake Hudson State Recreation Area, Ramsdell Nature Park, Somerset State Game Area, MacCready Reserve, Onsted State Game Area, Dalhem Center, and Watkins Lake. We are also more than happy to travel further to birding in different areas of the state with visitors. Area Birds: Warblers, winter birds, sandhill cranes, ducks |
Interests:
Nature: birdwatching, horseback riding, hiking, traveling |
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| B | Saelens | Dearborn Heights | Anytime | English | |
| Our area Brownstown/Gibralter Metro Park is soon to be the perm home of an injured blinded bald eagle, just thought even if it's very sad, it will be something up close and personal that someone might be interested in. Blessings Beth, downriver area of SE Michigan. | ||||||
| L | Humphrey | Detroit | Weekend | English | |
| A | Dettling | Canton/Detroit | Anytime | English, Italian, Russian | |
| I generally bird around Detroit, Ann Arbor and Dearborn. I can accompany people in these areas and assist people with information about where to find birds around the state of Michigan. My work schedule is flexible so that I can bird before work on some days. I am a volunteer at the Rouge River Bird Observatory. I band and do surveys with Julie Craves. See www.rrbo.org. I'm 31 years old and I have traveled for birding quite a bit in the US. I have around 580 North American Life birds, not including Mexico. I take some photos of birds as well. | ||||||
| C | Theisen | Dexter, Michigan | varies | English | |
| I enjoy meeting people from all over the world, and I have used birding pals very successfully in other countries. | Area:
Washtenaw County Area Birds: approx. 225 possible, depending on season |
Interests:
Nature: birdwatching |
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| D | Aspery | Garden City, Wayne County | Weekend | English | |
| Crosswinds Marsh, U of M Dearborn and Oakwoods & Lake Erie Metro park have a nice variety of habitat within 30-40 minutes. Not bad for a urban area. I work full-time and activiely bird locally in Wayne County. | ||||||
| M | Kelliher | Gladwin | Weekend | English, German, some Spanish, Chinese | |
| I have a home 20 minutes from the Kirtland Warbler nesting area near Grayling, MI. I have a summer home there where I rent out to birders. Its on a small private lake called Lake McGilvery where Pileated Woodpeckers frequent as well as Loons, Rosebreasted Grosebeaks and Northern Orioles nest for the summer. | ||||||
| J | DuBey | Grand Blanc | Weekend | English | |
| B | Herd | Grand Haven | Anytime | English | |
| We are a couple who have birded seriously for the past 10 years, We belong to the Muskegon County Nature Club and our local Audubon Club. The best place to bird in our area is the Muskegon Wastewater Treatment complex that has over a thousand acres of ponds, grasslands and woods. Our towmn is on Lake Michigan and offers a variety of habitats. We have travelled/birded internationally in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Europe, Mexico, Ecuador and all over the lower 48 in the USA, mostly by motorhome. | ||||||
| R | Heaton | Grand Junction | Anytime | English | |
| We live in Chicago, but also have 96 acres in SW Michigan. We call it Farm and Fen. A wetland and a farm field separated by 1/4 mile long row of pine trees. For the past 18 years our goal has been to enhance the landscape by planting native flora and also creating open water features. Our artist cabin is available for rentals, as well as a more modern house on the farm side of the pines. Many small lakes and bike trails to explore off our property as well. | ||||||
| L | Lofgren | Holton/Muskegon | Anytime | English | |
| C | Porter | Jackson | Anytime | English | |
| I live near the Dahlem Environmental Education Center, which possesses abundant and varied habitats to bird. I also live on the Grand River, which connects to Williams, Browns and Vandercook lake, all of which also offer exceptional birding opportunities. | ||||||
| C | DuBey | Lake City | Anytime | English | |
| D | McWhirter | MSU/Lansing | Anytime | English | |
| Local birder for 50 years, contacts throughout the state, experienced at finding birds and showing them to people. Few bad habits. | ||||||
| J | Pavlik | Lansing | Anytime | English | |
| Been birding for 30+ years. I mostly bird around central lower Michigan. The area can be productive all year. Like most areas of Michigan Spring and Fall are best. | ||||||
| K | Arquette | Lovells, Lower Peninsula | Anytime | English | |
| I live in Kirtland's Warbler habitat. I am familar with many nesting sites. | ||||||
| E | Weyhrauch | Madison Heights | Anytime | English, a little Spanish | |
| City Birding! I'm an avid birder that believes you don't need to be in rural settings to see rural birds. Migrating birds find oasis' all over metro Detroit to refuel for the day. I know of a few and would love to show you. | ||||||
| A | McMahon | Marquette | Weekend | English | |
| I have other flexible times during the week, it varies. I am not an expert birder, but an interessted birder who has been birding off & on for 20 plus years. | ||||||
| L | Lage | Midland | Anytime | English | |
| I am a retired teacher with an interest in birds and birding. We have very good nature center just a few minutes south of the city. It includes rivers, marshes, fields and woods. | ||||||
| K | Kane | Midland | Weekend | English | |
| I am willing to help visiting birders mainly during our spring migration. April and May are the most productive months here. Saginaw Bay is close to my home. There are many good birding areas and several migrant traps nearby. Waterfowl and warblers are my favorites. I can also help with Kirtland warblers. | ||||||
| R | Kursinsky | Midland | Weekend | English, some German, little Spanish | |
| I'm a relatively serious birder when I have the time. My lifelist is around 550. Have seen 127 species on my property in 18 years. Still working full time but will likely retire within the next 18 months (and then will have more time for birding). Located in central Michigan. Local birding spots: Tawas Pt, Shiawassee Nat. Wildlife Refuge, Saginaw Bay, Chippewa Nature Center, Dow cooling ponds, etc. May be available some weeknights also. Or I could just take a day off if it works out. | ||||||
| R | Dziedzic | Mount Pleasant/Midland | Anytime | English, German | |
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Local expertise in central and northern Michigan and greater Saginaw Bay area. I am an 'off the beaten path kind of birder' and have breeding locations for most eastern North American warblers (Kirtland's, Golden-winged, Blue-winged, Cerulean, Mourning, Blackburnian, Canada, etc.) that occur in Michigan. Spring (April-May) and fall (August-October) are excellent as well for birds and winter brings Snowy Owls, Northern Shrike, and finches.
Very familiar with 'hotspots' on Lake Huron from Tawas Point to Nayanquing Point and everything in between. Webmaster of the birding site Saginaw Bay Birding & Trail with local hotspots explained, updated sightings and pictures from local birders |
Area:
Lake Huron from Tawas Point to Nayanquing Point Area Birds: Kirtland's, Golden-winged, Cerulean Kudos: Hi, We just wanted to check in re: our experience with Birding Pal R. Dziedzic in the Midland, Mi. area. We had a limited window that we were available and R. moved his schedule around to make it work. The weather was iffy but if we were willing he continued the tour. He was even willing to have us email him photos after the tour to confirm identifications of the variety of birds we saw. All in all, a great day. JBebry, MI |
Interests: Nature: birdwatching, photography, hiking, botany Travel: car, biking, long walk Visit: outdoors, local cultural venues |
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| J | Fleener | Muskegon | Anytime | English | |
| B | Jackson | Pigeon | Anytime(Summer only) | English | |
| P | Davenport | Reading(Summer only) | Anytime | English | |
| T | Weaver | Roscommon | Anytime | English | |
| Within a few miles is the Kirtland Warblers nesting area, and in the Houghton Lake area (15 miles) we have a great swamp area with very good views of A GBH rookery, viewing platforms of the many Osprey nests, Bald Eagles fishing in area, all in all a good area for waterfowl and birds you'd expect around the largest inland lake in Michigan. | ||||||
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| S | John | Saginaw, MI | Anytime except Mon & Thurs afternoons | English, some French, some Italian | |
| Retired librarian. Use Canan SX50 HS. Average trip to SNWR is 5 hours. I also love dragon- and damselflies. | Area:
Shiawassee NWR & State Game areas Area Birds: Sandhill Cranes, Pied Grebes, Great Egrets |
Interests:
Nature: birdwatching, butterflies, fishing, Travel: stroll, walking, canoe, Visit: tourist site, museum, restaurant, arboretum, architecture appreciation, Attend: theatre Genealogy (30 years). Local history of Saginaw and Michigan and Northumberland County, PA. |
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| B | Waiess | Saint Johns | Weekend | English | |
| I live a few miles south of the Maple River conservancy area. | ||||||
| L | Unger | Sawyer | Anytime | English | |
| My weekend/vacation home is where I view birds. It is called Harbour Country and is like the Hamptons for Chicago. Although just 1 1/2 hours from Chicago the birds there are very different. I am an interior design, but I love my hobby. | ||||||
| R | Burley | Traverse City | Anytime | English | |
| L | Lutz | West Bloomfield | Anytime | English | |
| Willing to drive within one hour of home. Would love to have guide or just Birdingpals, because I am learning. | ||||||
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Professional Guides If you contact a professional Birdingpal guide you must be prepared to pay a fee for guiding services. | ||||||
| Initial | Last Name | Area | Available | Language | ||
| W | Hufton III | Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge | English | ||
| Johnny Panther Quests Adventure Trips (Boat Tours) I call it the “Everglades of Michigan”, and have been exploring the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge and State Game Area for over forty years now. I have been guiding professionally since 1994, and, am rated a “GEM” attraction of Michigan by the Automobile Association of America (AAA). The refuge is host to over 270 species of birds and is part of one of the largest migratory flyways in the Midwest. Standard tours last 3-5 hours, through one of the largest watersheds in the state. Five rivers come together within two square miles and we routinely run at least four of them. Many options are available, and each trip is designed to cater to each parties individual tastes. Great blue herons, bald eagles, snowy egrets and a variety of shore birds are common, along with deer, muskrat and beaver.Thousands of ducks and geese use the refuge as a rest stop during their spring and fall migrations. The refuge is located only thirty minutes from Frankenmuth and Birch Run, with many tourist and shopping opportunities. Trips are by reservation and normally run early mornings or late afternoons when wildlife viewing is at its peak. A cooler, ice and bag of pistachios are supplied on each trip. Cameras, binoculars, and picnic baskets are encouraged. We are Mid-Michigan’s ecotourism leader with trips near Davison, and Oscoda (our Dam Trip) also available. Groups of 1-10 persons are routinely accommodated; larger groups are possible by special arrangement. Licensed by the U.S Coast Guard and insured we strive to share a very unique ecosystem many do not know exists. This has been my playground for most of my life and I am very proud to show it off. With intimate knowledge of its waters and wildlife habits, client’s expectations are usually exceeded. Visit my web site Fees: Trip costs starting at $140 U.S. for 1-2 persons for my 16 foot boat, and $240 U.S. minimum for my 22 foot boat which seats up to 10-12 persons comfortably. | ||||||
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Local Information | ||||||
| Name | Description
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| Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia | Michigan | ||||
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| Local weather | Yahoo | ||||
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| Michigan Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Audubon Society of Detroit | Club | ||||
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| Audubon Society of Kalamazoo | Club | ||||
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| AuSable Valley Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Battle Creek Brigham Audubon | Club | ||||
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| Bay de Noc Naturalists Club | Club | ||||
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| Benzie Audubon Club | Club | ||||
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| Blue Water Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Capital Area Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Cass County Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Chappee Rapids Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Chippewa Valley Audubon Club | Club | ||||
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| Copper Country Audubon Club | Club | ||||
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| Genesee Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Grand Rapids Audubon Club | Club | ||||
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| Grand Traverse Audubon Club | Club | ||||
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| Grosse Pointe Audubon Club | Club | ||||
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| Hartland Audubon Nature Club | Club | ||||
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| Holland Audubon Club | Club | ||||
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| Huron Valley Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Jackson Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Kirtland's Warbler Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Lapeer County Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Laughing Whitefish Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Lee LeBlanc Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Macom Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Manistee Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Michiana Audubon Club | Club | ||||
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| Mid-Michigan Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Muskegon County Nature Club | Club | ||||
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| Oakland Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Owashtanong Islands Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Petoskey Regional Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Pine River Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Sable Dunes Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Saginaw Valley Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Sault Naturalists Club | Club | ||||
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| Straits Area Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Thunder Bay Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Washtenaw Audubon Society | Club | ||||
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| Rouge River Bird Observatory | Observatory | ||||
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| The Whitefish Point Bird Observatory | Observatory | ||||
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| The dikes at Point Mouillee | Map | ||||
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| Heather Slayton's Wings Over Michigan | Resource Site | ||||
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| Mark Cassino's | Photos | ||||
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| Bruce Bowman's | Birding | ||||
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| Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge | Sites | ||||
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| Dahlem Environmental Center | Site | ||||
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| Kirtland's Warbler | Festival | ||||
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| Birding Hotspots around the world | Sites | ||||