St. Ignace Location: Dock #3
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Directions
Return to US-2/I-75 Business spur and head east. Turn right (south) onto Ferry Lane. Drive down the road close to a mile till you come to the Coast Guard station and park next to the jungle gym. Birding Opportunities On calm wind days, or days when the winds are out of the east, this can be one of the best places in all of Michigan to see deep water ducks, Grebes, Scoters and Loons at close range. Large rafts of Long-tailed Ducks, Scaup, and Mergansers are almost always seen from the dock in spring and fall. In addition you can often find all three species of Scoter, Red-necked Grebe, and Common and Red-throated Loon, sometimes as close as 20 feet from the dock. Try viewing the waterfowl from the end of Dock #3 or from the boat launch area. Across from Dock #3 you can see the end of the Coast Guard dock which is home to the Upper Great Lakes largest Common Tern colony. In the late spring and summer you can see this state threatened bird in the hundreds sitting on their nests right on the end of the dock. This species has seen serious decline across the state over the last few decades, but this colony has been protected from predators and disturbance through a joint effort with the US Coast Guard and USFWS Seney National Wildlife Refuge, and thankfully the colony is thriving today. One last thing to look for at this location is shorebird. Birds such as Ruddy Turnstone occasionally land at the end of Dock #3 for a brief rest on their migration. Additional views of the waterfront, and potential viewing of waterfowl, can be found at the south dead end of State Street and farther north where State and Hombach Street meet. Other Exciting Features
This site includes a nice picnic area and playground for children. In addition you can see the famous Mackinac Island across the water including the Grand Hotel. |