St. Ignace Area Birding Locations
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The St. Ignace area includes the sites starting at Bridge View Park and extending to the Carp Rivermouth. This area has some of the most impressive views of the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge. On the open waters in the spring and fall can be come of Michigan's most elusive waterfowl at surprisingly close range. Scoter's, Red-necked Grebe, Red-necked Loons and Long-tailed Ducks can be views from places such as Straits State Park and St. Ignace City Dock #3. In addition, Point La Barbe offers excellent migrant shorebirds and songbird viewing. Many of the areas are also great for spring and summer Warblers, Tanagers, and Vireos.
This area of the North Huron Birding Trail is rich in marshes, rocky peninsulas and sandy coves. Forests of white cedar, balsam fir, white birch and quaking aspen dominate the shores. Hardwood forests of sugar maple and beech favor the deeper soils inland. Wetlands range from marshes along Lake Huron with their neighboring sedge meadows, to bogs with tamarack and black spruce and white cedar swamps. White and red pine tower above sand ridges and old beaches near the lake meadows and other grasslands can be found just inland. This area is a migratory stopover site and significant nesting area for over 275 bird species. The forested shoreline and peninsulas provide landing and launching habitat for birds crossing over the straits in the spring and fall. Inventories have shown a wide variety of bird species including neo-tropical warblers, waterfowl and arctic species. |
Red-necked Grebe. Photo courtesy of USFWS.
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Icon denotes Signature Locations on the North Huron Birding Trail.
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