Subject: Re: Detroit Area Birding
Date: Apr 15 15:51:03 1997
From: Julianne or Ileen at - duncanweber at seanet.com


Wes:

The following is the information about the five sites in Wayne Co:

BELLE ISLE: This large island park in the Detroit River provides
interesting birding in all seasons except summer. It is best known
for waterfowl in migration and winter. Largest concentrations are off
the southwest corner of the island and off the swimming beach on the
west side. These include Redheads, scaups, Oldsquaws and Hooded
Mergansers. Canvasbacks form large rafts off the swiming beach in
fall and winter until driven out by ice. The southwest corner of the
island is the best place to look for scoters in fall. All three
species turn up there. Red-necked Grebes and Red-throated Loons have
also been seen. At the north end of the island is a large pond known
as Blue Heron Lagoon. It is excellent for diving ducks and some
puddle ducks (Wigeons and Gadwalls). The deciduous woods in the north
central part are laced with trails and can be good for migrant
passerines. The Belle Isle Nature Center is located at the east end
of the island. Naturalists are on duty and trail maps can be obtained
here.

Directions: From Lodge (US10) or Chrysler (I-75)Freewys go south to
East Jefferson and proceed east 2 miles to East Grand Boulevard. Turn
acros the bridge to Belle Isle.

LAKE ERIE METROPARK: The park occupies over 2 miles of Lake Erie
shoreline, and is of interest to birders mainly for its hawks,
especially in fall. Most hawk-watching is from the northeast corner
of the Great Wave parking lot, although viewing from the south end of
Cove Point Road can sometimes be equally rewarding. ...Some migrating
waterfowl visit the park in spring. When Lake Erie water levels are
low, summer and fall shorebirding can be productive, mainly in the
Cove Point Area.

Directions to Lake Erie: From I-75 go east on Gibraltar Road (exit
27), 1.8 miles to Jefferson Road, then south on Jefferson 1.8 miles to
the park entrance. A sign a short-distance past the toll booth
directs visitors to the Great Wave and Cove Point areas. A HCMA
permit is required for entry.

OAKWOODS METROPARK: This park preserves extensive stretches of grassy
fields, shrublands, and oak-hickory woods. Along the 1.5 mile road
leading to the entrance of the nature center, Bobolinks, Eastern
Meadowlarks, Willow Flycatchers, Eastern Bluebirds, Yellow-breasted
Chats, Northern Bobwhites, Indigo Buntings and Field Sparrows are
regular summer residents. In some years Northern Harriers, Sedge
Wrens, Grasshopper and Henslow's sparrows, and Western Meadowlarks are
also present. Prothonotary Warblers are sometimes found along the
Huron River near the nature center. A map showing the trails is found
on the bulletin board near the nature center. Information and
checklists are available inside the center. A HCMA permit is required
for entry.

Directions: From I-275 at the southern edge of Wayne County take Will
Carleton Road east for 0.8 mile to Romine Road. Go north on Romine
1.5 miles, and turn east on Willow Road 0.3 mile to the park entrance.

RIVER ROUGE PARK: This Detroit city park extends about 2 miles along
the Rouge River. It has a varied habitat including deciduous trees
and sometimes flooded areas in the flood plain, as well as stands of
pine and shrubbery, open fields and an extensive nursery of young
trees. Because of its location in an urban area it forms a good
concentration spot for birds of the region, especially in winter.
Anything can turn up, including Mockingbird and Varied Thrush.

Some of the best areas are in the southern part of the park just north
of Joy Road. Warblers and other perching birds can be seen here in
spring and fall. Wood Ducks nest in this area and Yellow-crowned
Night-Herons have been seen here.

Directions: On I-96 (Jeffries Freeway) take local lanes west from
Southfield (M-39) or east from Telegrah (US 24) and exit on Outer
Drive. Drive 1.5 miles south to West Chicago Road.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN--DEARBORN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY AREA (FAIRLANE):
This area includes such diverse habitat as a beech-maple forest, a
small lake, an old field and remnants of an apple orchard. It is
bordered on one side by the Rouge River. Its specialties are spring
migrants, especially warblers, which sometimes occur in incredible
numbers and variety (38 species). Many rarities, including
Worm-eating and Kentucky warblers, Summer Tanager and accidentals such
as Black-throated Gray and Townsend's warbler, have turned up here.
Connecticut Warbler is regular in late May. Along the trail around
the lake is the best place to look for warblers, where they often
feed in the shrubs just about the water. Trail maps and checklists
are usually available just inside the gate at the information board.
This area is part of the campus of the University of
Michigan-Dearborn. It is open daily sunrise to sunset. Visitors are
asked to stay on marked trails.

Directions: Turn off Southfield Freeway (M-39) onto Ford Road (M-153,
exit 7). Go west 1 mile to Evergreen Road exit. Turn south 0.5 mile
to entrance of U of M-Dearborn. Turn right at entrance and proceed
0.3 mile. Turn left and immediately to the right will be the entrance
gate. Go 100 yards past gate to visitor parking lot on left side of
road.

That's it for Wayne CO. Sorry I don't know what a HCMA permit is and
can't find any more info in the book. The book gives the Detroit Bird
Alert number as (313) 477-1360. A list I got off the Internet
recently gives the area code as 810.

There are Internet sources that might be helpful too. I'll check on
these and give them to you in another email message.

I'm in the Green Lake area. Feel free to call me at 633-3408 before
8pm if you need more info or want to copy anything I have.

Ileen Weber