MANISTIQUE — A Beginning Birders Walk will be held at the Manistique Environmental Education Lab on Saturday, May 3 from 8 to 11 a.m. The event is free, and binoculars will be available for use, courtesy of Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Scott and Linda Thomasma, retired wildlife biologists, will lead the event.

“Birding” – spending time outdoors specifically to enjoy birds – has been growing in popularity in recent years. The Manistique area is particularly rich in opportunities to see a very wide variety of birds during the spring and fall migration seasons. Many species of waterfowl are found along the shore of Lake Michigan. We also have an abundance of forests, both upland and wetland types, providing resting and nesting places for countless species. Human benefits of birding include exercise and spending time in nature, both of which lower heart rate, reduce tension and improve mental focus. It is also a way to meet some new friends and enjoy a shared interest together. Birding can be as simple as learning to identify some of the birds in your own backyard, or it can become a lifetime pursuit.

The first part of the Beginning Birders Walk will be a short presentation on the basics of birding – its benefits, bird habits and habitats, and the fundamentals of identifying different species. The group will then take a guided bird ID walk through the Environmental Education Lab. A portion of the trails on the upland walk have a gravel path suitable for wheelchairs. Although the wetland boardwalk was repaired recently, it is a steep walk down and back up. Participants can feel free to attend just the portions of the program that they are comfortable with. (Note: This program is different from the one provided by the Schoolcraft Conservation District later in May. For more information on the Conservation District’s Warbler Wonderland, go to www.schoolcraftcd.org.)

No registration is needed for the Beginning Birders Walk, but interested persons can call 906-341-2965 with questions.

To reach the Lab, take US2 east out of Manistique about three miles. Turn north onto the Manistique River Road across from Fairview Cemetery. Take River Road one mile and turn left onto Krummich Road. After one mile, Krummich Road takes a sharp left. Follow that for one half mile to the Lab parking area.

The Lab is open year-round for hiking or snowshoeing. Information is also available on the Lab’s Facebook page @EELabManistique.

Photo captions: Scott Thomasma discussing birding at last year’s Beginning Birders Walk

Last year’s Beginning Birders Walk participants on the trail at the Environmental Education Lab