Warblers on the Water events for 2025 featuring field trips on the Beaver Island Birding Trail. Our community is eager to share our beautiful island, which hosts a rich array of migratory and resident nesting birds. Affectionately, Beaver Island is known as the Emerald Isle of American Birding.

After a transition of leaders last year, our event is now back to its traditional full ovffering of activities. For 2025, we have arranged ten field trips (including two that will venture to the outer islands) and two presentations.

Schedule:

May 24, 2025
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Field Trip #1: Dawn at Gull Harbor
5:00am - 6:30am
Tickets: $20
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shore birds and to hear the dawn chorus on Gull Harbor. Brennan Schuler will be your guide. Coffee, Juice and muffins will be provided.

Gull Harbor: This protected area is along Gull Harbor Drive east of the Whiskey Point Lighthouse. Most of the habitat is shoreline, cedar shrub, and marshy ponds, but there are a few wooded areas behind the open areas. This is an excellent site to observe waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, and raptors. The area is used extensively by migrating songbirds in the spring and fall.

Brennan Schuler: Brennan is a Dietary Cook at Newaygo Medical Care Facility. However his occupation doesn’t slow him down from exploring the world of birding. Brennan’s knowledge is centralized in North East American Birds, but he is always eager to expand his knowledge. His favorite bird is the Cedar Waxwing. In high school Brennan ran a birding podcast with his fellow birder, Terry Grabill. You can find it at BirdGoober.com Brennan’s love for birding is infectious, he loves to share his passion with anyone willing to listen. Brennan is 21 years old. Despite his young age, he has almost 10 years of birding experience under his belt. It all started in the 6th grade when an even younger Brennan won a raffle his school was hosting. His prize? To go birding with his favorite teacher, Mr. Terry Grabill. Since that special day spent birding in Newaygo County, Brennan's passion for birding has soared.

Board transporation for this trip at the BIC Center or meet the group at Gull Harbor.

Field Trip #2: Garden Island Excursion
7:30am - 3:00pm
Paradise Bay Diving Company Dock
25995 Main Street
Beaver Island, MI
Tickets: $150
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Join trip leaders Terry and Andrea Grabill and board the US Coast Guard certified Resolute for the ride over to Garden Island and a unique birding experience.

NOTE: This trip is weather dependent at the discretion of the captain. If canceled, a full refund will be given and participants will be transported to a site selected by an expert field trip leader.

Garden Island: The island has a long Native American history and is recognized in the Treaty of 1836 with Washington. Approximately 2 miles north of Beaver Island, it is now uninhabited but at one time was home to Native Americans who farmed, fished, and harvested maple syrup. Later European immigrants arrived and established a town called Success with a post office. This island is designated a Wildlife Research Area and is under the management of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Division.

This trip will depart and return from Paradise Bay Diving Co. Dock across from the Beaver Island Lumber Company. Passage to Garden Island will be aboard the Resolute with Captain Mike and crew.

About the leaders for this Field Trip:

Terry Grabill is a recently retired middle school teacher and West Michigan birder who made a Michigan Big Year run in 2021. On his way to recording a whopping 323 species for the year, he logged an obscene number of miles, had some great adventures, and met many amazing people along the way. Terry and his wife Andrea have dedicated countless hours to developing beginning birders with their “Beaver Island Group” program through Fremont Middle School. Most of Terry’s introductory birding experiences happened on Beaver Island while he was a Central Michigan University student studying at the CMU Biological Station on Beaver in 1989. He then discovered that there were other individuals, groups even, interested in birding. He has maintained life-long relationships with these people. He and Andrea have developed young birders for 20 years with the groups they’ve brought to CMU’s Biological Station and birding events down-state.

Field Trip #3: Little Sand Bay Preserve and beyond...
8:00am - 11:00am
Beaver Island Community Center
26210 Michigan Avenue
Beaver Island, MI 49782
Tickets: $30
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Join Brian Allan for a fascinating walk out to Little Sand Bay through the Little Sand Bay Nature Preserve (Site 12 on BIBT Map). This beautiful and varied natural area is managed by the Little Traverse Conservancy. The parking lot is at the edge of a large old field near an abandoned farmhouse. A two-track leads from the parking lot to a boardwalk trail through a cedar swamp. The trail then continues to a sandy beach that is excellent for swimming, making Little Sand Bay one of the most popular natural areas to visit on the island. Winter Wrens are common in the cedar swamp area, and Indigo Buntings and various sparrow species are found in the old field area.

Board transportation for this trip at the BIC Center.

You'll return there at the conclusion just in time for lunch. Options include the Concession Stand at the BIC Center, and the Shamrock (both nearby) or the Wild Strawberry Cafe (about a 20-minute walk towards the Whiskey Point Lighthouse).

About the leader for this Field Trip:

Brian Allan s a recently retired Optometrist living in Manistee. He has been birding for fifty-three years and was fortunate to both be on the crest of the new field birding in the 1970’s and the now technical/digital media birding revolution of the 2020’s. He is a former member of the Michigan Bird Records Committee, one of the editors of the ABA Birder’s Guide to Michigan, the current eBird reviewer for North West Michigan, and bird trip leader for several conservation organizations in Michigan. He enjoys birding in the tropics and has recently returned from birding trips to Brazil and Ecuador. His favorite activity is getting anyone of any age interested in birding by getting them on their “spark” bird.

Warblers on the Water/Keynote Address by Dr. Nancy Seefelt
1:30pm - 2:30pm
Beaver Island Community Center
26210 Michigan Avenue
Beaver Island, Mi 49782
Tickets
Freewill Donation Encouraged

Join us for our Warblers on the Water 2025 keynote presentation by Dr. Nancy Seefelt.

This event is open to the public without charge or registration. However, registration is encouraged so we can better plan the event; and your freewill donation will help support the BIC Center, which makes space and services available to us without charge.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Seefelt is a Michigan native who grew up in Sterling Heights, near Detroit. After high school, she enrolled at Central Michigan University (CMU) and discovered Beaver Island when she took a class at the CMU Biological Station after her freshman year. Nancy received her M.S. degree from CMU and her doctorate from Michigan State University and currently holds a faculty position in the Biology Department at CMU. During the summer field season, much of her research focuses on avian ecology, specifically the breeding biology of waterbirds (gulls, terns, herons and cormorants) in northern Lake Michigan and the stopover ecology of migrating songbirds along Michigan shorelines. The migration work involves censusing, mist netting, and remote acoustical monitoring; the acoustic monitors also track the sounds of migratory bats. In addition, Nancy monitors the breeding activities of the endangered Piping Plover as part of the recovery program for this species. As a vertebrate ecologist and evolutionary biologist, Nancy has been studying birds throughout the Beaver Island Archipelago for over 20 years.

Field Trip #4: Rockhunting and Birding Adventure
3:00pm - 5:30pm
Beaver Island Community Center
26210 Michigan Avenue
Beaver Island, Mi 49782
Tickets: $30
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Join Jeff Scofield and Nancy Seefelt for a combo expedition at Bonner's Landing. Comb the beach for a variety of rock specimens find while keeping your eyes and ears open to birds in the area.

Bonner's Landing: The point and land north of the point consist of a rocky beach, downed trees, and a treeline of conifers. The north end has a wide sedge meadow grading into a grass meadow. Historically, the area contained a settlement of Indians from the Grand Traverse tribe. The settlement was known as Peshabee Town. A foot path takes you from Oliver’s Point to Mrs. Reddings Trail.

To the north on Bonner's Landing, the beach has a low dune that contains rich flora, especially in the interdunal area. Pitcher's thistle is abundant, as well as bear-berry, creeping juniper, and a beach anemone. This site has limited access to the road, which is private.

Jeff Scofield: Jeff works for Central Michigan University in the Dept of Biology. He is a frequent visitor to Beaver Island, and has been since taking classes at the CMU Biological Station as both an undergraduate back in the late 80s, earning a B.S. Degree in Biology, and then as a graduate student, where he earned a M.S. Degree working with spiders. If Jeff sees a board or piece of metal lying on the ground, rest assured that he will flip it over in hopes of finding a snake or two underneath. In addition, if he’s not looking for snakes and spiders, there’s a good chance you might see him metal detecting or rock hounding on a beach. But the most likely activity you will see him doing is riding a bicycle around the Island. Jeff is an avid mountain biker and gravel road biker and has travelled around the country, along with his wife Nancy, in pursuit of fun trails and enjoyable gravel roads.

Dr. Nancy Seefelt: Nancy is a Michigan native who grew up in Sterling Heights, near Detroit. After high school, she enrolled at Central Michigan University (CMU) and discovered Beaver Island when she took a class at the CMU Biological Station after her freshman year. Nancy received her M.S. degree from CMU and her doctorate from Michigan State University and currently holds a faculty position in the Biology Department at CMU. During the summer field season, much of her research focuses on avian ecology, specifically the breeding biology of waterbirds (gulls, terns, herons and cormorants) in northern Lake Michigan and the stopover ecology of migrating songbirds along Michigan shorelines. The migration work involves censusing, mist netting, and remote acoustical monitoring; the acoustic monitors also track the sounds of migratory bats. In addition, Nancy monitors the breeding activities of the endangered Piping Plover as part of the recovery program for this species. As a vertebrate ecologist and evolutionary biologist, Nancy has been studying birds throughout the Beaver Island Archipelago for over 20 years.

Board transportation for this trip at the BIC Center.

Field Trip #5: Nightsounds at Beaver Island Retreat
9:00pm - 10:30pm
Beaver Island Community Center
26210 Michigan Avenue
Beaver Island, Mi 49782
Tickets: $30
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Join Brian Allen at the Beaver Island Retreat to hear the Whipperwills and other night sounds. Brian will tell you about the birds you hear, why they sing at night and some of their habits.

About the Beaver Island Retreat: Want to sleep comfortably under dark skies in the heart of nature, falling asleep as the wind composes a song through the trees? Then consider a stay with at the Retreat! Each Hotel Safari Tent is fully appointed, including a 10' memory foam mattress, bamboo sheets, four pillows, and comfortable, handmade interior furniture. From the grill shack to the gourmet kitchen, you'll find an array of cooking options, and all the ancillary items you need to top off the experience. Their bathhouses are luxury appointed with a rain shower showerhead, and waterfall faucet on a custom designed vanity. High end bath towels top off your experience. A cedar log pavilion is open 24 hours a day and a wonderful place to relax and meet new people. The property is fully dark sky compliant so your stargazing experience will be unmatched. Pack light - bring only your clothes, food, and drinks - the Retreat provides (almost) everything else!

Brian Allen: Brian is a recently retired Optometrist living in Manistee. He has been birding for fifty-three years and was fortunate to both be on the crest of the new field birding in the 1970’s and the now technical/digital media birding revolution of the 2020’s. He is a former member of the Michigan Bird Records Committee, one of the editors of the ABA Birder’s Guide to Michigan, the current eBird reviewer for North West Michigan, and bird trip leader for several conservation organizations in Michigan. He enjoys birding in the tropics and has recently returned from birding trips to Brazil and Ecuador. His favorite activity is getting anyone of any age interested in birding by getting them on their “spark” bird.

Board transportation for this trip at the BIC Center.

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