Birding Walk at Sportsman’s Park East Jordan

The first area is the platform overlooking the mouth of the Jordan River. This location features a deep river channel bordered by mudflats and cattail marshes. The area usually holds many dabbling ducks, geese, swans, herons (potential for Great Egret), Sandhill Cranes, coots, and possibly even Common Gallinules, an uncommon breeder this far north. Shorebirds may be patrolling the mudflats and river edges.

The second area is the new Don & Eileen Klein Nature Trail. This walk includes some scrubby hardwood forest and an extensive boardwalk through a large cattail marsh. Here there should be plenty of blackbirds, sparrows, and the potential for late season rails as well as interesting native plants. Raptors including Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, Northern Harrier, Osprey, Merlins and others are a possibility in any area as are resident and late-migrating songbirds. This walk should allow participants to see many of Michigan’s spectacular resident and migratory bird species!

Depending on what pre-scouting reveals, we may also visit the south arm of Lake Charlevoix where the Jordan River empties its water. This location also routinely holds swans and geese, but also diving ducks and grebes later in the season. If we are lucky, some of those species may have arrives slightly early for our viewing.

• Please do not bring pets as these can disrupt both the behavior of the birds and the birding experience for others.
• Sunday, September 27th will be used as a make-up day in the event of inclement weather on the 26th.
• Restrooms are available at the parking area.

Additional activities will be happening later that day on the boardwalk:
• Quilt the Boardwalk: 1-3PM, Friends of the Jordan River Watershed Building/Don and Eileen Klein Nature Trail
• Book Signing on the Boardwalk: 1PM-3PM, Don and Eileen Klein Nature Trail