Birding the Pinky: A Conservation Fundraiser in the Northwest Lower Peninsula

Join the Washtenaw Bird & Natural Alliance for a three-day trip to Michigan’s northwest lower peninsula. This trip is a fundraising event with a $100 suggested donation to support conservation and restoration work in Washtenaw County, including our ongoing efforts at WBNA’s Searles Nature Preserve. Isaiah Clark and James Weir will lead the group and the trip is limited to 20 WBNA members.

We will travel to the Arcadia area in Manistee County on Thursday May 14, and our birding will begin early Friday morning at Arcadia Marsh, one of few remaining coastal marshes in Michigan that is visited by and home to scores of shorebird species and other breeding and migrant birds. From there, we will work our way north toward Glen Arbor and the broader Leelanau County area, stopping along the way to visit birding locations as well as a nature preserve known for extraordinary blooms of spring ephemeral flowers.

The group will stay in Glen Arbor on Friday and Saturday night and bird the surrounding areas on Saturday and Sunday. We will search for migrating and breeding warblers, visit the famous Piping Plovers at Sleeping Bear Point, look for Common Loons in historical breeding locations, and hope to encounter least and American Bitterns, rails, Ruffed Grouse, falcons and other raptors—including late-departing Rough-Legged Hawks—numerous sparrow species including Clay-Colored, Upland Sandpipers, Meadowlark and Bobolink, cuckoos, Yellow-Throated and other vireos, and a wide variety of other migrating and local species.

This trip is designed to be flexible for participants. If you are unable to travel north on Thursday evening, you can meet the group later on Friday in Glen Arbor (note: Arcadia Marsh is our best stop for shorebirds, so shorb enthusiasts are encouraged to join for Friday morning). Similarly, we will have birding opportunities all day on Sunday if you want to maximize your time and stay another night, while those who need to leave on Sunday afternoon are welcome to do so.

The general rhythm for each day will be an early start with an active morning of birding until a group lunch. We will have a break in the afternoon, during which participants can rest, join informal activities such as a bike ride on the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail or a drive along Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, or do more birding! The group will reconvene in the late afternoon/early evening for more birding and dinner.

Most of the birding will involve low-impact walking and mild hiking on paved paths, dirt and stone trails, and sand. There will be one ~2-3 mile hike with a section of moderate to steep incline on a gravel trail; while the hiking pace will be slow, it may not be suitable for those with lower endurance or mobility issues.

To get a sense of the birds and locations, you can review this eBird trip report from 2023 and this one from 2025.

Each participant is responsible for their own accommodation and incidentals like food and drink. We will share suggested hotels and areas to look for Airbnbs or other rentals with registrants (expect to pay ~$120-$150 per night, depending on choice of hotel or rental). These and other details will be shared with participants after registration.

To register, please fill out this form. Note: We will send email confirmations after you register, and we will update this site and start a waiting list if the trip reaches capacity.

Volunteers are planning this event and 100% of proceeds will be applied to conservation and restoration, including the purchase of tools for invasive species removal for WBNA volunteer workdays, prescribed burns, and other related activities.

If you have any questions, please reach out to James Weir at .