Day 1: Arrival in Lexington (Kentucky)

After arriving in Lexington airport, you will be transferred to our nearby airport hotel. There is no birding on this day, it is merely an arrival day, with a dinner time meeting (6:30pm in the hotel lobby), and so you are free to get in at any time, as long as you arrive there in time to join the group for dinner and an initial briefing on the tour.

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Day 2: Red River Gorge (Kentucky) to Southern Ohio

We will leave early to reach the gorgeous Red River Gorge Geological Area, where we will spend much of the day. A visit to forests in this area is a must, for our first chance at some breeding southern warblers, unlikely at other sites in the north later on the tour. The beautiful mixed woods of sugar maples, oaks, hemlocks, white pines, and hickory are home to more than 100 species of birds, including Worm-eating, Hooded, Prairie, and Swainson’s Warblers, which will be our primary targets. After a morning in this area, we’ll travel north to southern Ohio for a two-night stay, close to the beautiful Shawnee State Forest.

 

Day 3: Shawnee State Forest (Ohio)

A full day will be spent in Shawnee, located within the Apalachian foothills, an area of such scenic beauty it has been nicknamed the “Little Smokies”. Southern warblers will again be on the agenda, with such thrillers as Cerulean, Kentucky, Blue-winged, Prairie, and Yellow-throated Warblers all on our hit list, as well as Louisiana Waterthrush. Other warblers that may feature include Ovenbird, Northern Parula, and Pine Warbler. Other birds we may find in this verdant area include Yellow-breasted Chat (now, no longer considered a warbler at all), Scarlet Tanager, Red-headed and Pileated Woodpeckers, Yellow-throated Vireo, Wood Thrush, and Acadian Flycatcher. 

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Day 4: Shawnee to Magee Marsh (Ohio)

After a final morning at Shawnee, mopping up whatever we still need, we will head north to one of the most revered sites in North American birding: Magee Marsh. This birding area has become so hallowed that it was voted in a US Today survey as the top birding destination in the US and is often referred to as “The Warbler Capital of the World”. The sheer variety of warblers, and the supreme quality of warbler viewing, make this a must visit site for anyone interested in this stunning group of birds. Four nights will be spent in the quiet town of Oregon.

 

Days 5-7: Magee Marsh (Ohio)

Three full days will be spent around this mega site on the southern shore of Lake Erie. It is particularly famous, as twenty species warbler days are typically the norm in this season, and, specifically, the views they often give are simply unbeatable, making this a favorite for both birders and bird photographers.  A simple, mile-long boardwalk snakes its way through the woods, where birds like Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, Blackpoll, Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Black-and-white, Prothonotary, Nashville, Cape May, Mourning and Tennessee Warblers are all regularly seen, and regularly seen well. We shall also visit nearby sites like Ottawa NWR for waterbirds, and Metzger Marsh, a tiny lakeshore woodlot, also famed for getting stellar looks at migrant birds, including warblers. These nights will be spent in Oregon.

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Day 8: Magee Marsh (Ohio) to Tawas (Michigan)

After another full morning at Magee, we will bid farewell to Ohio and this extraordinary birding destination and continue our migration north into the state of Michigan, where we’ll make our way to another migration hotspot, Tawas Point. The next three nights will be spent in Tawas City.

 

Days 9-10: Tawas Point and Kirtland’s Warbler (Michigan)

On these days we will visit three fantastic birding areas. One of the tour highlights will be visiting an area of stunted Jack Pines near Tawas, where the rarest of all the breeding warblers can be found: Kirtland’s Warbler. After enjoying this local breeding specialty, we will make our way over to the migrant trap of Tawas Point. While Magee Marsh has received considerably more publicity in the birding press, Tawas Point arguably equals Magee in many aspects, and a good variety of warblers can be expected. It is impossible to know which warblers will be on show on any given day, but birds like Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, Mourning, Blue-winged, Golden-winged, Canada, and Blackburnian Warblers are all regular here during this birding high season. We’ll also visit Au Sable State Forest, where Cerulean, Golden-winged, Blue-winged and Mourning Warblers all breed in the same woods. All these nights will be spent in Tawas City.

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Day 11: Tawas Point to Detroit (Michigan)

After another visit to Tawas Point, to check what migrants have dropped in overnight, we will drive back to Detroit to spend the final night of the tour.

 

Day 12: Departure from Detroit (Michigan)

The tour ends this morning; a hotel shuttle will be available to connect with flights out of Detroit’s Metropolitan Airport. No birding is planned for this day.

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Trip Considerations

PACE: Easy to Moderate. There are some early starts (most breakfasts will be 5:30-6:00am), and some long days in the field. There are a number of long drives (drives of three hours or more hours are undertaken on 4 days of the tour).

 

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: Easy. All of the walking will be easy, with no tough hikes.

 

CLIMATE: At this time of year the weather is changeable, varying from cool to warm, with regular rain showers. Temperatures range from lows of around 40 Fahrenheit (4.5 Celsius) to highs of around 68 Fahrenheit (20 Celsius).

 

ACCOMMODATION: Good to excellent throughout, with full-time electricity, hot water and en-suite facilities at the standard motels used everywhere. All places used have Wi-Fi Internet.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY: Although this is a birding focused tour, there will be good opportunities for casual photographers, especially at Magee Marsh where warbler viewing and photography is some of the best in North America. There are often other warbler photography opportunities too at the breeding grounds, like for Kirtland’s Warbler and Blue-winged Warblers in Michigan for example.

 

WHEN TO GO: This tour is timed when the peak of warbler migration occurs in the Midwest – around the middle two weeks of May – but also after the southern warblers have arrived on their breeding grounds in Kentucky and southern Ohio.

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Other Information

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: A valid passport is required for non-US citizens; the passport must be valid for at least six months past your intended stay. Most foreign visitors to the USA need to APPLY FOR AN ONLINE ESTA BEFORE LEAVING THEIR COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE. Travel requirements are subject to change; if you are unsure, please check with the nearest embassy or consulate, or ask our office staff for help..

 

WHAT’S INCLUDED?: Accommodation from the night of day 1 to the night of day 11; meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 12; spare drinking water in the vehicle when required; Tropical Birding tour leader (who is also the tour driver) with scope and audio gear from the evening of day 1 to the night of day 11; one hotel airport shuttle per person, on the arrival and departure days; ground transport for the group to all sites in the itinerary from the morning of afternoon of day 1 to the evening of day 11 in a rental vehicle; entrance fees to birding sites mentioned in the itinerary; a printed and bound checklist to keep track of your sightings (given to you at the start of the tour – only electronic copies can be provided in advance).

 

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?: Optional tips to the Tropical Birding tour leader (who is also the driver on this tour); tips for any luggage porters used; international flights; alcoholic beverages; travel insurance; excursions not included in the tour itinerary; extras in hotels such as laundry service, minibar, room service, telephone calls, and personal items; medical fees; other items or services not specifically mentioned as being included.