THE Warbler Tour: 3 States and 30+ Warblers!

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.

​Day 2: Red River Gorge (Kentucky) to Southern Ohio
We will leave very early to reach the gorgeous Red River Gorge Geological Area, where we will spend the entire morning. 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, and Swainson’s Warblers, and Louisiana Waterthrush which will be our primary targets. After a morning in this area, we’ll travel north to southern Ohio for a two-night stay, within the beautiful Shawnee State Forest, stopping on the way for Grasshopper Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, and Prairie Warbler.

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, and Yellow-throated Warblers all on our hit list. 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 and Summer Tanagers, Red-headed and Pileated Woodpeckers, Yellow-throated Vireo, Wood Thrush, and Acadian Flycatcher. In the evening, we will go out in search of nightbirds, with Chuck-wills-widow and Eastern Whip-poor-will both possible, although we still need a little luck to set eyes on them.

​Day 4: Shawnee to Magee Marsh (Ohio)
After a final morning at Shawnee, mopping up whatever we still need, we will head further north in Ohio, in the direction of Magee Marsh. On the way, we will pass by an area of lovely, restored prairie land, where we have a good chance at seeing male Bobolinks. Magee Marsh 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 nearby town of Oregon. Our exploration of Magee itself will begin the following day…

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, 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. There is a wonderful and helpful community of birders at Magee Marsh, and so if anything turns up in the area of intertest, our guides will quickly hear of it and respond swiftly when needed. If other local sites are hot at the time, like Oak Openings, the Barnside Creamery, Howard Marsh, or Pearson Metropark, we may add them into the itinerary. These days are fluid, and while we know we will be visiting Magee Marsh multiple times and Ottawa NWR (one of the best trails leading from Magee swiftly enters into the refuge), what other sites we decide to visit will depend entirely on the latest news coming out of them during our visit, and whether we can be torn away from the core sites. On one of these nights, there will be an optional nighttime excursion to visit a traditional display area for American Woodcock, where they can usually be heard in display flight and then seen once they have returned to the ground. This means a late finish, with the long daylight hours at this time of day (they typically display just after dark), although this is entirely optional, done after dinner, so you can opt out if you wish. These nights will also be spent in Oregon.

​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 several 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 eastern warblers can be found: Kirtland’s Warbler. After enjoying this local breeding specialty, we will spend time at 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 migration high season. These days are also quite fluid, with plentiful extra sites in the area, such as Tuttle Marsh (for marshland birds and migrant warblers), and Au Sable State Forest (for breeding sites of Golden-winged, Blue-winged and Mourning Warblers) available should we need them. Again, any extra sites, (other than Tawas Point and the Kirtland’s site), will be chosen, depending on what we need at the time and local news coming out of these. These nights will be spent in Tawas City.

​Day 11: Tawas to Detroit (Michigan)
On this day, again, flexibility is the key. If we are still seeking some migrants, and the overnight weather indicates a good influx of new birds, we may return to Tawas Point for a migration finale. Alternatively, if our list is missing some local breeding birds, we can switch our attention to other local sites. Additionally, there are some wetland areas along the route south to Detroit, which, time permitting, could be slotted in too. Whatever we decide to do, we will not be short of options! In the afternoon, we will drive to Detroit, where the final night of the tour will be spent.

Day 12: Departure from Detroit (Michigan)
The tour ends this morning when a hotel shuttle will be available to connect with flights out of Detroit’s Metropolitan Airport. No birding is planned for this day, and so you are free to leave whenever suits you.

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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: For US citizens, no other special requirements are necessary to visit Alaska. Citizens of Canada may enter the US with a valid passport, and do not need to obtain a visa. For citizens of the 42 countries on the visa waiver list (including the UK, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand – click here for the full list: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visa-waiver-program.html ), you can enter the US with a valid passport and a completed Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which can be applied for online. For all passports, the passport must be valid for at least six months past your intended stay. Citizens of all other countries will need to apply for a US visa. Travel requirements are subject to change; please double check with the nearest embassy or consulate or ask our office staff if you are unsure.

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; transportation between the airport and hotel via the hotel shuttle bus on day 1 and day 12; ground transportation for the group from the morning of day 2 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.