The
Audubon Society
of Kalamazoo values its birding areas and does not
condone the use of any
device used to entice birds into view. We
appreciate your cooperation in
protecting our birds in this regard.
Kleinstuck
Preserve - City of Kalamazoo
From the I-94/Oakland
Dr. exit (#75) drive north on Oakland Drive
about 1 3/4 miles and
turn right at Chevy Chase; drive 1/4 mile and park
on the street at the bottom
of the hill. Kleinstuck is the place to be in
spring, from the first of April
to late May, with the peak late April and early May,
before trees leaf out.
Take the trail behind the guardrail; this meets the
main loop trail that goes
around the wetland. There are several side trails as
well. In 31 years of
spring surveys 205 species have been recorded,
including 38 warbler species. On
a good day in May 60-70 species can be found. Fall
and winter can also be
pretty good.
Asylum
Lake
Preserve - City of Kalamazoo
From US 131, take
Stadium Dr. east about 1 1/4 miles. Turn right at
Rambling Rd. (stop light). Follow
Rambling Road about ¾ of a mile and turn
right onto Winchell Ave. The entrance
is just under two miles on Winchell Ave. and is on
the left. Park along the
street. Habitats include lake, deciduous woods,
restored native grassland and
some marsh area. Many trails. Due
to the variety of habitats
bird diversity is often good from spring through
fall, though spring has the
largest number and variety.
Wolf
Lake Fish
Hatchery - M-43 and Fish Hatchery
Road
Located on M-43 about
six miles west of the M-43/ US-131 interchange. Turn
left at Fish Hatchery Rd.
and park at the Visitor Center. Walk the dikes of the
ponds behind the Visitor
Center. Best in spring and late summer-early winter
for ducks and other
migrants. Shorebirds are mainly found in spring and
late summer through fall
when and if a pond is drawn
down. The shrubby dikes and edge of woods hosts a
number of migrant songbirds.
In recent years 196 species have been recorded here,
including almost 30
species of warblers.
West
Lake Nature
Preserve - City of Portage
Located near the
intersection of South Westnedge Avenue and South
Shore Drive. Drive 3 2/3 miles
south of I-94 on S. Westnedge to South Shore Dr.
(about 1 1/4 miles south of
Center St.), turn left and park in parking lot.
Shallow pond, marsh, deciduous
woods, nice tamarack bog with boardwalk and a view
of west side of West Lake.
Spring and fall can be good for waterbirds.
Kal-Haven
Trail
State Park - North 10th Street
10th St. is the first
traffic light on M-43 west of the M-43/US-131
interchange. Drive north on 10th
St. about 1 3/4 miles and the entrance will be on
the left. A good stretch of
diverse habitats is from the trailhead to the 8th
St. marsh, about 5 miles
round trip. Additionally, the trail can be accessed
from most intersections all
the way to South Haven. There is no access fee.
The trail is mostly
wooded and/or shrubby. Good for perching birds. In
recent years 156 species,
including 30 warbler species, have been recorded
from the first 2.5 miles of
the trail.
Portage
Creek
Bicentennial Pathway - City of
Portage
Off South Westnedge
Avenue on Garden Lane. Main entrance: Take South
Westnedge 1 3/4 miles south of
I-94 to Garden Lane and turn east. Parking area is
1/4 mile on the left. Paved
pathway along Portage Creek, about 3 miles round
trip. Lots of wet, shrubby
habitat. In nice weather it is best to go early. May
be busy late in the day.
Mostly perching birds and is best from spring
through fall.