Your guide to the Saginaw Bay Birding Trail

The Saginaw Bay Birding Trail spans 142 miles across Michigan and is ideal for bird-watching enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. 

If you heard the words “Saginaw Bay Birding Trail” and pictured a small, wholesome path full of elderly people bird-watching with binoculars, you’re going to want to think again.

While the Saginaw Bay Birding Trail does certainly feature an array of bird-watching opportunities, this is not your grandmother’s birding trail—well, actually, it could be, but only if your grandma enjoys a 142-mile trail that stretches across Michigan and features dazzling shoreline views and public access, that is.

Our point is, the Saginaw Birding Trail is a haven for bird enthusiasts, but it’s also a treasure for the state of Michigan and an opportunity for any outdoor enthusiast to experience all the sights and sounds our state has to offer. Plus, as I’m finding out, the older you get, the cooler bird watching really does sound. (Aside from yesterday, when I accidentally walked too close to a red-headed blackbird’s nest and found out those things really will protect their babies with all they’ve got …)

What is the Saginaw Birding Trail?

The Saginaw Birding Trail is a collection of 142 miles of trails in Michigan that stretch from the eastern Port Crescent State Park to Tawas Point State Park on the eastern side of the state. The trail covers four counties: Saginaw, Bay, Arenac/Iosco, and Tuscola/Huron.

Trevor Edmonds, Program Director for the Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy, told Route Bay City that the trail got its start around 2016 and is popular due to its proximity to the Lake Huron shoreline.

“We get a lot of different species that congregate in that area as they’re making their way north,” Edmonds explained to the outlet.

With extensive coverage of the trail, the Saginaw Birding Trail is well-maintained. It offers many trailheads, parking lots at trail entries, restrooms, and other amenities, including parks and picnic areas. There are also multiple viewing amenities, such as boardwalks, viewing structures, and observation towers that are ideal for casual and expert bird watchers, as well as photographers.

The trail is not limited to bird watchers, of course, but the trail’s diverse habitats, including grasslands, wetlands, and wooded areas, offer opportunities to view over 200 different species of birds along the way. The trail also boasts one of the highest elevations, at 91 feet, among many birding trails in the area, allowing for better viewing.

Tawas is known for being a “birder’s paradise,” so the eastern start of the trail may be especially fruitful for bird watchers. You can also look for the annual Birding Festival held every May in Tawas Point. Birders from all over the world come to Tawas, as it is a natural birding spot during the May migratory patterns.

How to use the Saginaw Birding Trail

You can enjoy the Saginaw Birding Trail at any time of the year, but if your goal is actually to do some bird-watching, the spring is generally considered the best time of year to see our feathered friends. Migratory birds travel back to Michigan during the spring, so the months of April-May can be a wonderful opportunity to catch them in action as they return home.

Fall offers a similar opportunity, with migrating waterfowl finding their new homes. The Lake Huron coastline is a particularly popular “stopping point” during migratory seasons, so get those binoculars ready.

There is no cost to access any of the hiking or viewing areas throughout all 142 miles of the Saginaw Birding Trail. If you’re serious about bird-spotting, however, you may want to consider investing in even a simple pair of binoculars, especially in wooded areas and grasslands. Eager bird watchers can also invest in spotting scopes.

Look for blue bird-spotting signs along the trail that signal popular bird landing and viewing spots. You can also stop at any of the trailhead centers to pick up a map or connect with other birdwatchers.

What to bring

Here are some suggestions for items to bring with you when you visit the Saginaw Birding Trail:

• Download some free smartphone apps like Merlin and Audubon to help you identify birds through sound, photos, and maps.
• A reusable bottle of  water
• Binocolaurs
• Your phone
• A camera for photography with a strap
• A backpack
• Hiking boots
• Trail snacks such as oranges, protein bars, and nuts
• A wide-brimmed hat
• A weather-proof windbreaker
• Sunscreen
• Membership (it’s free) to the Michigan Bird Watchers Facebook group to connect with other fowl enthusiasts

Not interested in bird watching? Not a problem—the Saginaw Birding Trail is also a great trail for hiking or walking, and encompasses several popular trails. Here is just a sample of some of the hikes you can take along the trail, from shorter hikes to more challenging options:

• Saginaw Valley Rail Trail is an 11.2-mile trail with 91 ft. ascent, the most elevation gain of trails in the area, popular for birding all year round
• Joseph M Soehnel Nature Trail is a 3.1-mile trail generally considered easy, completed in an hour, great for birding
• Saginaw River Headwaters Trail is a 2.9-mile loop with 91 ft. elevation gain that’s home to a variety of birds
• Sand Point Nature Preserve Trail near Pigeon, Mich. contains 5 miles of established trails through wetlands and a lake, hosting a diversity of birds

Birds to See on the Saginaw Bay Birding Trail

All right, let’s get down to the business of birding, shall we? If you’re eager or just curious about exactly which type of birds you can expect to see on the Saginaw Bay Birding Trail, let’s take a closer look. Keep in mind that some birds are regional and seasonal, but in general, here are some of the birds you might find, along with their popular months for viewing:

• American White Pelican: Feb-March and Oct-Nov (migratory periods)
• Peregrine Falcons: late March and October-November
• Songbirds: March-June and August-late November
• Waterfowl like mallards and ducks: Spring and fall migration, but can also be seen throughout the winter in pockets of warm, unfrozen water
• Raptors, including bald eagles: Summer as well as during the winter months (Dec-Feb), as eagles hunt around partially frozen water

Birds by county

You can also tailor your bird watching to specific counties along the Saginaw Bay Birding Trail.

Tuscola + Huron Counties 

• Fish Point State Wildlife Area: This area is popular for Tundra Swans and Canada Geese (look in the corn stubble for feeding flocks).
• Albert E. Sleeper State Park: The Caseville beach area offers glimpses into a variety of birds all year round in woodland areas, dunes, and wetlands.
• The Sand Point Nature Preserve hosts dozens of species, including wood ducks, songbirds, Sandhill Cranes, and Bald Eagles.
• Port Crescent State Park: Well known for raptor sightings and boasts a variety in spring and fall along the tip of the Thumb
• Port Austin State Harbor: Just down the road from the State Park, the Port Austin State Harbor harbors over 100 different species, from shorebirds to waterfowl.

Bay County

• Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area: This area is home to one of the oldest and largest colonies of Yellow-headed Blackbirds.
• Discovery Preserve at Euclid Park: The hub of Saginaw Trail is ideal for spotting both urban species as well as a variety of waterfowl.
• Bay City State Park is notable for shorebirds, gulls, herons, and passing songbirds throughout the year.

Arenac + Iosco Counties

• Gateway Park is home to waterfowl, gulls, terns, and swallows, including Red-necked Phalarope, Bonaparte’s Gull, and Caspian Terns.
• Wigwam Bay State Wildlife Area: You’ll find unique and rare wetland bird species such as Black Terns, Forster’s Terns, Caspian Terns, and Yellow-headed Blackbirds.
• Tuttle Marsh Wildlife Area: The area’s wetlands invite waterfowl while the mudflats draw herons, marshbirds, and shorebirds.

Saginaw County

• Crow Island State Game Area: Along with hiking trails, observation stations, and wildlife management for improving habitats, the island is home to over 100 species, including Tundra Swan, Common Gallinule, and Rusty Blackbird
• Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge: As the name suggests, the refuge is home to birds year-round, including Long-eared Owls in the winter, as well as Glossy Ibis, Red Knot, Le Conte’s Sparrow, and Gray Kingbird/
• The Green Point Environmental Learning Center has over 2 miles of hiking trails through a forest habitat with over 150 species of birds, and is used as a stopover site for migrating warblers journeying North.

If you are a birding enthusiast in Michigan or simply want to learn more, you can also join Michigan’s “Winged Wednesday” migration text update groups. Simply text “bird” to 51555 or sign up for text updates to get weekly bird facts, migration updates, and the best state parks in Michigan for bird spotting.