Plus: effort to protect migratory birds in Northport
GRAYLING AND NORTHPORT -- Migratory bird experts say the Grayling and Mio area is the single most significant nesting area for Kirtland's Warblers in the world and with the recent wildfire in that area, a lot of questions were swirling about the endangered bird's safety. The Meridian Boundary Fire burned more than 8,500 acres of Jack Pine forests, the very forests that the Kirtland's Warbler migrates to each spring for nesting. While a huge area was burned, local bird expert Kay Charter says it will actually help.
"Kirtland's Warbler depends on Jack Pine forest between about two years and perhaps 25 years of age and when the trees get larger than that they lose their places to nest," said Charter. "So there are two ways that they control the forest, cut wood and burn. Burning is the best way because it actually restores the habitat. It heats up the pine cones and allows the seeds to drop and then the forest can regenerate itself."
One thing that helps protect their nesting grounds is that the Jack Pine forests in the Grayling-Mio area have been designated as an Important Bird Area or IBA by the National Audubon Society. That means the area is vital to birds and biodiversity. The area was already federally protected, but Charter says being an IBA adds an extra layer of protection.
Charter says there are only 9 areas in Michigan that have been given official designation as Important Bird Areas and right now Saving Birds Thru Habitat is working on an application hoping to create the tenth. They're trying to prove that a 1,400 acre piece of land at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula should have the designation.
"When birds come up from the tropics, those that come east and go thru Michigan they cut up and are funneled into Leelanau County. When they can't cross Lake Michigan they pile up here and they need places to forage while they wait," said Charter.
That land includes state property and property owned by the Leelanau Conservancy. Saving Birds Thru Habitat, with the help of the Leelanau Conservancy's trail steward Ed and his wife Linda, is conducting a study of bird species that use and rely on that land.
"That will take years to complete, but we walk it frequently, we know what we see, how many of the species we see, we look for evidence of nesting," said Ketterer.
Charter says having IBA designation would give them a leg up when trying to get grants for projects on the land, like funding to control invasive species.
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