Cerulean Warbler Weekend

Cerulean Warbler Weekend: Getting there

The Otis Farm Bird Sanctuary–event headquarters–is located at 3560 Havens Road in Hastings, Michigan*.

*Please note that GPS and online mapping tools may not give an accurate portrayal of this location.

We often joke that “there isn’t a straight road to anywhere in Barry County, Michigan.” This is somewhat true, and Barry County’s charming rural roads can wreak havoc on GPS devices and online mapping tools. THE BEST WAY to navigate to the Otis Farm Bird Sanctuary (event headquarters) is as follows:

TRAVELING FROM THE SOUTH OR EAST:

• From M-43, head west on Goodwill Road for 1.7 miles
• From Goodwill Road, turn south on Havens Road; travel .5 miles and you’ve arrived at the sanctuary

TRAVELING FROM THE NORTH:

• From M-37 (Middleville Road), head south on N Irving Road for 1.1 miles
• From N Irving Road, turn southwest on Gun Lake Road for 1 mile
• From Gun Lake Road, turn south on Irway Road for 1.5 miles
• From Irway Road, turn east on Goodwill Road for .3 miles
• From Goodwill Road, turn south on Havens road for .5 miles and you’ve arrived at the sanctuary

TRAVELING FROM THE WEST:

• From US-131 take exit 61 (Bradley/Hopkins) and head east on M-179 for about 10 miles
  • Note: M-179 may be called 129^th Avenue at first and then will change to Chief Noonday Road
• From Chief Noonday Road/M-179 turn south on Whitmore Road and travel 2.6 miles
• From Whitmore Road turn east onto Goodwill Rd and travel less than 1 mile to Havens Road
• From Goodwill Road, turn south on Havens road for .5 miles and you’ve arrived at the sanctuary

EVENT-SPECIFIC GOOGLE MAP

Please look for roadside directional signs to assist with finding the sanctuary.

Exciting Programs Mark 5th Anniversary

Cerulean Warbler Weekend turns 5 on Friday, June 1. We plan to celebrate all weekend long with activities focused on rare birds, summer insects, conservation, and more. Here is a sampling of some NEW programs that will be offered during the 5th Anniversary Weekend:

• BEGINNING BIRDING WORKSHOP If you’re new to birding or consider yourself a novice birder and would like to improve your skills, join the Michigan Audubon staff for workshop that will cover use of binoculars and field guides, identification skills, habitat, and the when, where, and the how’s of finding our feathered friends.

• “MAGIC OF MOTHS” Join nationally acclaimed naturalist,  Ranger Steve Mueller, on the sanctuary grounds for a unique look at nighttime insects.

• BIRDERS’ BARBEQUE Enjoy locally-prepared, locally sourced food while basking in the warmth of a 1940′s-era farmstead barn. To compliment the “good eats” and birder camaraderie, we’re hosting groovy scientist, Dr. Jeff Hoover, who will present What Birds Can Tell Us: Conservation Successes and New Insights Into Remarkable Bird Behavior.