05/21/2026
Celebrating the success of AuSable Valley Audubon’s Tawas Point Bird Fest! We’re proud of our chapter’s hard work in creating such a wonderful celebration of birds, conservation, and community.
Wholehearted thank you to our volunteers and sponsors. The Tawas Point Bird Fest is 100 percent powered by volunteer energy and sponsor support. This year, in addition to volunteers and bird food donations, we had silent auction items donated. All of these things help our cause of protecting birds and their habitat.
BIRD FOOD:
Many people enjoyed the feeders during the event and during the weeks before. It is expected that visitors will continue to enjoy the feeding station. Special thanks to Gingerich Feed & Implements for the annual bird food donations. Your donations made many people smile.
VOLUNTEERS:
We had about fifty volunteers from all over the state donating their time, travel and energy. We had so much positive feedback, specifically about the helpfulness and friendliness of the volunteers. This is because of you.
To those that will consider putting in a few hours next year, please reach out to us Mid-April. We can always use help with activities such as:
* Tracking movements of our Piping Plovers so people can get a glimpse.
* Giving food or bathroom breaks to the volunteers stationed at the shorebird or warbler stations.
* A shift at the tracking map by the Welcome tent, where we tracked locations of special birds. If we can keep it updated, then more visitors get “on the bird.”
* Filling feeders and oranges, anytime, but especially leading up to, and during the fest.
If you don’t consider yourself a birder, then please reconsider because we suspect that you are…
“We are all birders, just at different places in our journey”. — Amy Kohlhepp, Tawas Point Birding Fest 2026
Special thanks to Jackson and Manistee Audubon Chapters for volunteer support, as well as MSU’s Birding Club for showing up and helping get people “on the birds”.
FIELD BASED EDUCATION STATIONS:
KIRTLAND’S WARBLER
Special thanks for the education and viewing experiences from participation of the Kirtland's Warbler Alliance. We helped a few dozen participants get fantastic views and photos of our fire warbler, while also demonstrating the importance of viewing from a two track, never walking in habitat. We also proved that calling the birds is not necessary for a great viewing experience (calling is not allowed in the forest because it is detrimental). All you must do is be in the right habitat, be a bit patient, and the birds will naturally show themselves (location, location, location).
PIPING PLOVER
Huron Pines once again partnered to help people get views while protecting the Piping Plovers. In addition to the volunteer monitoring coordination, they also joined in advocacy with AVA and Michigan Audubon to leverage support from regulatory agencies to keep dogs out of the protected area beyond the lighthouse. Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been very responsive this year enforcing the “no dog” rule in the protective areas. We noticed and are very appreciative on behalf of our endangered birds.
TICK EDUCATION
Last in this note but definitely not least, we noticed that the tick education station was once again essential to helping people safely enjoy the Point. Thankful shout out to Michigan State University Professor Jean Tsao for your continued support and participation. Your educational efforts continue to give peace of mind to so many, allowing them to more fully enjoy their outdoor experiences.
Wholehearted and very sincere thanks to our volunteers and sponsors.
AuSable Valley Audubon Organizers
Amy Cook Kohlhepp, Festival Coordinator
Bill Roth, Co-Field Station Coordinator
Dawn Hooper, Welcome Tent Coordinator
Konnie Spenceley, Co-Field Station Coordinator
Pam Carter, Education Pavilion Coordinator
