US-MI-Houghton+Lake+WRA--Nellsville+Rd+Boardwalk


 * =Birding in Michigan=

Roscommon County
=Houghton Lake Wildlife Research Area= Nellsville Road Houghton Lake, MI 48629 [|Houghton Lake Wildlife Research Area map]

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Houghton Lake WRA--Nellsville Rd Boardwalk
Coordinates: 44.3194345, -84.8227465 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Houghton Lake Wildlife Research Area--Nellsville Road Boardwalk
The sedge-grass marsh located at the eastern edge of the Houghton Lake Wildlife Research Area is possibly the only spot in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan where Yellow Rail is fairly reliably found. This is a difficult-to-find bird and its presence here is certainly not a sure thing ever year. Breeding is dependent upon water levels and condition of the sedge, and the bird's willingness to vocalize is weather-dependent.

Park at the turn-around and walk roughly west over a short, overgrown sand berm to a trail which goes approximately 200 feet to the start of a boardwalk. The boardwalk runs along a pipe containing treated sewage water and, for the first 300 feet, goes through a brushy area. The boardwalk continues through the sedge habitat for several hundred feet before entering cattail habitat. As the boardwalk enters the cattail habitat, the plywood surface of the boardwalk gives way to the original boardwalk, which is in very poor condition. From Source: Chartier, Allen T., and Jerry Ziarno. A Birder's Guide To Michigan. Colorado Springs, CO: American Birding Association, 2004. Print.
 * Care should be exercised.**

Ruffed Grouse, American Bittern, Green Heron, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Yellow Rail, Virginia Rail, Sora, Wilson's Snipe, Black-billed Cuckoo, Alder Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Sedge Wren, Veery, Golden-winged Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Swamp Sparrow, Rose-breasted Grosbeak || media type="custom" key="27333240"
 * Highlights:**

media type="custom" key="27333248" || L854656 US US-MI US-MI-143 44.3194345 -84.8227465 Houghton Lake WRA--Nellsville Rd Boardwalk