Biggest Week - Private Marsh Birding Trip

Winous Point Shooting Club (78 degrees, clear blue skies)

We signed up for a van tour to a private marsh with the Biggest Week in American Bird as soon as the registration was open.  This trip sold out within minutes and now I understand why it's so popular. Our trip took us out to a private property which allowed us the opportunity to bird a special area not open to the public.

After we got into the van our driver (Randy) and guide (Ethan)  told us about where we would be spending the day. It was Winous Point Shooting Club, a 5000 acre property operated by the oldest operating duck hunting club in North America.  It-was established in 1856 on the shores of Lake Erie in Sandusky Bay. To say that this property is breathtaking is really an understatement. 

Our driver and guide Randy and Ethan

Here we are getting on the van at what I call the pre-crack of dawn. We had to get up at 3 a.m. in order to arrive on time for  this trip.  I'm not exactly a morning person but today we were very excited to find out where this trip would be going.

We traveled about 20 minutes out to the club and the sun began to rise over the lake. To enter the club you go down a long tree lined road. Our guide quickly had us get out and you could hear birds singing everywhere. Our guide for the day was named Ethan and he is the best birder I have ever met. He is only 25 years old and birds mostly by listening to the bird calls and then finding the bird. He is astonishing talented. He works in South Africa most of the year escorting birding trips in the area.

We spent about two hours going slowly up the road. We identified 19 different warblers and four flycatchers. In total we saw 103 different special of birds and added 17 birds to our life list.  What a fantastic day!  Here is a link to our eBird checklist. 

Eventually we made it to the clubhouse which had spectacular sweeping views of Sandusky Bay. John, the resident biologist manager, met us and  told us about some of the interesting history and current conservation efforts being done by the conservancy. This property is managed by a series of dikes and planting projects.

This exclusive men's club does not allow many visitors and it's rumored to costs over a million dollars to join.  Currently there are 28 members. The manager of the club made us feel very welcome. You may think visiting a duck hunting club does not really exactly jive with being a birder. I have learned, however, that duck hunters are some of the best conservationist. The manager told us a lot about it's efforts and a current King Rail project. Volunteering for J.N. Ding Darling with Fish and Wildlife we have learned how money used to buy land is raised from the sale of Duck Stamps - which is basically a hunting permit. 

Here is a link to an interesting article about a "punter" guide who takes out the members during hunting season. 

After touring the clubhouse we then drove out into the splendid marshes and viewed the vast wetlands. The "road" we drove on was the dike. We saw lots of ducks and beautiful American Golden Plover, a new bird for us. 

Greeter and Lesser Yellowlegs

Reluctantly we needed to go back to our cars and leave this beautiful place. It's been a few days now since this trip and it's still very present in my mind. Our guide Ethan and this place will always hold a special place in my heart. 

Great Horned Owlets