MANISTIQUE — Over 100 species of birds migrate through or make their home near the Manistique Boardwalk every spring. On Saturday, May 18, Joe Block will be giving a presentation about migratory birds and leading a birding tour along the boardwalk. The event is free and begins at 9:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Manistique. After the short indoor presentation, participants will head to the boardwalk in search of a variety of migrating species. Block says he usually begins his walks by going through the wooded areas on the north side of the boardwalk. Mid-May will be a good time to see a variety of warblers there. The group will continue on to the boardwalk and the beach to view a wide variety of migrating waterfowl and other birds.

“The Manistique Boardwalk is a gem; Seney Wildlife Refuge is the only place in Schoolcraft County where you can see this many migrating species,” Block said.

Block is a 2014 graduate of Manistique High School and graduated from Lake Superior State University with a degree in Fish and Wildlife Management.

The event is being sponsored by the Schoolcraft Conservation District and will be of interest to both beginner and expert birdwatchers. Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars if they have them, wear boots (the wooded areas are quite wet) and be prepared for bugs and weather conditions. In the event of bad weather, the indoor presentation will go on as planned, and the tour will be rescheduled to a different time. Pre-registration is helpful, although not required. Call the Conservation District at 341-8215 to register, or visit the District’s Facebook page @schoolcraftconservationdistrict or website, www.schoolcraftcd.org.