MLive says: “Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge covers nearly 10,000 acres on the Shiawassee River, smack dab in the center of Saginaw County. Within the marsh, forest and grasslands you'll find plenty of wildlife, as the name suggests. Birdwatchers are particularly attracted to the refuge, since it was formed specifically as a sanctuary for our feathered friends. The prothonotary warbler makes a home here during warm weather months and it is one of the only places in Michigan where you'll find the species. You can walk the trails or take the driving path to catch a glimpse.”
September 29, 2020
We’d tried to stop at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge a while back, but couldn’t enter due to flooding. This time around, we had way better luck. The second attempt rewarded us with awesome weather, great views, and amazing wildlife spotting! We arrived early afternoon and parked the car to hike a bit, enjoying the early fall colors.
After quick mini-hike, we took the drive-thru road to tour the rest of the refuge - it was a decently busy day, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying the birds!
We stopped quite a few times to exit the car to use the binoculars and take photos - we were delighted by the absolute abundance of birds! I have never seen so much waterfowl in one place. We easily could have spent an entire day at the refuge, but we took off back to Grand Rapids after a week of traveling. Will definitely be stopping back anytime I’m in the area.