This is a high muggle area. Please cover the container well after finding so it doesn't keep disappearing.
Welcome to the Kirtland's Warbler GeoTrail (KWGT). This trail will take you in a loop in central Northern Michigan through the Jack Pine ecosystem, breeding home of the Kirtland's Warbler. This tour takes you to a total of 25 caches with an amazing trackable geocoin as a reward. The KWGT Passport can be downloaded here: https://f81c572e-1d95-4026-befc-8c60f69cbcd9.filesusr.com/ugd/31e003_41b2f3aa918442e8b08c880e746e6946.pdf
The Kirtland's Warbler was first identified in 1851 from a specimen collected on Dr. Jared Kirtland's Ohio farm. The birds originally depended on fire-created young jack pine forests for summer nesting. Such forests in northern Michigan became their prime global summer breeding habitat. Kirtland's Warbler faced extinction due to the loss of habitat and the invasion of parasitic brown-headed cowbirds, which lay eggs in warbler nests and who’s young survive at the expense of warbler nestlings. The warbler was placed on the federal endangered species list in 1967 and the state endangered species list in 1976. Guided by research to mimic natural fire processes, government agencies and private conservationists began harvesting older jack pine stands and replanting the trees to restore the warblers' habitat. In addition, cowbird populations were controlled. From an all-time modern low of 167 nesting pairs in 1974 and 1987, the summer population of the warbler rebounded to more than 1,700 pairs in 2007. The recovery of the species testifies to the effectiveness of habitat restoration efforts. During the winter the songbirds leave Michigan for The Bahamas.
The final is located at N 44 36.ABC, W 084 42.XYZ. To find the missing coordinates, go to the Michigan Historic Marker at the posted coordinates and answer the following questions.
A=First digit of the site number.
B=Last digit in year the warbler was placed on the state endangered species list.
C=Last digit of the site number.
X=First digit of year erected.
Y=Last digit in the all-time modern low number of nesting pairs.
Z=Last digit of first year given for all-time low number of nesting pairs.
Check sum: A+B+C=22, X+Y+Z=13
Cache
The cache is located at the northbound I-75 Rest Area just north of the 4 Mile Road exit. The cache is not at the posted coordinates. The coordinates take you to a Michigan Historic Marker where you will have to gather some information to find the final.