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
Many people think that Jack Pine management is done solely for Kirtland’s Warbler, but that is not the case as many species benefit. While bird life is considered sparse by other habitat standards, I regularly found over 50 species of birds during each two-week Kirtland’s Warbler census period. The large open areas that are created after a fire or following planting are attractive to grassland species such as Eastern Bluebirds, American Kestrels, Grasshopper Sparrows, and Upland Sandpipers (which are in the shorebird category). I have even seen Sandhill Cranes with young feeding on grasshoppers in this early stage of Jack Pine regeneration. Kirtland’s share their habitat with Hermit Thrushes, Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkeys, and Nashville Warblers, among others. Older stages of Jack Pine are important for species such as Red-tailed Hawk, Short-eared Owl, and Spruce Grouse. Standing dead timber in all stages is attractive to woodpeckers.
Many mammals call the Jack Pines home. Snowshoe Hares are abundant in young habitat. We had a Black Bear knock over net poles during banding operations, and often saw logs torn apart by them to get to the insects inside. Kirtland’s aged Jack Pines are the best habitat available in the area for White-tailed Deer. The Michigan DNR ranks Jack Pine in the same importance level as oak. We even found Elk tracks in Kirtland’s habitat southwest of Grayling. While rarely seen, dens of Badgers are quite abundant. The piles of fresh sand in banks along the road are from their burrows.
One abundant feature seen in Jack Pine forests are the large mounds of the Alleghany Mound Ant. Several rare plants and insects can also be found there.
Cache
The cache is located in part of the 1980 Mack Lake Burn. A friend and I were birding here in the early 1990s when I heard the call of an Upland Sandpiper landing in a tree. Usually when they land, they make a certain call note and hold their wings aloft. I told my friend “I heard the sound of an Upland Sandpiper raising its wings”. He told me I was full of it, then he spotted the bird with its wings held aloft. His opinion of my bird identifying skills went up at that moment. One year his car died on us near this spot and another year I had a work truck die. Both times it was a long walk back to town.