Hello! Thank you so much for considering joining myself, Alex Field (pronouns he/him) and the Land Conservancy of West Michigan for a bird outing at Ottawa Sands County Park. I, Alex, love everything about the outdoors, and find joy in connecting with others through birds. Whether that is listening to their songs, watching them, or talking about their funny personalities, it is so much fun to experience them with other birders.

Registration information can be found below on this page! We will limit registration to 15 participants, and you may bring a support person if needed. We also encourage you to include any access needs you may have so we can best accommodate you.

This event will take place on Sunday, April 27, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST. There is no cost associated with entering Ottawa Sands, allowing you to enjoy this space for free! Upon arrival to the park, please use the first available parking lot, located on the right hand side. The parking lot is entirely asphalt and has 4 accessible parking spaces available and curb cuts leading to the sidewalks. Staff and volunteers will be there 20 minutes early to help direct you and your support person to the correct meeting area.

When you arrive, there will be light refreshments and snacks, so please help yourself to those. Upon arrival you may also feel free to use the male, female, and/or family bathroom located inside the green building near the parking lot, which have been measured and verified as wheelchair accessible. Two grab bars are installed in every bathroom stall. Once on the trail, there are no bathrooms available.

Birders of all levels and mobility status are welcome to attend! We will do an out and back hike distancing up to 1-mile. The trail is entirely paved with cement and is well maintained, with very minimal bumps and holes. There are several benches along the way as well, approximately .10 miles apart should you need to take a rest break. The trail surrounds and overlooks a large pond with eagles, shorebirds, and other waterfowl. It does not have much tree coverage though, and therefore shade is also very minimal. We would recommend bringing hats, sunscreen, and water bottles just in case. That said, April can also be a chilly, wet time of year so it may also be wise to bring coats, hats and gloves, and rain boots if you have them!

During the event, we will be practicing a birding style called “slow birding.” This means that we will take our time on the trail, moving slow and letting the birds come to us. I would love for the group to stay together as much as possible, and if we don’t make it the full mile, that’s okay! Birding together as group allows us to learn from one another and have more eyes and ears on a bird so we all can experience it.

Loaner equipment will be available day of. We will have 8 pairs of binoculars, 2 monoculars, and various mount options available should you need to attach anything to your wheelchair or mobility device. We will also have field guides you are free to bring along on the trail! Instructions for equipment use will be provided prior to starting the event.

If you need to return to the parking lot for any reason during the event, you are free to do that as well. We will have a person stationed by the benches near the parking lot with a spotting scope to view birds and wildlife from a stationary position. If you are unable to complete the entire event, that is okay too, and you are free to leave at any time.

If you have any further questions about the event, please feel free to reach me (Alex) at 517-262-5206 or alexander.r.field@wmich.edu and I will gladly assist with clarifications.

Register to Attend