Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, a program of Michigan Audubon, is located a few miles north of the tiny town of Paradise in Michigan's eastern Upper Peninsula. When traveling on the only road north out of town, you might think you are going to the end of the world. The road does end at the Point, where I was lucky enough to work for a season banding birds. While I banded many of the passerines in the day, the favorite part of my time there was owl banding during the night. Becoming nocturnal took some adjusting, but seeing the different owls each night made it worth it. We banded Northern Saw-whet, Boreal, and even Barred Owls. The little saw-whet owls impressed me most because their docile nature made it seem like they almost enjoyed visiting with us. I even had one bird refuse to leave my arm when I tried to let it go.

Why did we band these birds in the first place — to monitor their movements. WPBO is one of a few places in the U.S. that is a migration hotspot. It's where people come from all over the world to view birds as they stopover between their winter and summer grounds. In fact, over 340 bird species have been recorded at WPBO. Equally important to the banding efforts are the counts that take place at the Point. Waterbirds are counted in the spring and fall, and hawks are counted each spring. And not to mention, it's the breeding site of the endangered Piping Plover each spring. All together, avian research has been taking place at the Point for more than 40 years.

To me, WPBO is a special place like no other that contributes to the ongoing effort of bird conservation. Michigan Audubon has embarked on a campaign to start an endowment for WPBO. This means that the necessary funding will always be available for the bird conservation efforts at WPBO. It means that Michigan Audubon will have the funds to hire the researchers to do the work.

This endowment will be kept in a trust that will grow each year. That means a donation from you will grow each year starting today and into the future. I invite you to join me as I support this endowment and the continued bird monitoring efforts at WPBO!

Thank you!
Natasha

Since Whitefish Point was established as a Globally Important Bird Area and avian monitoring site in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula over 40 years ago, we have simultaneously witnessed what statistics confirm is the steepest decline in North American migratory bird populations in history. With this increased awareness and concern, we are presented with opportunities to act, educate, and better collaborate on behalf of the birds we enjoy and are invested in protecting. 

There is also much to celebrate in sharing our hope and optimism in securing a bright and healthy future for Whitefish Point Bird Observatory. This year we observed three pairs of Piping Plovers, two of which successfully nested. We celebrated the Point’s first recorded sighting of a Ruff, and our owl banding program experienced its highest count of Long-eared Owls banded in a single season. The magic of WPBO is revealed in moments like this that remind us what is possible.

We know the continued long-term management and care of WPBO is important to our membership, our chapters, and our leadership, and we are committed to strategically planning for the future of this invaluable place. When Michigan Audubon acquired WPBO in 2016, a fund was established to help secure that future. We are thrilled to share that our vision and commitment to building the WPBO endowment into a sustaining fund for avian research is achievable in the near future with the support of you: our members and partners in Michigan bird conservation!

Today we are asking for your support with a tax-deductible donation to fund the multidimensional work of Whitefish Point Bird Observatory. When you contribute to this appeal, you will be making an extraordinary gift — one that will help secure a bright future for Michigan birds and will strengthen the human connection to avian conservation that is so critical to our mission. 

Michigan Audubon is committed to growing this endowment to achieve full operational sustainability of WPBO’s research program by the end of 2023. This is an ambitious goal, yet your investment today will put us on the path toward that end. A robust endowment will also allow us to redirect our annual fundraising efforts to accelerate much-needed improvements to our infrastructure, and the expansion of conservation programs and learning opportunities which include:

• Developing new internship opportunities to nurture the next generation of conservation stewards, scientists, field workers, and ornithologists.

• Expanding our seasonal staffing to enhance onsite education and engagement.

• Making structural improvements to create a new interactive and interpretive education space in the Owl’s Roost Gift Shop.

The challenges facing Michigan birds are numerous. We must continue to meet those challenges with the responsible, scientific, and collaborative action that Michigan Audubon’s Whitefish Point Bird Observatory makes possible and to share the impacts of that work with the public to raise the collective consciousness in protecting the birds we love from further declines. 

From all of us at Michigan Audubon, and on behalf of the birds these funds directly support, thank you for your generosity and your investment in Whitefish Point!