Big Green Iosco County Tour (Thursday, May 15 @ 8:30 AM – 2 PM)

If you’re interested in combining your love for birding with your passion for cycling, join Josh Haas for a Big Green Tour of Iosco County by bike. This new and exciting way to see birds at the Tawas Bird Festival is sure to be a hit. Josh will show birders the ins and outs of tallying birds safely by bike, how to strategize routes and ways to stay comfortable on the bike for long periods of time. A 32-mile route begins at Gateway Park in East Tawas and will take riders along Lake Huron via the Alabaster multi-purpose trail in search of waterbirds and shorebirds before heading north to beautiful Tuttle Marsh where riders will be blown away at the diversity of birds before them. The group will enjoy a restful lunch (provided) while birding Tuttle before returning to Gateway Park, birding all the way.

Josh recently finished a 2013 Big Green Big Year of Barry County, MI where he tallied 201 species over 1655 miles. He is an avid cyclist, has years of experience in birding and brings fun to all the groups he leads. Josh will provide a scope, carry the lunches and have emergency supplies. Cyclists must provide their own bike (road and cyclocross bikes only, no mountain bikes). Helmets will be required. Cyclists are encouraged to bring their binoculars as well as a small pack with a spare tube at a minimum. Binoculars can be carried on back (backwards) or in a larger bike pack.

The tour is limited to 8 riders who should be able to ride 32 miles on mostly flat terrain (14-15mph avg pace).

FEE: $40
LOCATION: Begins at Gateway Park, East Tawas