Winter (December - February)
In recent years the winters in the lower peninsula of Michigan have been relatively mild. This has allowed for some excellent viewing of waterfowl and gulls, especially in the southern lower peninsula. Good spots in southeast Michigan are Luna Pier, Erie Metropark, Metro Beach Metropark, and Belle Isle. In southwest lower Michigan there are accessible locations from New Buffalo Harbor (Berrien County) along the entire Lake Michigan shoreline to Muskegon (Muskegon County).

In the upper Peninsula the birding is concentrated around the Sault Saint Marie (The Soo) area. Winter finches, owls, waterfowl, and gulls are the main attraction.

December - Most larger inland lakes have open water and the great lakes are open for viewing from about any public land. Beware of some public land since hunting season continues at least through mid-December. Winter finches may have arrived in the Upper Peninsula. Winter owls may be seen but are rarer December.

January - Most inland lakes are frozen and viewing is limited to the great lakes. In good owl years, Great-grey, Snowy and Northern Hawk owls have arrived in The Soo area.

February - Much the same as January. At the end of the month there are signs of spring as blackbirds return and possibly a Turkey Vulture but winter still has a grip on most of the state.

Spring (March - May)
There is such a big difference between early and late spring in Michigan. Early spring can still feel like mid-winter and late spring is the most active time.

March - Ice on inland lakes start to melt so waterfowl and gull birding can be good. Some migrants return including blackbirds, a few raptors and a good deal of waterfowl.

April - Spring is finally here. By the end of the month a few warblers and other neotropical migrants have returned and hawk watching is taking place at Whitefish Point. Waterfowl viewing can still be decent throughout most of April.

May - As most birders know, this is the month for birding in Michigan. Warblers are generally the species of focus. The first weekend of May can still be a little quiet in the woods but clearly some warblers have arrived. The second week in May is usually the peak in the lower region of the lower peninsula. By the third week of May the birds have arrived in the upper region of the lower peninsula. By Memorial Day weekend, those birds that nest in the upper peninsula and Canada are in the upper peninsula. Birding along the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron can be especially rewarding in May. Pick any State Park during the times outlined and expect 20+ species of warblers in a day. Its worth pointing out that shorebird migration is better in Michigan in "fall" than in spring.

Summer (June - August)
The summer months bring a sense of stability to birding in Michigan (if there is such a thing). The birds are in place for the most part - now you just need to go out and see them. There a couple of reliable locations to find "good" birds. Berrien County is reliable for Yellow-throated Warbler. Lost Nations State Game Area in Hillsdale county is good for other "southern" specialties like Kentucky Warbler, White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-breasted Chat and the occasional Summer Tanager. Port Huron State Game Area in St. Clair county is a nice mix where south Michigan birding meet north Michigan Birding. Cerulean Warbler, Golden-winged, Blue-winged, Mourning and 15+ other warblers can be found here even in June. Most species stop calling by the end of June and are harder to find later in the summer.

June - Don't let the fact that May is over lead you to believe you still can't get 15+ warblers and 100+ species in a day. Most birds are through migrating so you simply head to good birding spots. Many of the State Game Areas in the lower peninsula can be very rewarding. In the upper peninsula other "good" birds have found their nesting sites like Connecticut Warbler and Le Conte's Sparrow. These locations can vary so look at the Michigan Rare Bird Alert as these are usually reported.

July - This is probably the slowest month of birding in the state. Most species have stopped signing. It can get very hot so the birds are quiet and not moving by mid-morning plus the bugs can be bad. However, by the end of the month "fall" migration of shorebirds has begun.

August - This month is primarily dedicated to shorebirds in Michigan. Pt. Mouilee State Game Area in Monroe and Wayne County is the place to be. Shorebirds generally peak around the 3rd week of August in lower Michigan but shorebird migration goes on for several weeks. Plan on spending some time at Pt. Mouilee. The area is large and you may walk 10 miles to see several of the good areas. Many people bring a mountain bike to get around.

Fall (September to November)
On your calendar Fall is the flip-side of Spring. This holds true for birding as well. However, the fall migration is not as concentrated as it is in the spring. Warblers peak around mid-September in lower Michigan and shorebird migration is wrapping up by then. Fall is also the time to expect rarities in Michigan. Whitefish Point Bird Observatory has a reputation for churning out the really rare birds in the fall.

September - Shorebird migration is slowing by mid-September but rarities still show up throughout September. Warblers can be found in Michigan throughout the month of September. Late September can still be decent. This is also a good time for Jaegers at Whitefish Point and along the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. They are by no means common but are reported annually with Whitefish Point having a half-dozen reports or more in most years. Note: Hunting season really gets going on September 15th in Michigan. Its a good idea to stay away from State Game Area, State Wildlife Areas and some State Parks. Check the Michigan DNR site for more details.

October - Overall, early October can be a little quiet. Warblers have slowed, shorebirds are limited to a few species and most of the waterfowl and gulls haven't arrived yet. However, expect Whitefish Point to report something rare. By the end of October there are usually some good gull reports as well as something good from the waterfowl category. Once again, expect Whitefish Point to have a couple of nice rarities.

November - You'll probably want to stay out of the woods since Deer Hunting season is in full force. The good news is that most of the good birds are along the great lakes and larger inland lakes anyway. Waterfowl and gulls are the focus.