This winter I proved to myself that it was quite possible to mix
birding with cross-country skiing, at least when using a
birding binocular. (Next winter I may be crazy enough to add a
spotting scope to my ski package. ) So, as thoughts begin to turn to retirement, I have began some very preliminary research to find a place that offers both plenty of snow with the right terrain (gently sloping or a bit hilly) and still provide a good diversity of birds. To someone not familiar with birding, the number of bird species drops off , in a very general way, as you head north, but snowfall, obviously drops off as we head south. What's this cross-country skier and birder to do? It will be a compromise, to be sure, no matter what state I pick. Here's a maybe. I like the location of
Marquette, Michigan, which measures its annual snow fall in feet, rather than inches and, remarkably for being so far north, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan has quite varied bird life, not to mention some great species of the far north I have yet to see, due to the fact that it is right on the edge of some northern and southern habitats, as well as on the border between east and west. Okay, UPERS, here comes Joanie
