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Project To Create Detroit River Bird-Watching Spot

DETROIT (AP) - A $12,000 project at a park in Detroit is expected to create a new place for watching birds along the Detroit River, organizers said.

The Detroit Audubon Society, the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, the Detroit Recreation Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced that full funding had been lined up for the project along the Detroit RiverWalk at Gabriel Richard Park.

The birding spot will include scopes for spotting wildlife and an interpretive panel depicting bird migration by season. Educational events are planned four times as part of an effort to promote opportunities for watching birds along the Detroit River.

"This new feature will help reconnect people with the Detroit River to inspire a stewardship ethic and help develop the next generation of conservationists," organizers said in a statement.

A ribbon-cutting is planned for spring 2015.The birding spot will honor the memory of Georgia Reid, a resident of Detroit and an avid birder.

The Detroit River region is located at the intersection of the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways, making it a prime spot for bird watching. More than 300 species of birds live in or regularly migrate through the area, including 30 species of waterfowl, 17 species of raptors, 31 species of shorebirds and 160 species of songbirds.

Gabriel Richard Park also offers views of Detroit's Belle Isle, an island park located in the Detroit River, and the MacArthur Bridge. Work at the park is part of continued redevelopment along Detroit's east riverfront, an area that officials say is critical to the city's future.

[Learn more HERE].

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