Summer Photo Feature

Summer is here! Walk the woods, fields or wetlands at Chippewa Nature Center and you'll discover abundant life whichever way you turn. Be sure to watch your step, as slow-moving critters such as snails might be using the path. Bees are buzzing, flowers are blooming and green leaves are coming into their prime. Be sure to check our program calendar for our next guided hike or paddling trip, and also enjoy our trails on your own from dawn to dark every day of the year. Check us out on Facebook to let us know what you find and post your own favorite pictures from your adventures at CNC!

Snail Eyes

Young American Basswood leaves

Spiderwort

Widow Skimmer Dragonfly (immature male)

Green Frog (female)

Michigan Lily

Celebrate National Walk in the Woods Day!

From http://celebrateforests.com

This Saturday, May 21 is National Walk in the Woods Day. The American Forest Foundation is helping develop and facilitate a variety of U.S. celebrations for 2011 International Year of Forests throughout the year. This year, Saturday, May 21 is National Walk in the Woods Day, and we invite you to share this day with others. Consider helping youth and adults alike to discover a forest and learn about its importance by participating in, or leading, a “walk in the woods.”
 
Here are some ideas:

• Discover your forest!  Visit a nearby woodland, city or state park, or a national forest.
• If you own woodland, invite your family, neighbors, elected officials, or other members of your community to join you for a walk on your property.
• Take your children, grandchildren, or family/friends/neighbors’ children for a walk in the woods. Conduct an informal educational activity, for example using Project Learning Tree’s “Connecting Kids to Nature” activity series.
• Help a school improve its grounds by planting trees with students and teachers; involve a local youth club.
• Go camping, or just step outside and enjoy trees and all that they give us!

For more information, click here to plan your National Walk in the Woods Day activity.

Leelanau BirdFest: June 1-5, 2011

Though many people are aware of the Traverse City area's fame for cherries, wineries, lighthouses and spectacular sand dunes, the first annual Leelanau BirdFest is another great reason to visit the area this spring. Held from June 1-5, the event promises to "offer a wide variety of unique field trips including Birding by Tallship, endangered Great Lakes Piping Plovers, a 300 acre prairie, and pontoon boat to the Leelanau Conservancy’s Cedar River Preserve.  Every field trip, seminar and keynote program reflects our conservation theme." 

The event is sponsored by a diverse group of organizations including the Leelanau Chamber of Commerce, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan Audubon Society, Leelanau County Parks and Recreation and many more.

Birding highlights in the area include nesting Piping Plover (a federally-listed endangered species), nesting Prairie Warblers, and a wide variety of field species, such as Grasshopper and Vesper Sparrows, in areas of preserved farmland. For more info, you can print a checklist of birds found at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore by clicking here.

To find a full schedule of information and to register for the BirdFest, visit their website.

Choosing the Right Field Guide

Let's say you want to get started in birding so you head out to the local bookstore. With so many field guides out there, it can be a daunting task to figure out which one will work best for you outdoors! While choosing a field guide has a lot to do with personal preference, here are a few things to look for as you decide what’s right for you.

Narrow the focus
If you do most of your birding close to home, choose a guide that specializes on your area of the country. Books that cover all of North America can get confusing.

Pictures or drawings?
A photograph gives you a sample of a real-life bird in the wild, but drawings
may capture variations in plumage better.

Organization
A guide that presents bird species by family (ducks, warblers, etc.) is easier to use than
one that organizes birds by color or size.

Our top picks
Guides preferred by CNC staff are The Sibley’s Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America by David Allen Sibley and Birds of Eastern and Central North America by Roger Tory Peterson.

You'll find a great selection of field guides right here at the Chippewa Nature Center store!

Choosing the Right Binoculars

Spring is a great time of year to grab your camera or a  pair of binoculars and head outdoors to enjoy the natural beauty that is appearing all around us every day.

When choosing binoculars consider how well they fit your hands, eyes and of course, pocketbook. Numbers such as “8X42,” refer to the magnification (first number) and field of view (second number), or how much area can be seen. To choose the best ones for you, "field-test” binoculars indoors first by looking at small type on distant signs, items of similar color, and poorly-lit areas. Ask yourself “field” questions, such as: Do they fit your hands? Are they light enough to hold up to your eyes for a while? Can you focus quickly, and on something nearby, or only on distant objects?

There are many great articles and reviews online with expert advice to help you choose the best pair for your needs. For more information, check out this review at Bird Watcher's Digest or feel free to call a Chippewa Nature Center Naturalist at (989) 631-0830.

Naturally...

We've nearly run out of our first order of Blurb Books in the Chippewa Nature Center Store, but more are on the way! Get your autographed copy today for only $24.95 (members receive a 10% discount). Live far away? You can also pick it up in our Blurb Bookstore. For every copy sold online, Blurb donates and extra dollar to CNC! For an article about our book, including an interview with the author, check out Janet's Journals.

N A T U R A L L Y by Kyle W. Bagnall | Make Your Own Book

drive on the wild side

Bald Eagle
photo by Kim LeBlanc

STOP THE PRESSES!  The refuge just announced that the auto drive described below will NOT open April 15, because a pair of Bald Eagles are building a nest along the route.  If they continue to use that nest, it might be mid-June before the route opens.  But since eagles often build "practice" nests, the route might yet be opened in early May.  Stay tuned! 

The Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge has over 9,000 acres, but most of it has been accessible only by foot or bike, or not at all (the better to maintain it as a "refuge" for wildlife!).  But this year that changes, as a 7.5-mile auto tour opens in April. (http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Shiawassee/)

The auto route will be open 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. from April 15 - October 5, barring flooding conditions or soft roads.  And since four rivers come together at Shiawassee, take that "except when flooding" clause seriously!  To be certain of conditions, it's a good idea to call the refuge headquarters, (989) 777-5930, ahead of time. Another complication could be one of the more popular critters at Shiawassee -- the Bald Eagle.  If eagles choose to nest alongside the driving route, the opening date would have to be postponed until the young eagles leave the nest.

The route will provide wonderful access to the forests, floodplains, wet meadows, cattail marshes and rivers of Shiawassee, and its incredibly diverse wildlife.  People driving the route will be asked to remain in their cars, except at designated viewing areas, in order to limit their impact on birds and other wildlife. (Cars make great wildlife blinds!)



Check out Janet Martineau's
blog for more information
on the auto route at Shiawassee

 For more information about the auto route, check out this blog by "Friends of the Shiawassee" member, Janet Martineau,  http://janetmartineau.blogspot.com/2011/01/shiawassee-national-wildlife-refuges-75.html.
If you haven't visited this refuge before, you are in for a treat!  Over 270 species of birds use the refuge, including thousands of waterfowl during spring and fall migrations.  The refuge has been designated as a U.S. Important Bird Area by the American Birding Association. Prothonotary warblers, rails, shorebirds, nesting Bald Eagles. . . every season brings a variety of sightings!

too cold for stargazing?

Winter constellations are beautiful to behold -- on the few clear nights we get!  But if you would like to go beyond stargazing, or just want to learn more in the warmth of your living room, check out this amazing website by a retired astronomy professor from the University of Illinois:  http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/sowlist.html  Whether your interest is the ancient stories of the constellations, or the science of star formations and supernovas, this website has it all! 

In the meantime, enjoy the great views of the waning moon (waning gibbous at first, then "last quarter" on the 24th, followed by waning crescent), along with the planet Jupiter glowing brightly in the western sky just before sunset.  'Tis also the season for spectacular views of the constellations in the southern sky, such as Orion, the Winter Hexagon (called a "circle" by some, but really, it's more of a hexagon), and Orion's hunting dogs (Canis Major and Canis Minor). For great information on finding these constellations, check out this website; click on "tonight" in the upper right-hand corner:  http://earthsky.org/space From there, you can see not only stars for "tonight", but see what the coming week is bringing or search through previous articles.

The Great Backyard Bird Count

If you love birds, you're invited to join thousands of other birders in the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), held this year from February 18-21. The Great Backyard Bird Count is a joint project of the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology with Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada. This four-day event is open to bird watchers of all ages and provides information about more than 600 bird species. “There’s simply no better way to collect information about all these birds so quickly across such a large range,” said Janis Dickinson, Citizen Science director at the Cornell Lab.From reports of rare species to large-scale tracking of bird movements, the GBBC provides insight into the lives of bird populations.

In 2010, the GBBC had a record-breaking year for participation as more than 97,200 bird checklists were submitted by an estimated 63,000 volunteer bird watchers from across the United States and Canada. To participate, you just have to spend at least 15 minutes counting birds on one day of the count. When you're done counting, you simply enter your data on the GBBC webpage.

For full details, visit http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/howto.html. 

Visions of Winter

As we close out the first month of the New Year, enjoy these scenes of winter, all taken at Chippewa Nature Center. Better yet, check out our program calendar and join us for a snowshoe hike, bird walk or other adventure on and off the trails at CNC!

Our "famous" Red Oak near the Maple Sugarhouse.

If you can't come see a view in person, check out our webcam,
which hangs directly below the River Overlook.

White Pine cone



Snowy Fungi

A Black-capped Chickadee searches for seeds in the snow



A Gray Squirrel (black phase) trying to keep warm under its tail

Sunshine through snowy branches

enjoy that night sky!

Early winter is a fantastic time for viewing the night sky! It gets dark early enough to view the stars at a reasonable hour (admittedly, some people think midnight and later is still “reasonable":), but it isn’t as bone-chilling cold as those January nights are likely to be. There are many things to watch for, like meteor showers, northern lights (usually visible in mid-Michigan a few times a year), the International Space Station orbiting overhead, and of course, good old “star gazing.”


For some assistance in locating objects in the night sky, check out these links:

1) To find out when the space station will be visible, click on the nearest Michigan city on this NASA website: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/region.cgi?country=United_States®ion=Michigan It will show how many degrees above the horizon the station will be visible, and from which direction it will enter and leave your view.

2) For SERIOUS northern lights enthusiasts, a move to the far north is warranted. But for Michigan folk, this site will let you know when there is a reasonable chance of a local show: http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/
If the forecast number is “4” or higher, we have a shot at seeing the northern lights even this far south!

3) Both of these sites provide good star and planet gazing information, from general “what’s going on this week” to more detailed astronomical highlights: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/  http://stardate.org/

4) And to find out exactly when it might get dark enough to SEE the stars, the U.S. Navy has this very user-friendly site to find out when the sun and moon rise and set:  http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications

Earth Day's 40th Anniversary

This April 22nd will mark the 40th Earth Day celebration. Browse the web and you'll find many pages commemorating the anniversary, such as this one which tells the story of Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, who proposed the original idea. From the beginning, however, Earth Day was a widespread grassroots movement. Today, events are held all over the world to celebrate the Earth and it's ecosystems and to promote action on environmental issues from "old school" issues such as water and air pollution to 21st century efforts to reduce (or eliminate) our "carbon footprint." 


Michigan's largest Earth Day event will take place April 23-25 in Rochester, Michigan. According to event organizers, "The MI Earth Day Fest  will welcome to downtown Rochester an anticipated audience of 100,000 people from around Michigan, eager to learn about green and healthy living, and seeking earth-friendly alternatives in food, energy, transportation, clothing, wellness, career, home, garden, finances and more."

Closer to home, Chippewa Nature Center will be holding an Earth Day Hike from 5:30-7:00pm with Naturalist Karen Breternitz. This free program will get you outdoors into the woods to take in the sights, sounds and smells of spring. Along the way, Karen will talk about the trees, wildflowers and fungi that are getting ready for their busy season.


However you choose to celebrate Earth Day this year, we hope you spend some time to reflect on our connection to all living things on the planet we call home. Though it seems big sometimes, we're reminded every day how each insect, plant, animal, air and water molecule are all interconnected. We can all do something to care for the Earth. What will you do this year?

December Photo Sampler

Enjoy these December scenes from CNC. We hope to see you on the trails this winter, snowshoing, cross-country skiing, hiking and birding. Let's hope for lots of good snow!

Explore Michigan’s Winter Wonderland

Being active in winter is a challenge for many of us. Cold weather drives us indoors and the thought of scraping the windshield and driving on slippery roads keeps many people from venturing out into the winter landscape. This year, once the roads are clear, I challenge everyone to get active and explore the magical, snowy scenery Michigan has to offer. Grab a pair of snowshoes and search for snow!

If you’ve ever enjoyed floating on foot through a winter wonderland, you know what I’m talking about. If not, just imagine the earth shrouded under a smooth white blanket, twinkling like a billion miniature diamonds strewn across the forest floor. Tiny footprints, left by chickadees, mark the ground under a hemlock tree. They’ve gathered to celebrate a winter feast of seeds which drop from cones to dot the snow below.

Winter woods are quiet places. Most birds have left for warmer homes and many mammals den up to sleep the winter away. The rare encounters we do have with our forest friends in winter are special ones. Have you ever seen tracks of a porcupine lumbering down a trail? They drag their quills like tines of a child’s rake through a sandbox filled with snow. If you choose to follow a fox, be prepared for an inquisitive adventure. Filled with twists, turns, leaps and jumps, their wild route just might leave you wondering how they disappeared right into thin air.

Strap on snowshoes in Michigan and you can explore frozen waterfalls, magnificent ice caves, and deep swamplands where midsummer mosquitoes would simply carry you away. Or you might venture out to windy Lake Michigan and walk on thick plates of ice that line the frozen shore. The sublime magnificence of grandfather forest is only an hour and a half from Midland at Hartwick Pines State Park.

You don’t have to travel far to experience some winter fun that can really get your heart pumping. Local adventures at Chippewa Nature Center are planned each week throughout January and February with hikes just right for beginners and families. Participants can borrow several styles of traditional snowshoes to try along with adjustable poles which help you stay on your feet as you get your bearings. For a full calendar of Nature Center programs, visit us at www.chippewanaturecenter.org. Under the “Resources” section, you’ll also discover an article which will help you “Choose the Right Snowshoe.”

Whether you chose snowshoes, cross-country skis or just your snow boots, bundling up and getting outdoors this winter is really worth it. Being outdoors in the open air can banish the “winter blues” and a good dose of fresh air every day will help you avoid being sneezed upon by any sniffling noses in the house. Looking to burn some calories? Snowshoeing burns up to 45% more calories than walking or running at the same speed!

If snowshoeing sounds interesting, but you still have some questions, don’t hesitate to call the Naturalist on Duty at Chippewa Nature Center by dialing 989.631.0830. We hope you see you on the trail this winter and wish everyone a safe and healthy season – outdoors!

Christmas Bird Count - Volunteers Needed!

The Audubon Society's Frank Chapman proposed the first "Christmas Bird Census" on December 25, 1900. For the past 109 years, Christmas Counts have become a major factor in tracking the health of bird populations across North America. Why not become a "Citizen Scientist" and get involved this year?

With Christmas Bird Counts in Midland and Bay City fast approaching, we are looking for volunteer counters, as well as a new compiler for the Midland count. We would also like to thank Dr. Gene Beckham for his years of compiling the Midland event and assisting with other counts.

To sign up as a volunteer for the Midland or Bay City count (or both), please contact the following:

Bay City Count: Dec. 19
Jeanne Henderson at 989.684.3641

Midland Count: Dec. 20
Dr. Gene Beckham at 989.631.4927

This is 110th year of the Christmas count and we are looking keep this tradition alive and well in the Great Lakes Bay Region. You don't have to be an expert birder or have prior experience with bird surveys. All helpers are welcome!

November Photo Journal

Here are a few photos of Chippewa Nature Center from this chilly month of transition as autumn slowly fades toward winter. Even though much of it looks sleepy this time of year, Nature is still very busy and beautiful!

The Corps of Discovery

On August 31, 1803, two hundred and six years ago today, Meriwether Lewis set off by boat from Pittsburgh with his dog and a small crew of men, in what would become one of the greatest expeditions of discovery in American history. William Clark joined the party that October and the two men led their Corps of Discovery to explore the American West. Very little was known about this vast region of our young country (as evidenced by the 1803 map, below), much of it newly purchased from France. Today, we zip back and forth over the miles in a few hours on a plane or at 70-plus miles an hour in our cars. At the time, however, water travel was the fastest means of transportation - but only if you were traveling with the current! Ascending the Missouri River, the Corps spent two years, four months and ten days exploring the West. Along the way, they interacted with several Native American tribes, French-Canadian fur traders, and observed a vast landscape unimagined by most in the world at the time. During the journey, Lewis and Clark prepared about 140 maps of the area, showing rivers, prairies and mountain ranges, hitherto unknown by those in the East. Another major accomplishment of the expedition was a better understanding of the Northwest's natural resources. During the trip, the Corps successfully documented 122 species of animals and more than 178 plants. They even sent a caged prairie dog, which had never been seen in the East, to President Jefferson as a gift. Over the two-year journey, the expedition made more discoveries of landscapes, rivers, native cultures, zoology, and botany of North America than any scientific expedition to date. Today, you can read the full text of the Lewis and Clark journals (almost 5,000 pages) at this website. A vast treasure trove of other information about the expedition can be found by just typing "Lewis and Clark" into your favorite search engine. For those of us living, working and playing in the modern world it's almost impossible to imagine the sense of exploration and adventure the Corps of Discovery experienced. Yet, if we open ourselves to the wonder and majesty of nature, starting in our own backyards, we can still feel a deep sense of connection, appreciation and love for the living Earth and all her creatures. Pack up the kids and become your own Corps of Discovery today!

A Summer Show

After testing it out in June, a once a month photo feature seems like a nice idea. Enjoy these scenes of summer, all taken at Chippewa Nature Center!

Enjoy your time in the fields, woods, wetlands and rivers this summer. We hope to see you on the trail or in the river at Chippewa Nature Center!

Michigan State Parks "First Time Camper" Program

This spring, Michigan State Parks and Recreation Areas Urban Outreach announced the "First Time Campers" program, which will run till September. This program, sponsored by Gander Mountain, is a unique opportunity for families who are new to camping. The goal is to provide an experience for new campers to experience the outdoors. Equipment, instructions, gear and information guides are all provided for a two night stay at a reasonable rate of only $20. To help "First Time Campers" prepared for their experience, you'll receive a "welcome kit" filled with details on what to pack, what to expect, and what to wear. After check-in, DNR staff will personally walk you through setting up camp and settling in for a great time. This includes how to put up a tent, start a campfire, and tips on using a camp stove. While the campers won't get to keep the gear they use, Gander Mountain will be offering great discounts on everything you'll be trying. Here's the gear that will be provided by Gander Mountain for each participating location: 1 tent 1 tarp 2 camp chairs 1 flashlight 1 lantern 1 stove 4 hot dog/marshmallow cookers 2 fishing poles To be a part of the "First Time Camper" program, please contact the park or recreation area directly (do NOT use the regular on-line registration system!) Here's a list of participating locations: Baraga State Park Park Supervisor - Dan Dowdy, 906-353-6882 Bay City Recreation Area Park Supervisor - Mike Evanoff, 989-684-9141 Bewabic State Park Park Supervisor - Robert Strittmatter, 906-875-3324 Cheboygan State Park Park Supervisor - Paul Koszegi, 231-627-2811 Hayes State Park Park Supervisor - Tim Bauer, 517-467-7401 Hoffmaster State Park Park Supervisor - Charles Ehrlich, 231-798-3711 Holly Recreation Area Park Supervisor - Shawn Speaker, 248-634-8811 Muskegon State Park Park Supervisor - Kevin Klco, 231-744-3480 Pinckney Recreation Area Park Supervisor - Jon LaBossiere, 734-426-4913 Pontiac Lake Recreation Area Park Supervisor - Karis Floyd, 248-666-1020 Port Crescent State Park Park Supervisor - Betsy Kish, 989-738-8663 Sleeper State Park Park Supervisor - George Lauinger, 989-856-4411 Traverse City State Park Park Supervisor - Tim Schreiner, 231-922-5270 Wells State Park Park Supervisor - Hector Valdez, 906-863-9747 Young State Park Park Supervisor - Sue Rose, 231-582-7523