The Days of Summer - Day Thirty-eight through Day Forty-four

This is part six of my current photography project - The Days of Summer.

In the past, I have had times where I have gone days or even weeks without taking photographs.  This summer I set out to change that tendency.  I gave myself the task of recording images every single day between the Summer Solstice and the Fall Equinox.  Not only do I need to photograph something every day, but I am also sharing a single photo from each day on this blog.

To see the previous installment (part four) check out this link.

Day 38 (28 July 2018) - Lights! Camera! Moths...

The week of 21 - 29 July was National Moth Week.  In celebration, I hosted two mothing events on the nights of 27 July (for the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy) and 28 July (for the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club).  This image is from the latter event at Mission Creek Woodland Park in Mt. Pleasant.  This image was taken shortly after the sun went down as the moths had barely started to come in.  Lots of moths were drawn to the lights, but this image was my favorite of the night.

Day 39 (29 July 2018) - Woodpecker Feather

This picture of a woodpecker flight feather was taken during a hike to the top of Bundy Hill.  This feather belongs to either a Downy Woodpecker or a Hairy Woodpecker.  Although these two species look very much alike, they are not closely related.  The current theory is that the Downy evolved to look more like the Hairy so it wouldn't be harassed by the larger bird.

My general philosophy in regards to photo editing is that "Less is More."  This picture is probably the most heavily edited image I have ever posted on this blog.  It has been rotated 180 degrees from the original - I liked the quill better in the lower left of the image than in the upper right.  The image has also been cropped to better focus on the feather.  Even though I prefer to "crop with my feet" (move closer to the subject), I am usually okay with cropping an image down to better focus on the main subject.   I have also adjusted the brightness of this image.  The picture was taken in direct sunlight and the colors were rather washed out in the original.

Day 40 (30 July 2018) - Oh, Hello!

This picture of a Goldenrod Soldier Beetle (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) on a Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) was photographed at Forest Hill Nature Area.  The beetle was feeding on pollen and nectar on the small individual flowers.  To highlight the beetle against the sky, I lay on my back in the middle of a trail, leaned against my camera bag for support and, and aimed the camera upward.  I probably shot two dozen images of this beetle as it crawled around the flower, but the pose in this picture made it my favorite.  This image has been cropped slightly to reduce the amount of open space at the top and left of the picture.

 Day 41 (31 July 2018) - Carolina Locust

Unlike the previous two pictures.  This image has not been edited at all.  I photographed this Carolina Locust (Dissosteira carolina) at Chipp-A-Waters Park in Mt. Pleasant.  To get this picture I lay on a slab of limestone along the edge of the Chippewa River and focused tightly on the grasshopper.  I was at the minimum focus distance for the lens on my camera.  By working so close, I lost a little bit of detail on the legs, but check out the veining on the wings and the pattern on the head, thorax, and abdomen!

Day 42 (01 August 2018) - Halloween Pennant

This image was also photographed at Chipp-A-Waters Park.  After photographing the Carolina Locust on the 31st, I noticed a Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina) hunting in a grassy area along the riverbank.  Despite repeated attempts, I was never able to get a picture that I made me happy.  I went back the next morning to try again.  I actually arrived too early and had to wait for insects to begin flying.  Eventually this Pennant showed up and I was able to get several photos.  I cropped this from a horizontal to a vertical image.  I liked the original, but I liked the vertical crop just a little bit more.

Day 43 (02 August 2018)

This picture was taken at North Higgins Lake State Park.  I spent the day doing a pair of activities for a summer camp being held by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.  Due to stormy weather, we adjusted the schedule a little bit.  This left me with some time before my morning activity.  Although this is not the greatest image, I like the repetition of the spherical water droplets throughout the picture.

Day 44 (03 August 2018)

My final photo for the week was taken at Mission Creek Woodland Park.  Although sometimes I have a plan I go out to take photos (like with the Halloween Pennant pictured above), at other times it pays to just wander and see what happens.  I found these Crown Coral (Clavicorona pyxidata or Artomyces pyxidatus) growing on a rotten log in the middle of the woods.  If I hadn't wandered away from the trail I never would have discovered them.  Coral fungi are some of the coolest looking fungi that grow in Mid-Michigan, but I sometimes find them a challenge to photograph because they are such a start contrast to the dark wood.  I decided to crop this picture as a square eliminating another clump of fungus to the left of the picture.

Upcoming Event - Chippewa Valley Audubon Club Member Sharing Night (13 December 2017)

Due to weather the CVAC meeting for 13 DEC 2017 was cancelled.

Join the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club this Wednesday (13 DEC) for the Club's regular monthly meeting.  The meeting will begin at 7:00PM at the Veterans Memorial Library at 301 S. University Avenue in Mt. Pleasant. 

This month's meeting is the Club's annual Club Member Sharing Night.  Club members are invited to share photographs, artwork, and other memorabilia highlighting their year in the outdoors.  I plan on sharing a dozen photos.  Some of these photos were taken locally, others date to our vacation in the Dakotas.  Here is a sneak peak of one of the images...

Summer Rainstorm along Interstate 90, South Dakota (30 June 2017)

Public Event - Creatures of the Night program (11 October 2017)

Come join the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club at our next monthly meeting on Wednesday 11 October 2017 at the Veterans Memorial Library in Mt. Pleasant (301 S. University Avenue).  Our program this month will a be a presentation of "Creatures of the Night" featuring live nocturnal animals.  This program is being presented by the Howell Nature Center.  Please note that this event starts at 6:00PM rather than our usual start time of 7:00.

Upcoming Event - Bluebird Nest Box Build (Saturday 19 March 2016)

This Saturday (19 March 2016) at 9:30AM, members of the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club will be building nest boxes for Eastern Bluebirds (and other small cavity-nesting birds) at the Mt. Pleasant Parks maintenance shop at Nelson Park in Mt. Pleasant.  We will be building the same type of box that I wrote about in my post from February 22nd.  Materials for these nest boxes  cost approximately $16.

I am the leader for this event.  If you live in the Mt. Pleasant area and are interested in building a nest box, please contact me before noon Friday (18 March) to reserve a place.  My email information can be in my profile to the right.

Upcoming Event (09 DEC)

 

Next Wednesday (09 DEC), join the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club from 7:00PM to 9:00PM at the Veterans Memorial Library in Mt. Pleasant for our annual Club Member Sharing Night.  Members of the CVAC are invited to bring digital pictures, prints, artwork, crafts or other memorabilia highlighting outdoor activities.

This is one of our most popular meetings of the year.  If you have never attended a CVAC meeting, this is a great chance to learn more about the club and its members' interests.

Upcoming Event - Bats of Michigan Presentation (14 October 2015)

Join me and other members of the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club (CVAC) at the Veterans Memorial Library in Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday 14 October 2015 for a presentation on the "Bats of Michigan".  The presentation is part of the CVAC's monthly meeting for October.  Our meeting begins at 7:00PM.  The Veterans Memorial Library is located at 301 S. University Ave in Mt. Pleasant.

The program for October is being presented by the Organization for Bat Conservation.  Founded in Michigan in 1992, the Organization for Bat Conservation has presented hundreds of bat education programs across Michigan and surrounding states.  Since 2002 they have partnered with the Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills, MI to operate the Bat Zone, a permanent exhibit showcasing bats and other nocturnal animals from around the world.

This description of the "Bats of Michigan" program is from the Organization for Bat Conservation's website.

Learn About Local Bats in Your Own Backyard!

Discover the fascinating world of Michigan bats! Often misunderstood or overlooked, these bats play a key role in Michigan’s environment and economy. During this live animal program, you will learn why bats are important to the state, where Michigan bat species are located, and how to identify them.

The Bats of Michigan live animal program also explores the greatest threats facing Michigan bat populations including White-nose Syndrome–a deadly fungus that has already killed 6 million bats throughout the U.S. Learn more about the threats and what we all need to do in order to protect these important creatures.

Live bats include insect-eating bats from North America and a flying fox bat from Africa.

Please join us for this exciting opportunity to view live bats up close.  The meeting is free to attend, but donations are accepted.  The Chippewa Valley Audubon Club is able to provide public programs such as this through membership fees and donations.  An annual membership in the CVAC is only $5.00 for an individual or $10.00 for a household.  Student memberships are available for $2.50.

Field Trip - Michigan's Largest Giant Sequoia

Yes, you read the title of this post correctly.  It does say "Michigan's Largest Giant Sequoia".

The Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) is native to the west slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains Range in California.  They are among the largest and oldest living organisms on earth.  Record trees have been measured as tall as 311 feet (94.8 meters) and with a trunk diameter of 56 feet (17 meters).  There were more than 3500 growth rings counted on the stump of one tree!

The trees that are found in Michigan are babies in comparison.  Because the Giant Sequoia is not native to the state, any Sequoia found here has obviously been planted by man.

The largest Giant Sequoia in Michigan can be found at the Michigan Audubon Society's Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary.  Lake Bluff Sanctuary is located just north of Manistee, MI at 2890 Lakeshore Road (just north of Orchard Beach State Park.  This is about a two hour drive from Mid-Michigan.

The Lake Bluff Sanctuary was donated to Michigan Audubon in 1988.  The property was previously an estate owned by Edward and Gertrude Gray.  Mr. Gray was the nephew of the founder of the Morton Salt and managed the company's salt plant in Manistee.  They purchased the property in 1936 and began building a home.  The home is now operated by Michigan Audubon as a Bed & Breakfast (rates are $80 - 95 per night depending on the room).  During our visit to the sanctuary we booked a weekend for later this fall.

Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary Bed & Breakfast

  
On the grounds of the estate they established an arboretum with over 70 varieties of trees from around the world.  One of the species that was planted was the Giant Sequoia.  Six of these were planted in 1948.  Of those six, tree remain alive.  The tallest of these is approximately 95 feet (approx. 29 meters) tall.

Michigan's largest Giant Sequoia - Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary, Manistee

The above photo doesn't look that impressive until you add a human being into it for scale.  Here is a photo of me standing next to the tree.

A photograph of me with Michigan's largest Giant Sequoia - photo by Shara LeValley

These lower branches have died out naturally as the branches above shade them out.  Eventually the tree will drop these branches.

Giant Sequoia at Lake Bluff Sanctuary

One thing that amazes me about sequoias is the relatively small size of their cones.  The cones are not much larger than those of a red pine.  The seeds that come from the cones are only about 1/4 inch long.

Giant Sequoia cone - photo by Shara LeValley

Giant Sequoias were not the only interesting trees planted in the arboretum.  We also found this Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), American Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), and many other other species.

Me standing next to a Dawn Redwood at Lake Bluff Sanctuary - Photo by Shara LeValley

Ginkgo leaves and fruit

American Tulip Tree leaves

Outside of the arboretum, much of the grounds have been restored with native plants.

 

Other features of the site include over 300 feet of Lake Michigan Shoreline, two miles of walking trails, and a great view of the lake from atop the bluff.

The view from Lake Bluff Sanctuary

Michigan Audubon also operates a small visitor center at the preserve.  I doubt that there is usually anyone manning the center, but it is a nice place to get out of the weather for a few minutes.

Visitor center at Lake Bluff Sanctuary

With everything that the Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary has to offer for nature lovers, this is definitely worth the two hour drive from Mid-Michigan.  The Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary is open daily from dawn until dusk.  There is no admission charge to the grounds but donations are encouraged. 

Like a moth to a flame...

Disclaimer:  There were no actual flames used in the writing of this post. Moths were attracted using lights, not flames.

Last week was National Moth Week. 

On Saturday night (25 JUL) a group of eleven members of the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club gathered at Mission Creek Woodland Park for a moth hunt. 

For many people the word "hunt" implies active pursuit - visions of specially trained dogs, and small bore shotguns; the smell of waxed canvas, gun oil, and leather; hours of walking and then seconds of pulse-pounding excitement as the moths are flushed from cover by the dogs! 

This "hunt" is nothing like that.

For those that have never hunted moths, this actually more of a moth "wait".  We set up a series of lights and sheets and stand around waiting for moths and other insects to appear out of the darkness.

Waiting for moths

This is the second time that we have attempted this activity.  When we did it at the end of June in 2014, we mostly attracted a bunch of nondescript small brown moths that were very hard to identify.  We had a lot of that again this year, but we also had several distinctive species that we were able to identify based on their characteristics.

One of the first moths to show up at the lights was the Painted Lichen Moth (Hypoprepia fucosa).  Several of these moths showed up over the course of the evening.

Painted Lichen Moth

The most distinctive moth of the evening was the Clymene Moth (Haploa clymene). This moth was easily identified by the cross-shaped pattern on its wings.  Although it can't be seen in this photograph, this moth has bright yellow underwings.

Clymene Moth (Haploa clymene)

Another moth that we identified in the field was the Cherry Scallop Shell (Rheumaptera prunivorata).

Cherry Scallop Shell moth

The next moth is one that I photographed, but did not identify in the field.  A quick internet search reveals this to be a Lesser Maple Spanworm (Speranza pustularia).  The small brown spots on the leading edge of the wings are the identifying characteristic of this species.

Lesser Maple Spanworm moth - note distinctive brown spots on edge of forewing

We were able to identify several other species, but unfortunately I did not get photographs of all of them: Grapevine Looper (Eulithis sp.), Grapeleaf Roller (Desmia sp.), Emeralds (various genera).

Moths were not the only animals attracted by the lights.  We had a single female dobsonfly or fishfly that showed up.

One of the kids at the moth hunt found a green-phase Grey Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor).  These frogs are able to change color based on habitat.  This one just happened to be green when it was found.

A green Grey Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor)

My favorite photograph of the night was of a daddy long-legs or harvestman silhouetted against the sheet.  Although these arachnids resemble spiders and are often confused with them, they are actually in a separate Order (Opiliones).

Daddy Long-legs at night - not a spider.

If you missed out on this moth hunt, you have another chance.  This Friday (31 July 2015) I will be leading another moth expedition.  This time it will be at the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy's Sylvan Solace Preserve.  This hunt is being done to commemorate a "blue moon".  The moon will not actually turn blue.  the term is used to describe a month with a second full moon.  For more information and to register for this event please visit the CWC website.  The event is free, but a donation to the CWC is encouraged.

A Quick Thank You

I would like to offer thanks to the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club.

Last night at the club's monthly meeting, members voted to contribute $350 to support the 2015 Bird Day Celebration at the Ziibiwing Center.  This money will pay half of the appearance costs for speakers at the event.  This is the second year that the club has made a donation to cover speaker fees.

Our main presentation will be by Rebecca Lessard from Wings of Wonder.  Wings of Wonder is a bird rehabilitation center located in Empire, MI.  Rebecca gave a presentation on raptors at last year's Bird Celebration and was so popular that we ask her back again this year.

Here is a picture of Rebecca and Doolin the Turkey Vulture at last year's event.

The other person that we are pleased to invite to the program this year is Amelia Hansen.  Amelia is the artist who did the artwork for the 2015 International Migratory Bird Day poster.  Amelia is from Kalamazoo, MI and I was very excited to have here come to our Bird Day Celebration.  Amelia will be giving a short talk and signing poster during the event.

Here is her poster design - I love that almost all of the species can be found in Michigan during some part of the year.  We will be giving out free full size copies of this poster at Ziibiwing during Bird Day.

Again, thank you to the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club for helping sponsor this event.  As soon as an event flier becomes available I will post it here.

Gifts and Giving

Last December I wrote a post titled "Ten Things Kids Should Ask for This Christmas (or Their Parents Should Get for Them Anyway)".  The list included items to help kids get outside(rubber boots and a waterproof jacket/raincoat); things useful to help kids find things (aquatic dip net, insect net, and magnifying glass); and tools for identifying and recording their finds (guide books, a notebook/sketchbook, colored pencils, a pencil sharpener, and a cheap digital camera).  I still think this list is appropriate for kids of ages (including adults).

This year, instead of suggesting gifts for kids.  I would like to suggest giving money to groups that support the environment.  I used to gift money to national groups, but now I prefer to give my support to groups that support conservations and education efforts locally.

Chippewa Valley Audubon Club

My wife and I are members of our local Audubon chapter - I am currently the vice president.  Every year we pay our annual membership dues, but we also typically give a small donation to the club.  I know that our money goes to support educational nature programs in our local area.

Chippewa Watershed Conservancy

We also give an annual donation to the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy.  The CWC  currently protects over four thousand acres in the local community through conservation easements and a series of preserves.  This year for our donation, we did something a little bit different.  

I own a lot of plaid shirts - more than twenty in all.  I wore a different one every week day during the month of November.  My wife posted a photo of my shirt each day on her Facebook account - at the end of the first three weeks we challenged all of her friends and family to wear a plaid shirt on the same day.  We said we would donate $5 to the CWC for each person who joined me in wearing plaid that day.  Fifteen people took up the challenge - meaning that we would donate $75 dollars in response.  We made a further (previously planned) donation at the same time.  It was fun  including other people in our gift giving and I plann on doing something similar in 2015.

Wings of Wonder

The third organization that I plan to make a gift to before the end of the year is Wings of Wonder.  Wings of Wonder is a non-profit raptor sanctuary located in Empire, MI - that's in the northwest corner of the Lower Peninsula.   In addition to providing a sanctuary for injured raptors, Wings of Wonder provides rehabilitation services for injured raptors that can be released to the wild, and provides numerous raptor education programs throughout the northern Lower Peninsula with their ambassador birds.  

Rebecca Lessard is the founder and director of Wings of Wonder.  In May, Rebecca brought several of the WoW ambassador birds to Mt. Pleasant for our International Migratory Bird Day Celebration at the Ziibiwing Center.  The presentation was absolutely wonderful.  In October, Rebecca lost her husband Don.  After Don's passing, the WoW board of directors cleared Rebecca's schedule for the remainder of the year.  Because Wings of Wonder gets approximately 30% of its revenues from presentation fees, this meant a significant part of WoW's income suddenly disappeared.  If you have any extra funds and can make a donation, I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.

Upcoming Events - 06 DEC and 10 DEC

Just a reminder about a couple of upcoming events. 

First up is an event this Saturday at the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy's Sylvan Solace Preserve

Sylvan Solace Late Fall Prowl (Saturday 06 December 2014)

Join me on Saturday December 6th at 7:00PM at the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy's Sylvan Solace Preserve for a moonlight walk.  This event is free but participants are required to register.  Please see the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy website for more information on this event.

Also on Saturday is an event at the Chippewa Nature Center in Midland.


Nature Art Show & Sale (Saturday 06 December 2014, 8:00AM - 5:00PM)


From the Chippewa Nature Center website:


"Artists at the show will offer some of the best photography, wood carvings, copper sculpture, pottery, books, baskets and more! Come to the art show to fill your holiday list, make your wish list, or just to enjoy the art. Either way, we hope to inspire you to protect the natural world."

If you haven't finished (or begun) your Christmas shopping this is a great place to buy a nature-related gift for someone special - or buy something for yourself.


The third event that I would like to mention is scheduled for the December 10th.


Club Member Sharing Night (Wednesday 10 December 2014)


Join the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club from 7:00PM to 9:00PM at the Veterans Memorial Library in Mt. Pleasant for our annual Club Member Sharing Night.  Members of the CVAC are invited to bring digital pictures, prints, artwork, crafts or other memorabilia highlighting outdoor activities. 

I plan on sharing 12 photos, one from each of the past 12 months.

Upcoming Event - 08 OCT 2014

Please join the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club on Wednesday 08 October 2014 for our monthly meeting.  The meeting begins at 7PM and is held at the Veterans Memorial Library in Mt. Pleasant.  This month's presentation is on the Passenger Pigeon.  This year marks the 100th anniversary of the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon, once the most numerous bird on the planet.

Upcoming Events - Saturday 13 September 2014 and Saturday 20 September 2014

Monarch Butterfly Celebration

Just a reminder that tomorrow (13 SEP 2014) is the annual Monarch Butterfly Celebration at the Ziibiwing Center at 6650 E. Broadway just east of Mt. Pleasant.   This event is always fun for kids.  Unlike last year, we actually have some Monarchs to tag and release tomorrow.  Release of the butterflies will depend on the weather.

Wildflower Walk

Next Saturday September 20th I am scheduled to lead the first outing of the 2014-2015 season for the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club.  We will be visiting Mission Creek Woodland Park at 1458 N. Harris St. in Mt. Pleasant to search for fall windflowers - if you plan on attending this event I suggest you wear rubber boots as we will be visiting the wetlands in the park.



White Snakeroot - photo from September 2013

Program Reminder - 12 FEB 2014

Tonight (12 FEB 2014) the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club will be holding its regular monthly meeting at 7:30PM at the Veterans Memorial Library in Mt Pleasant.

Our speaker this month is Professor Daniel Patterson of Central Michigan University.   Dr. Patterson will be discussing journals from John James Audubon's 1943 journey in the American West.  From the CVAC website:

      "The discovery of three original journals from Audubon’s 1843 expedition to the confluence of
        the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers leads us to a new and more accurate understanding of 
        what the namesake of the Audubon Society actually thought about how humans should relate
        to wildlife.  Throughout his career, his gunning ethic was a messy work in progress, but by the
        time he was done (1851), he was one of the first to advocate for the ethical consideration of
        birds and human restraint in the environment.  Daniel Patterson discusses."

This event is free and open to the public.

Upcoming Event - 11 December 2013

This Wednesday (11 December 2013) at 7:00PM the Chippewa Valley Audubon Club will be hosting its regular monthly meeting at the Veterans Memorial Library in Mt. Pleasant.  We use our December meeting as a Club Member Sharing Night.  This is an opportunity for club members to share photographs, videos, artworks, and other items highlighting their outdoor activities from the past twelve months.  I plan on sharing about a dozen photographs (some of which have been featured on this blog) taken in Mid-Michigan and on my summer vacation to Maine.

If you live in Mid-Michigan please feel free to stop by for this meeting - our meetings are always open to the public.  It is a great opportunity to meet other nature lovers and see what people are finding of interest in the outdoors.