Vernal: A Spring Photo Project (Day 51 through Day 60)

I've fallen way behind on sharing the images from my spring photography project.  Here are my photos from Day 51 (09 May) through Day 60 (18 May).  If you haven't been following along, my goal is to photograph something outdoors in nature every single day this spring.

Day 51 (09 May 2019) - Tulips

I love tulips.  They are the only non-native flower that I regularly add to our home garden.  Last fall we planted nearly three hundred tulip bulbs all red, orange, and yellow.  I love the pop of color that they add to spring.

Day 52 (10 May 2019) - Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a birder.  I do not chase birds, but this spring the birds seemed to find me everywhere I went.  This blue-gray gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) was photographed at Mission Creek Woodland Park as it foraged on low branches of an eastern hemlock tree.  A second after I captured this image the bird flew off.

Day 53 (11 May 2019) - World Migratory Bird Celebration

So this photograph was taken indoors.  It's the only image of this entire photography project to be taken inside a building.  (I also took one indoor image during my Summer 2018 photography project.)  This picture shows my friend Rebecca Lessard with Pearl the red-tailed hawk at the World Migratory Bird Day Celebration at the Ziibiwing Center in Mt. Pleasant.  Rebecca is the founder and executive director of Wings of Wonder, a raptor rehabilitation center located near Empire, MI.  She has been the presenter at the Ziibiwing Center WMB Celebration several times.  I think this is the best image that I have ever taken of Rebecca - she is a blur of motion when presenting and it's almost impossible to photograph her well in low light.

Day 54 (12 May 2019) - Jack-in-the-pulpit

Forest Hill Natura Area is not particularly rich in spring woodland wildflowers, but I did manage to find several jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) plants in the South Woods.  I love all the shades of green in this image.  This photo was taken right at ground level using the LCD live viewer to compose the shot - I like this feature as it means I no longer have to lay on the ground to shoot images from this angle.

Day 55 (13 May 2019) - Northern Parula Warbler

Another bird that found me.  This male Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) landed on a branch right at eye level during a walk through Mill Pond Park.  Normally these birds are found high in the canopy, but they will be found lower in the forest during migration.  Although as I said before, I am not a birder, it's hard not to admire a bird as beautiful as this one.

Day 56 (14 May 2019) - Large-flowered Trillium

The Chippewa Watershed Conservancy has recently been gifted a new property along the Chippewa River east of Mt. Pleasant.  This property consists of three acres of riverbank and will eventually be developed as a preserve with a canoe landing.  On May 14th a small group visited the property to conduct a biological survey.  I identified approximately forty species of herbaceous plants including this large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum).  This image has be deliberately underexposed so that the highlight didn't completely wash out.  I like that you can see all the little grains of pollen both on the stamens and on the white petals surrounding the stamens.

Day 57 (15 May 2019) - Waxing Gibbous Moon

I have really grown to enjoy photographing the moon.  Fortunately, the sky in Alma is dark enough that I can do it right from my driveway any time the notion strikes me.  I recently purchased a new (better) tripod head that holds long lenses in place much better than what I was previously using, making this kind of photography easier.  This image of a waxing gibbous moon has been cropped to a 16:9 widescreen format for no other reason than I like how it looks.

Day 58 (16 May 2019) - Common Blue Violet

Another image photographed at home.  Common blue violets (Viola sororia) are slowly trying to take over both as a groundcover is our flower gardens and as the dominant plant in parts of our lawn.  The seeds of this flower are eagerly collected by ants.  The ants eat a fleshy coating known as an eliasome and discard the seeds in their garbage middens where they sprout easily.  I like the details such as the hairs of the flower's beard and the dark veins on the petals.

Day 59 (17 May 2019) - Environmental Education Day

For each of the past ten years the Isabella Conservation District has hosted an environmental education day for third grade classrooms in the county.  This year over 550 students and 100 adults attended.  One of the many highlights is a live display of Michigan reptiles and amphibians.  I love how the students in this image are interacting calmly and with curiosity toward an eastern garter snake.

Day 60 (18 May 2019) - Bleeding Hearts

Another photograph from our home flower gardens.  While tulips are my favorite garden flower, Shara loves bleeding hearts.  She is still upset about the bleeding heart plants that we left behind when we moved more than eight years ago.  (I will admit that the bleeding hearts that we planted in Alma have not yet grown to the magnificence of the plants that we left behind.)  One of the first photographs that I ever took with my first digital SLR camera was of a bleeding heart flower in that garden.  I cropped this image to a 16:9 widescreen format to focus solely on the flowers and remove some of the distracting foliage of other plants.

Sad news from Wings of Wonder

Sad news from the Wings of Wonder Facebook page:

"A bit of sad news to share . . . our littlest 'family' member, Ned, has passed away suddenly. Ned, a Northern Saw Whet Owl, showed signs of illness on July 9th and was gone by July 11th. We are currently awaiting the results from an autopsey so I will share that information when I receive it. Ned was one of our most popular raptors, delighting thousands of folks over the many years with his cuteness, small size, beauty and quirky personality. He will be so very, very missed . . . and I wish him well on his next journey. My loving thanks to little Ned for opening our eyes and hearts to the greatness of Northern Saw Whet Owls."

Ned made the trip to Mt. Pleasant a couple of times for the International Migratory Bird Day Celebration at the Ziibiwing Center.

Rebecca Lessard with Ned at the Ziibiwing Center (2016)

Shara and I have also been fortunate enough to visit Wings of Wonder on two occasions and see Ned (and all of the other WOW birds) at "home".

Ned in his flight enclosure at Wings of Wonder (2015)

Ned will be missed by many.   Contributions in Ned's memory can be made to Wings of Wonder.

Favorite Photos of 2015

For each of the past two years I have shared my favorite photos from the year.  Here is the 2015 edition.  Enjoy.


Most of the photos that I take fall in one of two categories.  I am either trying to take a "pretty" picture or I am trying to document something (and don't care if the photo is "pretty").  A smaller portion of my photos fall into a third category - abstract.  These pictures show unique details or patterns (rock, bark, leaves, etc.).  This first image was taken on January 14th and shows broken shards of ice, refrozen into a new pattern, crossed over by animal tracks.  Is it "pretty"?  Maybe, but it's definitely unique.

I love photographing clouds and "bad" weather.  Dark clouds add so much drama to a landscape and their brooding nature can take a hum-drum image and make it something special.  This photo was taken at the Forest Hill Nature Area on March 26th.

Year End Gifts

My wife and I are lucky.  We have all of the things that we need and we make enough money to have most of the things that we want.  We even have some money left over to give to organizations that we believe in.  For many years we gave money to a number of national organizations, but in recent years we have focused our giving on several local organizations.

If you are reading this blog, it is probably plain to see that we care a lot about nature and the environment.  If you have any spare money and are looking to make a donation here are a couple of organizations that I know can will put the money to good use.

Chippewa Watershed Conservancy
The Chippewa Watershed Conservancy is our local land conservancy.  Their mission is to protect natural habitat and open space in the counties of the Chippewa River Watershed (includes the Chippewa, Pine, and Coldwater River).  The CWC operates in five Mid-Michigan counties: Isabella, Clare, Gratiot, Mecosta, and Montcalm.  They currently protect over 4,200 acres in those counties! That's over 6 1/2 square miles through a combination of privately owned conservation easements and Conservancy-owned preserves.

In addition to preserving land, the CWC works to educate the public about land and resource conservation, natural habitats, and the species that can be found throughout Mid-Michigan.  I donate my time as well as money - I lead many of the education walks such as this one coming up in January.  I like giving to the CWC because I know that the money will be used in the local community.  You can designate how you would like the CWC to use your money.  They are currently running a campaign to purchase the highest point in Isabella County as a preserve, but right now their operating budget is a higher concern.  The CWC receives much of its operating funds through grants from local foundations - their most recent grant request was tabled until the next giving cycle, putting the CWC in a deficit for the upcoming year.  Our most recent donation was toward the operating budget.

To donate to the CWC visit their website.

Wings of Wonder
Wings of Wonder (WOW) is a raptor sanctuary and rehabilitation center located in Empire, MI.  WOW rehabilitates and releases injured raptors across northern Michigan.  In addition to rehabilitating raptors for return to the wild, WOW houses a flock of Ambassador Birds that WOW founder and executive director Rebecca Lessard uses in raptor education programs across Michigan. Rebecca and the WOW birds have been to Mt. Pleasant each of the past two years to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day at the Ziibiwing Center.  They will be back again on Saturday May 14th for the 2016 celebration.

Wings of Wonder operates entirely on donations and presentation fees.  Every dollar that is donated goes directly toward the care of the Ambassador Birds and the care and rehabilitation of injured wild raptors.  Rebecca and the WOW board of directors (and volunteers) do an amazing job!  We are very happy to make an annual donation to support WOW.

To donate to WOW visit their website.

Northwest Michigan Eagle Release (28 November 2015)

                                                    I want to fly like an eagle
                                                    To the sea
                                                    Fly like an eagle
                                                    Let my spirit carry me
                                                    I want to fly like an eagle
                                                    Till I'm free

                                                                     -Steve Miller
                                                                      "Fly Like an Eagle"


On Saturday (28 November 2015) we were lucky enough to attend the release of successfully rehabilitated Bald Eagle near Empire, MI.  The eagle, nicknamed "Miracle Boy" was struck by a car in Wexford County and rehabilitated by Rebecca Lessard at Wings of Wonder.  Wings of Wonder (WOW) is raptor education and rehabilitation center located near Empire.

I have given information on Wings of Wonder in two previous blog posts.  Rebecca has brought several of the WOW ambassador birds to Mt. Pleasant for the 2014 and 2015 International Migratory Bird Day Celebration at the Ziibiwing Center.  (Rebecca and the WOW birds will be back again in 2016!)  In April 2015, Shara and I were lucky enough to get a private tour of the WOW facility.

Releasing injured raptors back to the wild is the ultimate goal of Wings of Wonder.  Unfortunately, many birds that come in to Wings of Wonder are too badly injured to be released, this was initially thought of "Miracle Boy".  He had suffered a spinal injury and was unable to walk - otherwise the bird was healthy.  After veterinary consultation, he was given a course of steroids to reduce swelling.  With luck, this would allow the spine to heal on its own.

Fortunately, this was exactly what happened and less than a month after being found the eagle was healthy enough to release back to the wild.

There was a large crowd of several hundred people on hand to witness the release.

Despite the cold temperature, a large crowd was on hand for the release.

Before the release, Rebecca talked to the crowd about the mission of Wings of Wonder, the history of "Miracle Boy", and how the release would proceed.  Member of the Wings of Wonder board of directors walked through the crowd collecting donations.  WOW is completed funded by donations from the public.

Rebecca Lessard and two members of the WOW board of directors.

Rebecca acting out a scene from the eagle's recovery

Soon it was time for the release.  The first step was to collect the eagle from a pet carrier where it had been waiting - Rebecca said it was a challenge to catch the eagle from the flight pen so it could be released.  This is a good sign that it is a healthy bird.

The crowd anxiously awaits...

Getting a secure grip on a mature eagle is a delicate procedure.

After getting a grip on the eagle that would keep both eagle and handler from getting hurt, Rebecca walked around to show the bird to the crowd.  "Miracle Boy" weighs approximately 6 pounds and has a wingspan of over 6 feet.  He was quite a handful, fortunately Rebecca has many years experience handling large raptors.

It was great to see the number of kids in attendance - their reactions were priceless.

A happy rehabilitator - release was just minutes away.

Rebecca is great with crowds - patiently answering questions.  The eagle was also patient - he had no other choice.

Check out those talons and that hooked beak - perfect for catching and tearing apart prey animals.

After a few minutes of showing the eagle to the crowd, it was time for the release.  With a countdown of  5.  4.  3.  2.  1.

Counting down to release.

Springing into flight!

Gaining altitude!

He didn't look back!

With that, "Miracle Boy" was gone, a healthy wild bird once more.  By Spring, he should be back into his home territory in Wexford County.

If you are able, please support Wings of Wonder with a donation - all of the money goes to the birds.

For up to date information about WOW events check out their Facebook page.

Me (in my new Wings of Wonder cap) and Rebecca Lessard

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.