Confused Flowers

Due to dense fog, my morning presentations were cancelled.  This gave me the chance to skip out of the office and head for the woods.  Instead of teaching students about insects, I got to wander around my favorite park - Mission Creek Woodland Park.  Based on the season, I was not expecting to find much to photograph, but nature never fails to surprise. 

After about an hour of wandering and photographing, I found this...

A fall -blooming Marsh Marigold

That's a Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) that has recently finished flowering!  The pistils and stamen are still visible, but the petals have dropped off.

Nearby I saw another one.

A Marsh Marigold bloom in December!

This plant had complete flowers (including petals). 

Why am I so surprised to find a flower in bloom?

I'm not surprised to find a flower.  I almost expected to find a few late fall wildflowers hanging on in a secluded area of the swamp.  Some of these flowers will continue until they are covered with snow or until an extended period of cold weather kills them off.  A few minutes earlier I had found a single goldenrod plant in bloom.  This is the kind of flower that didn't surprise me.

Goldenrod flower

I am, however, very surprised to find a Marsh Marigold in bloom.  It's the 7th of December.  December!  The Marsh Marigold is a spring wildflower.  In Mid-Michigan, it normally flowers between April and June.  When I did my Wildflower Big Year in 2014, I found my first Marsh Marigold bloom on April 29th.

So what is happening here? 

I expect that that relatively warm fall and lack of snow has this flower confused.  The air and soil temperature fooled the plant into thinking it was spring and the plant responded by sending up leaves and then flower buds.  Many spring wildflowers will send up shoots in the fall, but they are killed back by frost or snow - this plant just managed to flower before the cold killed it off.

A small spot of yellow in an otherwise dull December swamp

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.

Early Morning Photos (02 DEC 2015)

Just a few photographs from Mill Pond Park this morning.  All of the photos were taken between 7:30 and 8:00AM.  The sky was kind of dull so I didn't stick around longer.  Of course, after I drove to work the sky took on a beautiful peachy/orange hue.  Oh well...

Early morning river view

Tree silhouette

Frost coating goldenrod plants

this small creek helps drain the cattail marsh beyond into the Chippewa River

Waxing gibbous moon through the trees

Sky, trees, and water

Reflections in the Chippewa River

I have spent way too much time in the office lately.  I am going to start making a conscious effort to get outside more.  On Monday December 21st, you can join me for a sunrise walk at the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy's Sylvan Solace Preserve to celebrate the winter solstice.

Answering emails...

One of the favorite  parts of my job is answering questions from kids.   Over the weekend I got this email from a student here in Mt. Pleasant. 

Hi Mr. LeValley,

This is Hannah P., and I was wondering if I could ask you some questions. I am doing a project for my church youth group about someone I know and what their job is. I have chosen you because your job interests me a lot. If you could please answer the following questions for me, that would be great.

1.       What kind of responsibilities do you have?
2.       What training and/or education did you have to obtain?
3.       What contributions do you make to society in your work field?

Thanks!

Hannah P.

I know this young lady both from school programs and from several public programs that her family has attended.  Everyone in her family has a keen interest in science and nature and it has been a pleasure to talk with all of them at these public events.  If it is the path that she chooses to pursue, Hannah has a great future in the natural science.

Here is the reply that I sent:

Hi Hannah,

I am happy to answer your questions about my job.  The answers are a little long, but I wanted to be thorough.  If you have any other questions just let me know.



1.       What kind of responsibilities do you have?
My job consists of several areas of responsibility.  First, I am responsible for creating education programs and making sure that those programs meet State of Michigan education standards.  The state standards are undergoing a change right now so I have to make sure that my programs meet both the old and new standards.  Sometimes presentations don’t work out very well (too long, too hard to understand, too boring, etc.) and I have to find ways of changing them that will make them better.
Another aspect of my job is scheduling – I work with several dozen teachers at schools throughout the county and it takes some work to fit multiple programs into their schedules.  I have over 400 classroom programs scheduled for this school year.  Sometimes I am able to do the scheduling over the phone or through email, but it is often easier to meet face-to-face with teachers so we can look at my calendar and the school calendar simultaneously. 
I also have to be flexible with scheduling.  Schools often have last-minute events that make it necessary to reschedule.  Add in snow days (and the rare days that I take off due to illness) and my schedule can change quite a bit from what was originally set at the beginning of the school year.
Planning is another important aspect of my job.  Much of my summer is spent planning for the presentations that I will give during the school year.  This includes developing new materials and ordering supplies.  I also plan for our annual environmental education day.  Planning for this event takes several months.  I have to coordinate presenters; reserve the location; make arrangements for tents, tables, chairs, and other materials; order supplies; create a schedule; invite classrooms; and a make sure of a great number of other small details.
A fourth aspect of my job is the part that everyone sees – giving presentations.  Between school and public presentations, I will spend approximately 500 hours per year in front of people.  My goal is for everyone that sees me give a presentation to learn something new about nature or the environment. 
Because I give programs on a diverse variety of subjects, I need to have an almost encyclopedic knowledge.  I get asked questions all of the time by students and adults.  There are always questions that I don’t know the answer to so I am constantly doing research to increase my knowledge.  I do this both by reading lots of books and articles on the internet and by spending as much time in the field as possible to gain first-hand knowledge.  I also try to attend several professional conferences and workshops each year.  There is always something new to learn.
A final important responsibility that I have is securing funding for my program.  The environmental education program is 100% funded by grants.  Every year or two I have to write a proposal asking for more funding. 


2.       What training and/or education did you have to obtain?
A person looking for a job like mine typically needs a college degree in one of several fields: natural resources, education, environmental education, or outdoor recreation.  It normally requires course work in biology, ecology, and interpretation.  It is also helpful to have a background in earth science (geology, meteorology, astronomy) and even history.
Another possible path to a job like mine is through experience.  Many people gain experience and knowledge as an interpreter through either volunteering or internships.  A lot can be gained by studying and learning on your own.  It is also valuable to connect with other environmental education professionals at workshops and conferences.
Like many people in the environmental education field, I have a combination of formal and informal training.  I earned a teaching certificate through Central Michigan University.  I learned a lot about local plants and animals while working for the Mt. Pleasant Parks Department.  I also volunteered as a nature guide for several years at the Forest Hill Nature Area before being hired for my current job.

3.       What contributions do you make to society in your work field?
I hope that I am increasing both people’s knowledge of and their appreciation for nature.  It is hard to care about something if you know nothing about it.  By increasing knowledge, my goal is that students and adults will do something to help their local habitats (clean up litter, clear trails, donate money to conservation, plant native plants, etc.).  I hope that by increasing knowledge I am helping people make more informed decisions about how they treat the land and water, and the species that reside there. 
At the very least I want students (and adults) to come away from one of my presentations with a sense of wonder and excitement about science and nature.  Who knows, maybe this will start someone on a path towards a career in science or conservation!

 

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

The Universe in a Sheet of Ice

This morning the low spots in the parking lot were covered with sheets of ice.  You may just see a pattern of bubbles, cracks, and the underlying asphalt.  To me it looks like an image of deep space - stars, galaxies, nebulae, comets, all dancing through the void.

Thank You Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe!

Last week, the Isabella Conservation District received approximately 200 thousand dollars from the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe! 

As part of an agreement with the State of Michigan, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe distributes 2% of its earnings from electronic gaming at its two casinos to local governments and schools.  To get any of this money, government agencies and schools have to submit a grant proposal that details what they propose to do, how it will benefit the local and tribal community, and includes a detailed budget for the project.

The money that the Isabella Conservation District received will allow us to run a community household hazardous waste disposal program and a tire disposal program in 2016.

More importantly, from my perspective, it will also allow our Environmental Education Program to operate for another year.  This means that we will be able to provide classroom programs on environmental and conservation education in local schools through the 2016 - 17 school year.  Since 2009, our programs have been presented to over thirty thousand students in the local schools.   This year I expect to provide more than 400 classroom programs, and expect to do the same for the 2016 - 17 school year.

Thank you to the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council and all employees of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe who support the Isabella Conservation District Environmental Education Program!

Chi Miigwetch!