This entry is now located at: https://michpics.wordpress.com/2015/04/16/birds-of-michigan-osprey/
Michigan in Pictures has lots more Michigan Bird photos!!
Marquette Harbor Lighthouse
Lower Harbor Light House, photo by Perucco Photography.
Terry Pepper’s Seeing the Light has an extensive recounting of the history of the Marquette Harbor Light begins:
With the Jackson Mining Company active a few miles inland, a thriving community sprang up around the natural harbor at the foot of Marquette Bay. Incorporated in 1849, docks and wharves soon appeared to support the shipment of ore. With plans underway for the construction of the new lock at Sault Ste Marie, it was plain that Marquette was destined to become the premier shipping point and destination for Superior maritime traffic. To serve as a guide to vessels entering the harbor, Congress appropriated $5,000 for the construction of a lighthouse on September 28, 1850.
Read on for information about the demise of that first light and the construction of the current light. The lighthouse is now part of the Marquette Maritime Museum and is open mid May to October for tours.
Check this out bigger and in Brett’s Waterscapes slideshow.
Many more Michigan lighthouses from Michigan in Pictures.
Water Cannon!!
From the 2010 Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival.
Check it out bigger and in Paul’s Coast Guard Festival 2010 slideshow.
Hope your weekend is a blast!
sunflower dream
sunflower dream, photo by heinrick05.
I’m about ready for a dream like this.
Check it out bigger in Heinrick’s slideshow!
Celebrating Michigan’s Water Winner: Golden Dip
Golden Dip, photo by Aver123
Our judges have selected the winner in the Celebrating Michigan’s Water Photo Contest. The winning photographer, Avery Sullenger-Wedder, will receive 2 nights at The Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor along with a Crystal River eco-tour!
View it bigger or in the Michigan Water slideshow and thanks to everyone who participated!
Slip and Slide … down Lyon Street in Grand Rapids
Slip and Slide 1, photo by JSmith Photo.
For the weekend of August 21th-22nd, Lyon St. will be shut down in heart of Grand Rapids, during which time the worlds largest inflatable water slide (500ft) will be constructed in the middle of the street in downtown Grand Rapids at NO COST to ride.
this is NOT a slip n slide! This is a fully inflatable, $30,000 WATER SLIDE, and is completely safe and approved by the City of Grand Rapids to be safe for public usage. Its all in…flatable vinyl and half a foot off the ground, it’ll be like riding on air. YOU MUST WEAR A BATHING SUIT.
Running Saturday and Sunday from 8AM-10PM on Aug 21st-22nd, this nearly two football field long, dual-laned, 10 ft. drop water slide will run COMPLETELY FREE and open to all. This slide was built in California and is professionally managed by ACP Entertainment. Whats most exciting is that by only being used once a year, this event will be able to be repeated for over 20 years to come, continuing to build in length each year!
Over 9000 people are already attending – head over to Facebook to be one of them!
Check this out bigger or in Jeffrey’s slideshow.
Muskrat
The University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web entry for Ondatra zibethicus, muskrat says:
Muskrats are found in wet environments, favoring locations with four to six feet of water. While muskrats are found in ponds, lakes, and swamps, their favorite locations are marshes, where the water level stays constant. Marshes provide the best vegetation for muskrats. They find shelter in bank burrows and their distinctive nests. Bank burrows are tunnels excavated in a bank. The nests of the muskrats are formed by piles of vegetation placed on top of a good base, for example a tree stump, generally in 15 to 40 inches of water.
…Muskrats have large, robust bodies, with a total body length of twelve and a half inches. The tail is flat and scaly and is nine and a half inches in length. Muskrats have dense fur that traps air underneath for insulation and buoyancy. Their heads are very large and their ears are almost invisible underneath the fur. The whiskers are mediun size. Muskrats have short legs and big feet; the back feet are slightly webbed for swimming. Adult muskrats have glossy upper parts that are dark brown, darker in winter and paler in the summer.
A Michigan muskrat recently made the news in these photos from the Kalamazoo River oil spill.
See this photo bigger in Eli’s Nature slideshow and check out more Michigan animals on Michigan in Pictures.
Black River Falls – Ishpeming, MI
Black River Falls – Ishpeming, MI, photo by Odalaigh.
The awesomely awesome GoWaterfalling.com has this to say about Black River Falls which are located 8 miles south west of Ishpeming off of Country Road 581 in the Escanaba River State Forest:
The Black River surges through a narrow channel here. When viewed from the front, the falls looks like a plunge, but it actually slides down the rock at a relatively gentle angle. That is fairly typical of the type of waterfalls you find in this rocky country.
…The Black River flows into the Escanaba River, which flows into Lake Michigan, making this waterfall part of Lake Michigan’s watershed. However it is probably much easier to visit while circling Lake Superior than Lake Michigan. It is only about 10 miles off of the Lake Superior Circle Tour. It is over 60 miles off the Lake Michigan Circle Tour.
Check this out background bigalicious and in Charles’ slideshow.
Many more Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures.
Breakfast on the Farm
STreeFog-5, photo by richwyllis.
We’ve had a lot of lazy, hazy mornings lately. Hope you get some time to enjoy a nice breakfast this weekend!
Check this out bigger in Rich’s slideshow!
Chillin’
Chillin’, photo by docksidepress.
It’s been a long time since I added to the Michigan in Pictures Duckie Project. It’s been so hot that I think I want to join that little guy in the pool!
View this background bigtacular or in Matt’s August ’10 Grand Rapids slideshow.
Hope you’re finding ways to chill – share them in the comments below!
Michigan in Pictures 