Stillwater, photo by Jamey Robertson
One of the things I love about spring in Michigan – even in a very windy spring like 2017 – are those days when the water is smooth as glass.
View the photo of the soon to be filled Northport Marina bigger and follow Jamey on Instagram for more.
Love is in the Air, photo by Julie
Julie caught this pair of cardinals earlier this week. Definitely a lot of this going on out there!!
View the photo bigger and see more in her Birds slideshow.
Sante River, April 2017-19, photo by Invinci_bull
Paul’s Falls on the Sante River at Waterfalls of the Keweenaw begins:
Finding a sizeable river that flows east from Toivola/Twin Lakes is tough – finding a waterfall along one is even harder. Paul’s Falls on Sante River fulfills both of those criteria with an impressive drop down into a sandstone bowl. While much of the river is a meandering flow along a gentle rocky bed, here the water plunges over a lip of sandstone and pours down onto a steep slope of mossy rock. The river banks steepen to dangerous levels below the falls and create a descent cave on the north side.
Read on for directions, map, and more!
Nathan took this photo in April and writes “I decided to check out the remote and topographically intriguing Sante River gorge, deep in the heart of the Keweenaw Peninsula. I wasn’t expecting to find Paul’s Falls at the end of it!”
View it bigger and see more inNathan’s Sante River Exploration – April 2017 slideshow.
More Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures!
Storm’s Coming, photo by Tom Hughes Photo
This week (April 16-22) is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Michigan. mLive reports:
The Michigan State Police are asking residents to take part in a voluntary statewide tornado drill as part of the state’s Severe Weather Awareness Week. The drill is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 19. Gov. Rick Snyder had declared Michigan’s Severe Weather Awareness Week from April 16-22. If severe weather occurs on April 19, the statewide tornado drill will be rescheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday, April 20.
Nearly all state of Michigan facilities are expected to participate, and businesses, organizations and individual residents and their families are encouraged to join in as well.
“Tornadoes can develop rapidly, with little or no warning,” said Capt. Chris A. Kelenske, Deputy State Director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and commander of the MSP/EMHSD. “Due to their unpredictable nature, we must be ready well in advance. We’re asking residents and businesses to take a few extra steps during the week to ensure they’re prepared.”
Tornadoes are especially prevalent in late spring and early summer, and the average lead time for tornadoes to develop is 10 to 15 minutes. In the event of a tornado, state officials recommend residents find the lowest place to take cover, take shelter under something sturdy, stay tuned to local weather broadcasts and watch for signs of a tornado, including dark skies, large hail, a large low-lying cloud and a loud roar.
Tom caught this spring storm rolling through last week at the Springfield Oaks Ellis Barn. View it bigger, see more in his Thunderstorms slideshow, and view & purchase work at Tom Hughes Photo.
More wild weather on Michigan in Pictures!
Yellow Rumped Warbler, photo by Jeff Dehmel
Jeff’s back with another bird everyone! I couldn’t resist – the colors on this are so perfectly April!! Here’s a couple of facts on the Yellow-rumped Warbler from All About Birds:
Yellow-rumped Warblers are impressive in the sheer numbers with which they flood the continent each fall. Shrubs and trees fill with the streaky brown-and-yellow birds and their distinctive, sharp chips. Though the color palette is subdued all winter, you owe it to yourself to seek these birds out on their spring migration or on their breeding grounds. Spring molt brings a transformation, leaving them a dazzling mix of bright yellow, charcoal gray and black, and bold white.
The Yellow-rumped Warbler is the only warbler able to digest the waxes found in bayberries and wax myrtles. Its ability to use these fruits allows it to winter farther north than other warblers, sometimes as far north as Newfoundland.
They’re the warbler you’re most likely to see fluttering out from a tree to catch a flying insect, and they’re also quick to switch over to eating berries in fall. Other places Yellow-rumped Warblers have been spotted foraging include picking at insects on washed-up seaweed at the beach, skimming insects from the surface of rivers and the ocean, picking them out of spiderwebs, and grabbing them off piles of manure.
The oldest recorded Yellow-rumped Warbler was at least 7 years old.
View the photo background big and see more in Jeff’s Holloway Reservoir slideshow (where you’ll see his photo of a bald eagle from not long ago).
More spring wallpaper and more birds on Michigan in Pictures.
Say you will, photo by Brian Wolfe
Brian took this back in April of 2009 and shared some thoughts that I think all photographers (and people) would do well to consider:
This weekend I resolved to wake up for the dawn. With the days growing longer and the sun rising earlier, it will only get more difficult the longer I put it off. I was hoping for some brilliant cloud pattern to reflect amazing colors but like what happens so often, it was just (what I like to call) bland. This kind of killed my energy and I felt like I would rather have slept-in. Instead of turning for home, I expanded my perception of my surroundings, opened my eyes, and came up with some great stuff (I think so anyway).
View the photo background bigilicious, see more in Brian’s The Top Thirty slideshow, and definitely follow Brian on Instagram!
More Spring Wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.
Ode to Spring, photo by Sue Fraser
Suddenly there’s no more snowing,
Balmy breezes blithely blowing,
Lilacs bloom, the lawn needs mowing–
Oh, what glee!
-Robert G. Shubinski (full poem)
Spring isn’t quite this far advanced, but if you want to add to the amount of spring in your life,take a walk through the spring wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures – lots of great pics in here!
You can see this photo background bigtacular and see lots more in Sue’s Fantastic Flowers slideshow.
Rainbow and fog bank over the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, photo by Ann Fisher
May you have all the happiness
And luck that life can hold
And at the end of your rainbows
May you find a pot of gold.
~ Old Irish Blessing
A very happy St. Patrick’s Day and health & good fortune to you all!
View Ann’s photo background bigtacular and see more in her 2016 UP slideshow.
Lots more St. Patrick’s Day on Michigan in Pictures!
Hopefully the daffodils are tougher than I am, photo by Bill Dolak
Bill took this shot yesterday at Celery Flats Park in Portage where it got down into the teens the night before.
View the photo background bigilicious and see more in his Portage, Michigan slideshow.
More spring wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.
Michigan in Pictures 