June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, and I really encourage you to do what you can to support research into this horrible disease that is responsible for two out of every three cases of dementia (or more).
I took these photos over the years. The top one shows the purple flowers that would spread across my mom’s yard every spring, and I hope they help you remember the folks who can no longer remember 💜
Black bear in the brush by Evan Smith
The Lansing State Journal reports that Saginaw County’s Chesaning Police Department shared an image from the village’s Showboat Park of a small black bear with the caption “Wild life is cute…. from a distance. Last night a bear cub was spotted in Showboat Park and we would like to remind everyone NOT to approach or feed a bear, especially a bear cub.“
Evan took this back in 2018 in Ludington from about 30 feet away. He said he didn’t feel threatened because the bear was doing its own thing. Check out his most popular photos on Flickr.
Lots more about Black bear on Michigan in Pictures.
What you looking at? by Watermark Photography
Jeff Simonis has been sharing some absolutely stunning photos & video of a family of loons from a lake near Traverse City lately! Here are a few, but you definitely want to check out more including this video of this little loon being fed breakfast! Follow Watermark Photography on Facebook for his latest and view & purchase his work on his website.
More loons on Michigan in Pictures.
USA Today readers have crowned South Beach in South Haven as Michigan’s Best Beach, dislodging two-time reigning champion First Street Beach of Manistee. That link has all their top 10 but to be honest, any list of Michigan beaches that only includes beaches you can drive to in 5 hours or less from Chicago is pretty lame. Nothing on Lake Huron or Superior? No North Bar or Twelve Mile Beach? (their list is below)
I’m asking all of you to help fix this outrageous circumstance. Don’t give up your favorite secret hidey hole (looking at you Magic Carpet Beach), but share a beautiful beach near you in the comments or on the Facebook post & I’ll try and share some of these through the summer!
Eddie writes “Conan and I don’t care about the laws of men or Gods. We do what we want!!”
The photo is from a Lomo LC Wide camera (half frame) on Kodak Ultramax 400 film. See more in his Lomo LC Wide gallery & for sure follow him on Flickr for lots more photographic fun!!
Today (May 27) is the tenth annual World Otter Day, an annual event held the last Wednesday in May & dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of protecting otters everywhere. Russell Bassett of Environment Michigan shared five great things about Michigan’s native otter, the North American River Otter:
1. They’re good fishers
Otters spend most of their life around water, and fish typically make up the majority of their diet. These members of the weasel family travel vast distances along waterways and over land to fish other areas. They’re good explorers, often setting up multiple dens away from their homes to find the best fishing spots.2. They’re good swimmers
River otters’ sinuous, streamlined bodies and long tails propel them through water with ease. They can turn on a dime while swimming, and hold their breath underwater for up to eight minutes. With populations in nearly every state in the U.S., their thick, warm and waterproof coats allow them to swim in very cold environments.3. They have fun
River otters are playful animals, and as far as we can tell, they’re often having a good time — swimming, fishing, sliding, wrestling, chasing each other, and just generally having a blast. We hope to be so lucky this summer!4. They play a key role in aquatic ecosystems
River otters need clean, watery habitat with plenty of prey, so they are a key indicator of the health of a waterway. River otters are not found in highly-polluted watersheds.5. When we appreciate river otters, we also appreciate clean water
In the face of pollution and uncontrolled development, river otters were once eradicated from many portions of the country. Conservation, reintroduction efforts, and national legislation like the Clean Water Act have helped bring them back from the brink.Though river otters have returned to much of their historic range, their overall population today is estimated at only 100,000. To protect the river otter, we must protect our rivers, lakes, and streams from pollution and destruction. River otters give us just one more reason – a very cute reason – to stand up for our waterways.
Brett took these photos way back in 2010. See more in his Random photo album on Flickr!
WKAR Public Media shares that Michiganders have a surprisingly higher risk of being struck by lightning:
…Lightning strikes in Michigan are on the lower side of the scale because the state gets fewer storms than many others, said MLive Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa. But the number of people struck by lightning in the state is disproportionately high, he said.
“Michigan is fairly low on the lightning strikes across the country, and that’s what’s always made us say that Michiganders put themselves in places to be struck by lightning,” Torregrossa said.
The popularity of outdoor summer activities in Michigan—like boating, fishing, camping, hiking, golfing and going to the beach— raises the odds and pushes up the statistics, he said.
“We’ve had some cases where 10 or 20 people are all struck by one lightning bolt. It strikes along the beach, travels along the beach and strikes 10 or 20 people,” Torregrossa said.
Take care out there!
Scottie took this photo way back in 2013 & says he just opened his window set the shutter to 30″. More on his Flickr.
More great lightning photos on Michigan in Pictures including this awesome one of a lightning strike on the Quincy Mine!
Tomorrow (Saturday, May 23rd) is World Turtle Day, the unofficial official holiday of Michigan in Pictures. It was created in 2000 by the good people at American Tortoise Rescue to help people just like you celebrate and protect turtles and tortoises and their disappearing habitats around the world through education & advocacy for our hard shelled neighbors.
Once again, I’m happy to report that one of the most popular features on Michigan in Pictures remains Know Your Michigan Turtles that I wrote back in 2013. With many articles & pics added through the years about every one of Michigan’s 10 native turtle species including the positively prehistoric Common snapping turtle, it may be the finest compendium of Michigan turtle resources on the planet!
Mark shared this photo back on May 23, 2021 and writes “Heavy traffic today on our driveway. This is an ancient mossy back turtle that frequents our shoreline. Some serious detail here, so please zoom in to see the dinosaur scales and massive claws.“
See more in his The Road gallery on Flickr and for sure check out his work at Leelanau Landscapes Photography.
Have an awesome & safe weekend everyone and PLEASE watch out for turtles … and your fellow drivers!
PS: If you’re wondering about the state of Leelanau’s cherry blossoms, Mark has you covered!
Ren Cen Raceway by Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix
As an estimated 1.3 million Michigan drivers get ready to hit the road for Memorial Day, elite Indy car drivers from all over the world are gearing up for next weekend’s annual Detroit Grand Prix (May 29-31, 2026). The 3-day event is a lot of fun for all ages with features including a qualifying heats and a classic sports car race.
PS: If you want to get in on the fun, the Detroit Grand Prix Association is still looking for volunteers to join their team!
PPS: The Detroiter in me is a little sad at the realization that this will be the last Detroit Grand Prix featuring the iconic Renaissance Center towers looking like this!
Red-Headed Woodpecker by Michigan Nut Photography
MSU Extension’s Michigan Natural Features Inventory lists the Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) as a species of special concern and says Red-headed woodpeckers are residents of open woodlands with widely spaced mature trees. This species typically avoids closed-canopy forest. An original inhabitant of oak and oak-pine savanna systems, red-headed woodpeckers will readily utilize golf courses, country parks, recently burned woodlands, open floodplain forest, and even rural yards with suitable nesting trees.
All About Birds has all kinds of photos & bird calls and shares that the Red-headed Woodpecker is so boldly patterned it’s been called a “flying checkerboard,” with an entirely crimson head, a snow-white body, and half white, half inky black wings. They add some interesting facts:
John captured this chonky Jellycoat in Montcalm County. Follow Michigan Nut Photography on Facebook and for sure visit the Birds & Wildlife gallery on his website to view & purchase many more amazing pics!
Gordie Gets Lit!! by Windsor Aerial Drone Photography
This Canadian Broadcasting Company article on issues surrounding the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge makes it pretty clear that the problem with opening the bridge is the problem with a whole of things these days:
For months, Canadian officials have maintained that the long-awaited opening of the $6.4 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ont., is dependent on various testing and commissioning tasks.
But fresh comments from a Canadian cabinet member as well as two top U.S. officials suggests there is a link between the current trade war and the new border crossing’s opening timeline. A White House official on Friday said the Trump administration “continues to engage with all of our trading partners to resolve longstanding unfair trade practices.”
…Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said in a statement Friday that “[d]iscussions on the Gordie Howe Bridge continue.” CBC News had asked his office similar questions about the bridge’s opening and whether it’s tied to broader trade talks. Earlier this month, Hoekstra reportedly said that Trump himself has to sign off on the opening. “There’s a lot of issues right now between the U.S. and Canada. The bridge is one more,” he told the Detroit News.
Windsor Aerial Drone Photography shared these photos & the video below from the first lighting of the Gordie Howe Bridge on September 18, 2025. Follow them on Facebook for their latest and view & purchase their work at windsoraerialdronephotography.com.
Lots more of the gorgeous Gordie Howe International Bridge on Michigan in Pictures!
