Construction Zone by David Bowers
The roads aren’t the only place you’ll find construction projects in Michigan these days!
David got this cool shot of a heron returning to the rookery with a stick for the nest a couple days ago. See more in his Great Blue Herons gallery on Flickr & check out more pics on his Facebook.
More Great Blue Herons, rookeries & nests on Michigan in Pictures.
Indian River Skiff by Great Lakes Boat Building School
The Great Lakes Echo has a nice feature on the Great Lakes Boat Building School in Cedarville that begins:
At the northwest corner of Lake Huron, in Michigan’s eastern Upper Peninsula, is an 80 square-mile town of 240 people, one phone booth – and one boat building school.
That school is growing explosively, bringing the entire community along with it. Experts estimate that a planned expansion of the Great Lakes Boat Building School could bring an additional $2.5 million to residents of Cedarville.
The small town has a rich history of wooden boat building and repair. For over a century, wooden boats have been the primary mode of transportation around the nearby Les Cheneaux Islands. As the boating crafters grew older, the artful skill risked being lost.
To keep its wooden boat building heritage alive, the Cedarville community founded the school in 2005.
“In all of these academic qualifications we have for high school students, we have neglected our need for tradespeople,” said Ken Drenth, former Great Lakes Boat Building School president and current director of the Les Cheneaux Islands Community Foundation. “Everybody doesn’t have to get a four-year university degree. We need plumbers and electricians and wooden boat builders.”
The Great Lakes Boat Building School shared this on their Instagram. You can read more about their building of an Indian River Skiff on Facebook.
Miners Beach Gems by Steven M Last
The warming temps are definitely bringing out the rockhounds on Michigan’s Great Lakes beaches! Stephen got this beauty shot featuring a rose quartz in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore near Munising. See more on his Flickr & happy hunting!
More Michigan rocks & stones on Michigan in Pictures.
This pic of a kid deep in his vibes in Leland’s Fishtown from a decade ago is one of my all-time favorite photos. It’s also kind of perfect for news from mLive meteorologist Mark Torregrossa that Michigan (well southern Michigan at least) might hit 70 degrees multiple times next week! Mark offers the caveat that the problem with temperature forecasts in Michigan in April & May is that even light north winds can work with Lake Michigan or Huron to push cold air down the lake. Pretty cool article – check it out at mLive.
See more in Charles’s Funky Photos and/or Leland/MI Fishtown galleries on Flickr!
Sunshine Robin by PK HyperFocal
PK captured this photo of an American robin soaking up the sun the other day. See more in their Feathers gallery on Flickr.
Much more about robins on Michigan in Pictures!
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore by Stephen Trynoski
Stephen took this shot of two massive slabs of fallen rock in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore back in 2015. See more of Lake Superior in all four seasons in his gallery.
Michigan Spring?!? by Michelle Leale
I love a good April Fools, but I just don’t seem to have it in me this year. You can check out some of my (and others) Michigan April Fools pics from years past though.
Speaking of April Foolishness, the 4″ of snow outside is testing my patience!! Michelle took this back in April of 2018. See the latest on her Flickr & have a great weekend!
Come on Spring/Summer by Kevin Povenz
All right everyone, climb aboard. We’re rolling to summer with Kevin!!
Like many of us, he’s looking forward to a little change in the weather so he shared this photo from August 2019 on the Silver Lake Dunes in case the weather has forgotten the plan. See more in his Fun/Interesting gallery on Flickr.
More Michigan dunes on Michigan in Pictures!
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Landowner Guide shares some great information about the American Woodcock (Scolopax minor):
Michigan serves as an important breeding ground for woodcock … Numbers in Michigan and other Midwestern states increased dramatically after many old growth forests were cut during the 100-year period from about 1830 to 1930. The last woodcock population peak occurred in the 1950’s. During the past 30 years, woodcock numbers have seen a steady decline. Since 1968, the number of singing males in spring has declined an average of 1.3 percent per year. Since 1985, the loss is even greater, an average of 2.8 percent per year. Hunting the birds seems to have little impact on overall numbers in the breeding population. Most experts agree that habitat loss and degradation are key reasons for the decline.
Although some people confuse woodcock with their close cousin, the snipe, the birds are separate species that belong to the sandpiper family. Unlike others in its family, woodcock prefer uplands. Woodcock are forest birds known for their erratic flight patterns and unusual spring displays by the males.
A Senecan myth says God made the woodcock from the leftover parts of other birds. Large eyes are located along the sides of the bird’s head, allowing it to see in all directions, including directly behind. A long, thin bill that averages nearly three inches in length permits woodcock to probe in soft earth for worms, slugs and other invertebrates. Nostrils lie high against the skull so the woodcock can feed and breathe at the same time. Its ears are located beneath the eyes. Woodcock stand about eight inches tall, appear to bob when they walk, and weigh about a half-pound each.
Woodcock need young-growth forests with openings for reproduction; especially in the upper Midwest where the forests are growing older. This process of natural succession is a key reason for habitat degradation, but prime cover is also lost to roads, houses, croplands, and other human developments.
Head over to the DNR to learn how interested landowners can help by creating or improving Woodcock habitat on their property & learn more about the woodcock and its derogatory names on All About Birds.
See more in Bruce’s Michigan Parks 2022 gallery on Flickr.
The day I understood everything by Fire Fighter’s Wife
“The day I understood everything was the day I stopped trying to figure everything out. The day I knew peace was the day I let everything go.”
— C. JoyBell C.
Beth took this cool shot of the remains of an old Lake Superior dock a few years ago. See more in her Waterscapes/Nautical gallery on Flickr.
Michigan in Pictures 