While it may be stressful for human beings to exist in a state where their head is perpetually just above the water, Dan writes that it’s a perfectly normal thing for a frog.
If you need to unwind from an increasingly stressful & chaotic world but can’t make it to an actual pond where you can watch frogs doing frog stuff, I highly recommend Dan’s Pond Life gallery on Flickr for relatable pics that make you feel like you’re right there with him!
PS: The last photo in the gallery is one of Dan’s that I shared back in 2021 with the title “Some day, all of this will be yours”, a title amused me to no end ;)
Friends of the Rouge River share that the Hummingbird clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) aka “hummingbird” moth resembles a hummingbird in looks and flight habits. To complete the mimicry, it makes a humming sound with wingbeats that sound similar to a hummingbird and even looks similar olive green and rust colored back with lighter colored abdomen. Adults have wingspans of 1.5 to 2.2 inches – about half the size of a ruby-throated hummingbird. The caterpillar of Hemaris thysbe is light green with a bluish “horn” on its terminal end and a light-colored stripe that resembles a leaf vein.
FUN FACT: Tiny hummingbird moths strongly resemble real hummingbirds. The hummingbird moth beats its wings 30 – 40 times per second in a figure eight pattern that is similar to the pattern a of a real hummingbird. (However, actual hummingbirds beat their wings 50 – 60 times per second.) The figure eight pattern made by the wings allows both hummingbirds and hummingbird moths to hover in mid-air and to fly briefly backwards.
It wouldn’t take much to convince me to move to Buttercup World...
Michigan has almost 20 species of buttercup, but I’m pretty sure this is Swamp Buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus). Michigan Flora from the University of Michigan Herbarium says that one place it’s found is in Houdek Dunes on the Leelanau Peninsula and that it grows in moist to usually dry upland places (oak forests, sandy knolls, etc.). The other two, more widespread varieties have practically the same habitats and may indeed grow together; they are characteristic of wet areas in forests and thickets along streams, ponds, and lakes, as well as ravines and in deciduous or cedar swamps.
Wikipedia adds the fun fact that “Ranunculus” means “little frog” in Latin & refers to its preference for wet environments. They also add the un-fun fact that all parts of the plant are mildly toxic if eaten and could cause minor skin irritation if touched. The foliage is poisonous for mammals such as cows, which avoid eating it, but small rodents and birds like turkey & grouse love the seeds!
Mark took this a while back in late June. You can see his latest on Facebook and view & purchase his work at Leelanau Landscapes.
We’ve all heard of f-stops, but look at this fawn f-GO!! I shared this photo eleven Julys ago but wanted to update it with even more Fun Fawn Facts:
Fawns average 6-8 lbs. at birth
Fawns are capable of walking within a few hours
Does usually remain within 100 yards of their fawns
A 3-week-old fawn can outrun most danger
The average number of spots on a fawn is 300 (gotta love scientists!)
The whitetail fawn loses its spots by the end of October of the same year it was born, or within 3 to 4 months after birth.
As the spots disappear, the fawn’s coat also changes from its reddish color to a grayish winter coat. The buck fawn’s face grows a bit darker in color but the belly remains white
Deer tend to live in female-led family groups of up to 25 deer and may live to ten years or more
When playing together, fawn games are suggestive of children’s games like tag. Mock fighting, aggressive postures, and scent marking helps fawns refine social behaviors
Young males leave their mother after one year, but young females usually stay with their mother for two years.
The area where the fawn is born normally becomes its adult habitat
Male fawns grow pedicles (the attachment point for antlers) that are typically about one inch in length
Fawns that live past the first week have a good chance of surviving to adulthood
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.
This colorful species is by far the most common species of salamander which inhabits Michigan. It is easily characterized by the red stripe which runs down its dorsum. However, this species comes in both a “redback” and “leadback” color phase.
The reason that this species is so common statewide is because of its general habitat preference. Redbacks are almost always associated with deciduous forests which may include northern hardwoods, oak-hickory, or beech-maple forests and can be found in either uplands or lowlands. They are often found under rocks, logs, leaf litter, and other sorts of debris on the forest floor.
From record flooding to devastating ice storms, Michigan has been hit by a string of extreme weather disasters in recent years, and scientists say it’s exactly what a warming planet foretells. The latest example is widespread flooding this spring that pushed rivers and lakes over their banks, damaging homes, roads and bridges while raising concerns about dam safety across the state.
…Scientists say this pattern is consistent with a warming climate and serves as a warning that Michigan’s infrastructure must be upgraded to keep pace.
Research shows that for every 1-degree Fahrenheit increase in temperature, the atmosphere can hold about 4% more water vapor. That has contributed to a 45% increase in heavy downpours in the Midwest over more than six decades, according to Climate Central.
“The warming atmosphere can carry and transport more moisture,” said Andrew Gronewold, a hydrology researcher and associate professor at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability. This water that’s getting dumped on us is being carried by a bigger bucket in the sky. It’s gathering moisture from the oceans. It gathers moisture from across land surface, across the continent, and a lot of it gets dumped right in our region here,” he said.
When I found today’s photo, I also learned of a faith-based group called Mercy Chefs who worked to help feed people displaced by the flooding in Cheboygan. I also included a few Michigan Department of Natural Resources photos from the Cheboygan area in late April after their historic round of flooding & dam breaches. Lots more from recent years at the Flood tag on Michigan in Pictures.
…Typically visible near sunset or sunrise, pillars can reach heights of 5 to 10 degrees, and occasionally even higher. While they may appear as vertical rays, they are actually the collective glints of millions of ice crystals. When it comes to colors, pillars are truly a sight to behold. They take on hues that reflect the sun and surrounding clouds, ranging from brilliant white to various shades of yellow, red, or purple. Depending on the locations of the cloud crystals, pillars can even manifest as several vertically strung patches of light. As the light interacts with the ice crystals in the atmosphere, it creates a stunning display that captivates observers.
Yesterday morning, I came across this photo by Stephen right before I saw him making a positive comment on a photo that Sean – the photographer I featured yesterday – had taken. This was soon after I had seen photos Neil Weaver had taken at an ice cave photography workshop along with fellow Michpics photographer Aubrieta Hope. It made me realize that a huge and underrated part of Michigan in Pictures is the community of real live human beings that are as passionate about their fellow photographers as they are about introducing people to their favorite parts of Michigan. That’s a long way of saying that I am going to be working on ways to showcase the people out there clicking the shutter. One way will be to revive the Michigan Photographer Profiles with a focus on the photographers on my Michigan Photographers page. Stay tuned!!
Thanks to Stephen for allowing me to share both of these awesome sun pillar shots. He’s facing a problem that many photographers face: figuring out which of these two photos is the best to submit for a photography contest? Have a vote? Share it in the comments below or on his Facebook post and for sure view & purchase his work on his website!
While most of the nation turns its eye towards Punxsutawney Phil, true Michiganders know there’s only one source for your winter woodchuck weathercast: Howell Nature Center’s own Woody the Woodchuck. Woody has been a fixture at the nature center since (at least) 2017 when I shared the photo from John Heinz Jr of lil Woody figuring out if something was or wasn’t food.
If you’re in the neighborhood, their free Groundhog Day Celebration is already underway, but you can also tune into their Facebook livestream that starts at 8:20 am!
