| First Week | Second Week | Third Week | Fourth Week | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2007 |
The sac fungi or ascomycota contain the highly prized morels and truffles. Although both are edible, most sac fungi are poisonous. If you plan to go ‘shroom hunting this spring, you should attend our “Morels and More” class before breaking out the butter and garlic. | Morels. We’ll tell you where to find them. Oh, wait a minute...sorry, our connection seems to be fading. Hello? Are you there? Yes? Good! OK! Well, as we were saying, we can help you find morels. First, you should head north on Brutus Road (which runs east-west)... | Wake up your senses some morning this week by listening to the dawn chorus. Why do birds sing first thing? Songs broadcast at dawn carry about 20 times better than songs performed at noon. In addition, the light is too poor for hunting insects. So if you can’t eat, why not sing? | This week we honor Rachel Carson, biologist and writer (born May 27, 1907; died 1964). Her book, “Silent Spring,” was published in 1962 and raised public awareness about the indiscriminate use and impact of chemical pesticides. Let’s hear it for organic gardening! |
| June 2007 |
Could there be anything that screams “Summer!” more than hunting for tadpoles in a pond? Most frogs may eggs in large masses or strands. It takes most tadpoles three days to “hatch” out of their soft, shell-less egg. Once the tadpoles develop hind legs, they drop their vegetarian habit and become voracious carnivores. | Thoreau wrote, “Each new year is a surprise to us. We find that we had virtually forgotten the note of each bird, and when we hear it again, it is remembered like a dream, reminding us of a previous state of existence...The voice of nature is always encouraging.” This week, your job is to prepare for a wonderful summer. | A rainy night is a wonderful time to watch worms. If you look carefully, you’ll see that the average earthworm’s body has more than 200 segments. You won’t find any eyes or see the 450,000 taste buds per square inch of body surface. Wow! Get out there and be a worm watcher this week. Who cares what the neighbors think? | Dragonflies are amazing animals and entertaining companions. Find them near streams, rivers and ponds. Observe them by finding a sparsely vegetated stretch and pushing a stick into a bank at an angle so that it overhangs the water. If you’re lucky, a dragonfly will use your stick as a perch while it hunts for lunch. |
| July 2007 |
Many toads and some frogs have toxins in glands in their skin—as if the warts weren’t enough to put off their potential predators. Some scientists think that the toxins help keep the skin free from bacteria and fungi, which would otherwise grow unchecked in the moist, warm habitats where these animals live. | Known as pillpug, sowbug, or roly-poly (our favorite), the lowly isopod (“legs are the same”) favors dark, damp places. They aren’t insects at all—they are the terrestrial relatives of crabs and losters. But don’t even think of boiling them up for dinner. | Goldfinches are among the latest nesting
birds in Michigan. They wait for thistles to bloom and then use the down
for their nests. Watch for their undulating flight and their, “Potato chip...dip!” call in open fields and shrubby edge habitats. |
In 1955, Michigan State University awarded the first graduate degree in horticultural/occupational therapy. Gardening is good for the soul. You can be nice to the plants and nasty to the pests and still sleep well at night, regardless. So thumbs up (green thumbs, that is) to gardeners everywhere! |
| August 2007 |
Let’s hear it for chloroplasts, the tiny factories in plants’ tissues where photosynthesis takes place. Only 1% of the sun’s rays are trapped by plants and converted to sugar. | The Perseid Meteor Shower occurs on August 12th. For best
viewing, locate Perseus in the night sky about 1–3 hours after midnight,
when viewing is best. There’s no need for binoculars or telescopes. Just sit back and enjoy! |
Bats have been around for 50 million
years. Not the same bats, of course, but you get our drift. There are 850–950 species of bats worldwide. That means that 1 out of every 4 species of mammals is a bat, and that’s nothing short of amazing! The Chinese call bats “yen yen,” which means “swallow of the night.” |
“Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives,” wrote Thomas Berry. This week, take a hike with a single-digit friend (someone under 10 years of age). You don’t need answers. You just need time. |
| September 2007 |
Coming soon! | |||
Past
Events from 2007 |
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January 2007 n |
When you’re skiing or snowshoeing and have depleted the carbohydrates in your system, the theobromine in chocolate can jump start the delivery of fuel to your cells and thereby prevent you from becoming hypothermic. (Don’t you just love it when candy has medicinal value?) | Join us for Twelfth Night, a most magical evening. SEE-North carries on an age-old tradition that features talking animals (not to mention our cadre of hardy volunteers, who brave the cold and snow to bring delight to hundreds of people of all ages). | Planning an escape to warmer climes? Consider the Snowy Owl: he makes a beeline for “balmy” northern Michigan from his summer home in the Arctic. His beautiful white plumage allows him to go virtually unnoticed as he perches or sits in open areas. Watch for him! | From a distance, it may look like a tall cactus sticking out of the snow. This biennial has a rosette of wooly leaves (also known as “woodsman’s toilet paper”) one year and a tall stalk of yellow flowers the next. Shake one and hundreds of small black seeds will pepper the snow. Mullein! |
February 2007 |
This week marks the beginning of coyotes’ mating season. The female is in heat for just 2-5 days, so timing is key. An average of six pups will be born in a den in spring. Young males disperse in 6-9 months, but young females often stay at home to form the nucleus of the pack. | Happy Valentine’s Day! Is your heart pitter-pattering for someone? It’s not if you’re a hibernating little brown bat. The bat’s heart rate of 400 beats per minute during summer drops to 11-25 beats per minute during hibernation. Alas – bat love will have to wait until spring. | Look south on a winter evening and you’ll see the stars that make up the belt of Orion, the great hunter. The light that your eyes detect from those stars tonight has traveled for 680 years. That’s reason enough to celebrate by bundling up for an evening’s star-gazing session. | We have an exodus of snowbirds — and also snow butterflies! The last generation of our monarchs is overwintering in California, Texas or Mexico. This spring, it will be their offspring that we’ll see again in our fields and lawns. How’s that for a GPS system? |
| March 2007 |
A “qamaniq” is the Inuit term for the bowl shaped depression in the snow around the base of a tree. The dark tree trunk absorbs the sun’s energy and causes the snow around the bottom of the tree to melt. Be on the lookout for a qamaniq near you. | Birds invest huge amount of energy building nests You can
help by providing some of their favorite materials: twigs, moss, grasses,
hair, feathers, cloth, yarn, and dryer lint. How? Make a wreath or gourd
using these materials.Learn how next week at SEE-North’s workshop! |
Here comes the sun! The Vernal Equinox occurs at 8:07 p.m. on March 20. At this moment, the sun is positioned directly over the earth’s equator. All places on the planet experience about the amount of day and night — hence, “equi-nox” or “equal light.” |
Look for Sirius, the Dog Star, near Orion’s right
heel—fitting because in Greek mythology, Orion’s dog became
Sirius. Based on apparent motion, it was deduced in 1844 that Sirius had
a companion. In 1862, “the Pup” (aka Sirius B) was discovered. Hey, who let the dogs out? |
| April 2007 |
At any moment, nearly 2,000 thunderstorms
are in progress on the earth’s surface. Lightning strikes the earth
100 times each second. Lightning plays an important role in nitrogen fixation, in which inert nitrogen gas in the atmosphere is rendered more reactive and available. |
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service there are
over 50 million birders in the United States. If you are the person who
called us last year, mistaking a moth for a hummingbird, sign up for SEE-North’s Baby Birder class. If you’re a “real” birder, there’s always more to learn. |
Earth Day is our chance to reflect on
and celebrate our wonderful Earth. What can you do? Come to the Earth Day
Celebration at the Michigan Fisheries Visitor Center in Oden. SEE-North will be there, leading activities on the theme of “No Child Left Indoors!” |
The trunks of young balsam fir trees have resin blisters on the bark. Resin is harvested and used commercially to mount microscope slides. When it dries, it has the same optical properties as glass. Pressing on the blister causes the sap to squirt out. Watch out, it’s sticky! |
| Past Events from 2006 | ||||
| January 2006 |
Both Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers spend winter nights in tree houses, entering their roost holes at dusk and departing at first light. Find a good vantage point near a likely-looking cavity and watch for these feathery tenants. |
With luck, a sticky snowfall this week will highlight the amazing architecture of trees. From the flexible boughs of evergreen to the spidery branches of maple, beech and ash, let the stark beauty of a wintery woods surround you. | Bernd Heinrich, renowned naturalist, says: “Foxes who play the most, learn the most — and they survive. Almost anything a fox learns will come in handy later in his life.” Does the same apply to us? You bet it does! So play on! |
Some types of moth overwinter in the leaf litter beneath the snow, flying and feeding only during the warmest hours of the warmest days. Makes you feel a bit “soft” for needing down coats, mittens and boots, doesn’t it? |
| February 2006 |
By breathing and evaporating moisture
through your skin, you add water to Earth’s atmosphere. This water returns to Earth within a week’s time as either rain or snow. Yes, you can now be blamed for excessive snowfall! |
Each winter, we remind you to listen for the chickadee’s
“spring song.” The bull chickadee, reveling in longer, sunny days of February, proclaims his readiness to breed. We never tire of hearing him, and we hope that you don’t, either! |
One of the earliest books devoted to snowflakes was written in 1864 by Francis Knowlton Chickering of Maine. She studied falling crystals and then from memory quickly snipped paper outlines of them. (Need we mention that Maine is known for its long winters?) |
“Who cooks for you?” Listen for Barred Owls
calling in the forests, establishing territories and forming breeding pairs.
Who cooks for you these days? |
| March 2006 |
Skunks! These members of the weasel family
are more often smelled than seen. Although they don’t hibernate, they become dormant during the coldest part of winter. As the days lengthen, they become more active. They’re mating this month. Their pups will arrive in late spring. |
What! Is that a mosquito? Relax – it’s probably a stonefly! These insects emerge from streams as adults in mid-winter, mate and lay eggs in the water. There the larvae and adults live on algae. Look for them near open water. A winter niche is filled. |
If there’s one tree wildlife appreciates in the winter it’s the spruce. Its dense foliage blocks the wind and holds more snow on its branches than any other tree, making a haven for deer, lynx and weasel. Birds and squirrels huddle inside and feed on its seeds. Hang in there, guys! Spring’s coming! |
If you see a bird soaring overhead that is neither a crow nor gull, chances are good that you’ve spotted a red-tailed hawk, one of the most common raptors in our area. Its main diet is voles and mice, so it’s most often seen hunting in open areas. Listen for its descending call, ”Keeeee arrrrrrrrrrrr!” |
| April 2006 |
More often heard than seen, spring peepers
are tiny, tan frogs with an X on their backs. They “hop to it”
and begin breeding this week. The eager males are the first frogs we’ll hear this spring. Listen for their high-pitched, “Peep!” |
Arbor Day began in 1872 in Nebraska, thanks to the work of Julius Sterling Morton, a Michigan native. Celebrate by taking stock of the trees on your property, and consider native tree species as you plan for future plantings. |
April 22 is the 36th anniversary of Earth Day, a time to celebrate the gains we’ve made as stewards of the environment and create new visions to protect and preserve our natural resources. SEE-North honors your work as a steward of the natural world! |
The Great Lakes powerfully influence weather. If objects appear blurry this week, don’t be too quick to blame your eyes. Warm, moist air moving over the cold lake condenses into fog over land. Fear not! The atmosphere will brighten as the temperatures warm! |
| May 2006 |
Grass, thistle down, pine needles, cattail
fluff, lichen, spiderwebs, snakeskins! These are some of the natural materials
birds use to build their nests. They’re opportunistic and may use other materials, too, not always “natural.” What’s the strangest nesting material you’ve seen? |
As flowers bloom, butterflies emerge from their pupal state. The blossoms of native plants in your garden provide food for flashy lepidopterans. Al fresco dining at its best! | Behold (before you swat) the black fly! Larvae overwinter in streams and emerge as hungry adults in spring. During the 4-6 week breeding season, females are voracious blood feeders. Of the 61 species, not all are biters — thank goodness! | A cone on a deciduous tree? It’s the cone-shaped fruit of tag alder that persisted through the winter. Next we’ll see bright yellow catkins on the branches of this small but hardy tree that grows in swampy areas and enriches the soil through nitrogen fixation. |
| June 2006 |
From honey and maple syrup to salad greens,
mushrooms, flowers and berries, our area abounds in delicious and nutritious
native plants. By preserving natural habitats, we insure that future generations
can also enjoy nature’s beauty and bounty. |
There’s nothing like a spot of tea on a cool June
evening. Make your own! Steep the fresh or dried leaves of mint, ground (not poison!) ivy, blackberry and strawberry leaves. Oh, you prefer a latte? Then boil the roots of dandelion and chicory for “coffee.” Heads up, Starbucks! |
Burdock, a familiar biennial weed, spreads quickly owing to its Velcro-coated, seed-filled fruit. You’ve probably picked these pesky hitchhikers from your socks or your dog. The long tap root, simmered or sautéed, tastes like an artichoke. Bon appétit — or not! | Probably the most familiar of all wetland plants, cattails provide nesting habitat for wildlife. Almost the entire plant can be used by humans: rhizomes for starch, shoots eaten raw or cooked, flowers sautéed, and the highly nutritious pollen used in baking. What a harvest! |
| July 2006 |
Have you heard that Alice Algae and Freddie Fungus took a lichen to each other? Alice makes the food and Freddie provides protection. There are about 800 species of lichen in northern Michigan. These organisms don’t grow where air pollution is a big problem. Aaaaaah — hooray for clean air! | That pale spike you see in shady, forested areas is Indian Pipe or Corpse Plant, found most often around beech and white pines. Truly a plant, but containing no chlorophyll, it freeloads nutrients from fungi that are freeloading nutrients from tree roots. Indian Pipe is both a parasite and a saprophyte — how clever! | In the peaty bogs of northern Michigan lives the sundew, an unassuming plant that can trap a nectar-feeding insect on its sticky leaves. Within minutes, the sundew secretes enzymes that dissolve the victim’s body and then absorbs the nutrients. The original “energy drink,” perhaps? | Commonly known as horsetail, Equisetum may be the oldest genus of vascular plant living today. We’re talking 325 million years, folks! So step back in time when you see them growing near ponds and in moist forests. No, that’s not a dinosaur you see — or maybe it is! |
| August 2006 |
The black squirrels dodging traffic in
town are a color phase of the eastern gray squirrel. Black squirrels have
more melanin than their gray conspecifics. In humans, melanin lends color to skin and hair and protects us from UV rays. It multiplies with exposure and produces a tan. Still, don’t forget your sunscreen! |
Hummingbirds have the highest metabolic rate of any animal. Each and every day, they must consume their weight in nectar. If we took in all our nutrients in the form of nectar, we’d have to void 20 gallons of urine every day. (Wow! I gotta go!) Help hummingbirds by preserving native plants. | Eight species of crayfish live in northern Michigan. These shrimp-like crustacea are an important part of the food chain, eating aquatic plants and insects and being eaten by fish, gulls, herons, mink and raccoons. The rusty crayfish is an invasive species that poses a significant threat to native species. | Lake Michigan levels are determined by precipitation, groundwater and diversions into and out of the system. The highest level on record occurred in October 1986 and the lowest in March 1964. In 2006, we are very close to the record low. The interplay of human activity and the Lake’s ecology is complex. |
| SeSeptember 2 2006 |
If you look up and think you see a Great
Blue Heron flying overhead, think again! Cranes, unlike herons, fly with their necks straight out and flap their wings much more frequently than herons do. Sandhill Cranes are one of two crane species found in North America. These birds are abundant, so keep your eyes open! |
Fall is coming and the chorus of spring peepers will soon
die out. Most peepers sprouted their legs in July or August, so by now they
are foraging for food. As carnivores, spring peepers look for worms and
insects. They have to watch out, however, because a hungry raccoon or bird could be looking to feast on them! |
In a good year, fungi are fruiting abundantly in fall. While spring features morels, fall spotlights chanterelles and other delectables for the table. Grab your favorite mycologist or field guide and head for the hills. |
Allergies got you down? Everyone blames goldenrod, probably
because its beautiful yellow flowers are so visible this time of year. But
goldenrod is innocent, folks. It doesn’t dump irritants into the air: it’s pollinated by insects. So stop glaring at it, OK? It’s not out to get you. |
October 2006 |
Territoriality fades as days grow shorter
and thousands of Sandhill Cranes gather in marshy “staging areas”
to prepare for migration. Witness this ancient rite of autumn at Baker Sanctuary (Calhoun County). Car-pool with friends to the Crane Fest weekend (14-15 October) and observe one of nature’s best spectacles. |
Planning ahead: some people do it, and so do some birds.
Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, Red- and White-breasted Nuthatches stash
food items in cavities, cracks and fissures of trees. When winter descends
and food becomes more limited, they visit these woodland pantries. |
You have to admire the tenacious crab grass. It endures...It’s scientific name means, “cheerfully optimistic fingers.” You might as well learn to enjoy it. |
Out in the dark of night, wolf spiders are hunting for insects in the leaf litter. Hunting in packs you wonder? No, but the mother wolf spider carries her young on her back until they are old enough to be on their own. They cling to special hairs on her body and legs, perhaps taking notes on special hunting techniques. |
| November 2006 |
Porcupines are courting in the depths of the forests. (Now there’s an image for you. To say it’s a prickly process would probably be an understatement.) Seven months from now, a single baby (called “a porcupette”) will be born. Armed with quills, porcupines have few predators and live up to 15 years in the wild. | Now is the time to look for plant remnants for dried flower arrangements. Teasel, one of the more interesting plants, was once used for “teasing” or combing woolen cloth. Teasel’s leaves collect what was once revered as very special water for thirsty hikers or those seeking an elixir to enhance their beauty. | Although most leaves have fallen, there are still many ways to identify trees. Buds are developed and ready for a winter of dormancy. Fruits and seeds may be visible, too. Bark, in particular, provides excellent clues about the identity of trees. Take a closer look and you’ll begin to notice differences. | Cranberries will grace many a table this week. They’ve also been on the menu for wildlife inhabiting certain wetlands in our region. Most commercial production takes place on the East Coast, but there are a few small operations in Michigan. |
December 2006 |
Some insects “sleep” through bad times (e.g., drought, food shortage, winter). Most species go into this “diapause” as eggs, larvae or pupae and thereby postpone adulthood until conditions improve. (You’ve known people who’ve done this, too — right?) | As we dig out our winter’s wardrobe, the snowshoe hare makes a fashion statement in white. Its molt from brown to white, which began last fall with decreasing daylength, is now complete. No shopping required. We should all be so lucky. | When you surf the snow on your toboggan this winter, think of the otter. Its track is unmistakable: an efficient combination of bounds and slides that makes wintery travel a breeze. Fun as a strategic adaptation – what a concept! Wheeeee! | It has greenish-yellow bark, thanks to the presence of chlorophyll. It makes sugar while the sun shines and thrives throughout the winter in a conifer-dominated community. What is it? (Hint: A popular ski resort in Colorado bears its name.) |