Eastern Redbud Blooming in Michigan by Lee Rentz
A Michpics reader shared that the blooming of redbuds was one of her favorite signs of Spring & I heartily agree!
Lee got this shot of Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) in bloom last week. For sure check out his blog for some great travel stories including a Michigan bear encounter & view and purchase his work on his website.
Cherry Jubilation by Mark Smith
Along with everything else, cherry blossoms exploded across Michigan in the last week or two as warm weather released pent-up energy. Up in northwest lower Michigan where Mark got this shot over the weekend, they are going strong. What are you seeing in your next of the woods?
See his latest including some sweet orchard shots on his Flickr & definitely view and purchase Mark’s work at Leelanau Landscapes!
More blossoms, cherry & otherwise on Michigan in Pictures.
Another year, another pair of fox kits for the Michigan in Pictures family! Last year I christened a pair Oliver & Charlotte based on Michigan’s most popular baby names. Both Oliver & Charlotte have been dethroned, so please put your hands together for Noah & Amelia (#2 & #4 in the US respectively).
TP took this photo on Sunday. See more on his Flickr!
More foxes on Michigan in Pictures.
Rayna Skiver of the Great Lakes Echo has an article on the benefits of building a backyard habitat for Michigan wildlife that says in part:
A habitat can be as simple as a place that provides food, water and shelter for wildlife, said Natalie Cypher, naturalist and educator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Adventure Center.
Building a habitat in your backyard can require as much or as little space as you want, Cypher said. It depends on what type of wildlife you want to attract.
Research is the first step.
“If you’re looking to provide a habitat for monarch butterflies, you have to use milkweed,” Cypher said. “Monarch butterflies only lay their eggs on milkweed plants and it’s the only food that their caterpillars will eat.”
…Backyard habitats benefit both wildlife and the people making them. For wildlife, they provide food and a safe place to nest. People benefit because of the positive feelings associated with added greenery and the presence of wildlife.
In a suburban neighborhood, a lot of land doesn’t provide habitat, Cypher said. One million acres of wildlife habitat are lost every year due to suburban development, according to the National Wildlife Federation.
“Providing a small patch of habitat can be high impact,” Cypher said.
The National Wildlife Federation reports benefits like higher percentages of native plants, indicator species, tree coverage, water conservation and wildlife presence.
Native plants use less water and sequester carbon, according to the National Wildlife Federation.
Home gardeners benefit from native pollinators such as bees and butterflies because they can increase fruit and vegetable production and help with pest control, Cypher said.
Read on for much more at the Echo. You can learn more about the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Adventure Center & even apply for a job on their website!
More Michigan gardens & gardening on Michigan in Pictures.
Holland’s annual Tulip Time Festival starts this Saturday and runs May 7-15, 2022. Tulip Time is the oldest tulip festival in North America that started in in 1929 when the City of Holland planted its first crop of 100,000 tulips, and it has continued to grow with national entertainment acts and events & activities for all ages.
The Tulip Time Festival shared this awesome photo from the 1950s, a perfect Throwback Thursday! Head over to their Facebook Page for more!
More tulips & Tulip Time on Michigan in Pictures.
Riding the Waves by David Juckett
It’s been a while since I added to the world famous Michigan in Pictures Duckie Gallery, so cowabunga everyone!!
David shares that although these little guys were only hatched last week, they seemed to be holding their own in the waves. See more in his Birds gallery on Flickr.
Mushrooms on Pine View Golf Course by Corey Seeman
My Michigan morel mushroom groups are starting to light up with mushroom finds so it’s a good time to remind folks that May is morel month in Michigan!
The actual fruiting period can be anywhere from late April until mid-June depending on where you are in the Mitten & what species you are hunting. Contrary to common belief, morels are not confined to the northern part of the state – some of the best picking (such as the photo today) can be found in southern Michigan.
MOREL HUNTING TIPS
Corey took this on May 4th in Ypsilanti last year. Head over to his Flickr for his latest!
mLIve’s Mark Torregrossa shares that although it might be a little cool today, much of Michigan’s lower peninsula will leap into the 70s and even low 80s on Saturday. In the Upper Peninsula and within a few miles of a Great Lake, you’ll only have temps in the 60s. Still, nothing to sneeze at right?
Julie got this great shot of the melting ice at Mackinac last April. See more in her Spring & Summer gallery on Flickr.
Crocuses by Brooke Pennington
You might think that after thousands of years of coming up too soon and getting frozen, the crocus family would have had a little sense knocked into it.
-Robert Benchley
With a cold weekend ahead, I can’t help think about the bold crocuses. Stay warm, my purple pals!!
I’ve shared this stunning shot by Brooke before, and when it came up in my memories I had to share it again! More from Brooke on Flickr.
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.
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