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Tree Watching in February
When February is cold and snowy, as it had been so far this year in Detroit, it can seem to be a very long month. Even winter lovers might start to look forward to nature’s new year, which begins here in March. As I crunch my way over the frozen snow in Eliza Howell Park these […]
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The Coyotes of Eliza Howell Park: There Is More to Learn
While I have not previously posted a report on the Coyotes present in Detroit’s Eliza Howell Park, I have long been aware of that presence. Because they are largely (though not exclusively) nocturnal in urban areas and because they are wary of humans, my direct visual observations have been relatively infrequent. And I have been […]
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When Cardinals Start to Sing: An Early Announcement of Spring
With the arrival of February, many of us are looking forward to Spring. While Groundhog Day exemplifies an eagerness for winter to wane, it is not itself one of nature’s signs of the change coming. One sign that does announce that Spring is definitely on its way here in Michigan is provided by a common […]
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Golden-crowned Kinglet: Insectivore in January
It is not easy being an insectivore in winter in Michigan. This month I have four different times seen a Golden-crowned Kinglet in Eliza Howell Park in Detroit — perhaps the same one each time, perhaps not. It is always exciting to see one of these fascinating “little kings,” but I am conscious of the […]
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Red Squirrel in January: A Black Walnut Diet
This winter is far from being the coldest in memory in Southern Michigan, but it is cold enough that I encounter very few other humans during my two to three hour walks in Eliza Howell Park. The Rouge River is always flowing, but even moving water gradually freezes over at temperatures under 20 degrees F. On […]
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Spring after Winter: The Repeated Refrain of Nature
Sixty years ago, in 1962, Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, a book that awakened many Americans to the often harmful effects of the use of pesticides. Carson’s writings reveal a respect for and love of nature that continue to inspire me. One quotation from Silent Spring seems particularly relevant at this time of the year: […]
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Woodlouse / Roly-poly: A Recent Nature Walk
In the woods of Eliza Howell Park in late December, the leaves are on the ground, the insects are mostly inactive, the number of bird species is lower than it has been in months. The quiet season has begun. This is a good time to learn more about a quietly active member of the park […]
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Winter Solstice: Frost Crystals Everywhere
The sun was shining this morning, December 21, when I started my walk in Eliza Howell Park. The temperature was near 30 degrees F and the conditions were perfect for the formation of frost crystals. As usual at this time of the year, I first looked for seed-eating birds among the plants in the wildflower […]
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Goldenrod Gall Fly: A Solitary Life Inside
This week I have been focusing on Goldenrod Ball Galls, the home of the insect known as the Goldenrod Gall Fly. When I walk among the goldenrods in Eliza Howell Park in December, it is not to admire the flowers or to observe pollinators and preying insects, as it was in September. Now it is […]
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A December Morning Walk: In the Absence of Leaves
It was gray and blustery as I began my walk in Detroit’s Eliza Howell Park on the morning of December 6. Since the mixed rain and snow precipitation the day before had ended with a period of steady rain, I headed to the river to check the water level. The water was quite high, though […]
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Eliza Howell Nature Walk 