2021 – Natural History year in review

We started the year spending most of the time in our house and walking around the neighborhood. We enjoyed daily sightings and listening to Carolina Wrens and Red-breasted Nuthatches.

In March we started traveling from Ann Arbor to our cabin at Whitefish Point. where we were treated to many Common Redpolls at our feeders and raptors, such as the American Kestrel.

Outside adventures including picnic lunches on the way to Whitefish Point allowed us to find a new site to see 13-lined ground squirrels. We also made a special trip to see The Herald, a moth that hibernates in southern Michigan.

We usually alternated a week at the cabin and Ann Arbor. Pileated Woodpeckers and Spruce Grouse were weekly sightings.

By May birds, such as Tree Swallows were dominating our lives. But so were orchids, such as this Calypso Orchid.

Brood-X cicadas dominated my life in early June in southern Michigan.

But shorebirds were also fun at Whitefish Point. We are lucky to see Piping Plovers almost daily near our cabin. The Ruff, however was a unique treat.

In June and July plants start to dominate our lives. Moonworts, always a special treat are found on dry sandy soils. Liverworts, on the other hand occur in wet cedar swamps.

June also provided us with Dickcissels in western Washtenaw County and a first Mississippi Kite for Washtenaw County.

Another new species for Washtenaw County was a Roseate Spoonbill. Purple-fringed orchids are common near our cabin.

Lesser fringed gentian and the tree frog were both seen in in the fall in the Upper Peninsula.

By the time fall was in full swing fungi started to dominate our natural history sightings. The beautiful fan-shaped jelly fungus was a treat in our yard in Ann Arbor. But Revenall’s stinkhorn was a rare treat at our trumpetvine.

More tomorrow when we will be in 2022!