Meet May's Member of the Month - Jenna!

When it comes to birds, 11 year-old Jenna certainly knows her stuff. She’s been interested in birds for the past four years and has been a member of Jr. Audubon for just as long. She initially joined the club with a desire to “learn more about nature and see really cool birds,” and has since increased her enthusiasm for both. Not only that, but Jenna is also fast emerging as one of our youth leaders in the club. She’s always willing to share her knowledge with younger members and asks thoughtful and well-crafted questions to presenters during programs.

One thing that fascinates Jenna about birds is their stunning and varied plumage. The birds that she often finds the most interesting are “the ones that have pretty patterns of feathers, and the ones that have brightly colored patterns and feathers.” For those reasons, a few of her favorite birds are the Blackburnian Warbler, Bald Eagle, Mute Swan, Wood Duck and Stellar’s Jay. Her cat, Tigger, loves the Eastern and Western Meadowlark for their rich, melodic songs when Jenna plays them on her smart phone through the Audubon app. This app, she says, is extremely helpful when memorizing bird calls and she recommends it to anyone looking to either sharpen their skills or learn more about bird calls and songs for the first time. She also recommends that new bird watchers purchase a pair of binoculars to help with seeing birds that are off in the distance, as well as purchase a bird book published by prestigious birders such as Donald and Lilian Stokes. All great recommendations, to be sure!

When asked about where she thinks her love of birds might take her in the future, Jenna’s not quite sure yet. In her mind’s eye, she sometimes pictures herself as a “little old lady sitting in a rocking chair on the porch, watching the little birds and butterflies flitting around a garden; happy and content.” While that image is a bit comical coming from an 11 year-old, there is a distinct peacefulness that image evokes as well as a lifelong commitment to furthering the health of living creatures on earth.

Finally, which bird would Jenna be if she could be magically transformed into one? She would elect to be either a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird or a falcon. A hummingbird, she said, because she would “get an idea of how the hummingbird sees the world,” and a falcon for the super sharp vision; vision that would be a “bajillion” times sharper that what we humans possess. That’s pretty sharp! That’s very insightful, too, to want to experience something through someone else’s shoes.

Hopefully by now you've gotten an idea of how awesome Jenna is. We’re so glad that she’s a member of Jr. Audubon and hope that she continues to be for many more years to come! 

What a great day for birding! Jenna at Ironwood Golf Course

Tour de Course - Ironwood Golf Course, that is!

We couldn't have asked for a clearer day. The temperature was far from the balmy 70's that we all would have liked, but the sun was shining and the verdant golf course was alive with many a sign of spring rejuvenation. We all listened intently as Kim led us around the woody golf course that she grew up on. Kim, our wonderful co-chair for Jr. Audubon, currently works full-time as a Horticulturalist at Ironwood Golf Course - a course that her parents have owned ever since she was a child. Who better to show us around and introduce us to some neat, natural stuff?  

Well, we certainly did see a treasure trove of interesting wildlife that Saturday! From owl pellets, to Ash trunks, to Green Herons, it certainly was a thrilling day for both our kids AND our nature-loving adults! Kim showed us some owl pellets that were most likely regurgitated by either a Northern Screech Owl or a Great Horned Owl. Our kids were so sharp that nearly all of them already knew that owl pellets are pieces of bone and fur that owls can't digest and simply regurgitate up. That was WAY impressive! Kim then showed us the unfortunate remnants of the course's Ash trees and explained how the notoriously destructive Emerald Ash Borer was responsible for destroying them to the point where they had to be cut down. I think that the highlight for everyone, though, was pausing alongside a pond and catching incredible glimpses of both a Green Heron and a Belted Kingfisher! Everyone was able to appreciate the beauty of these two birds close up; the resplendent green of the Green Herons' feathers and the industrial nature of the Belted Kingfisher's bill were both beautiful sights to behold, indeed.

All in all, we saw a total of 11 bird species that included the Green Heron, Belted Kingfisher, American Robin, Goldfinch, Red-winged Blackbird, Turkey Vulture (flying really low overhead!), Black-capped Chickadee, Red-tailed Hawk, Brown-headed Cowbird, Mourning Dove and Mallard Duck. We had a great time and learned a LOT about what neat things you can find in places that you might not expect.Thanks again, Kim!  

Kim telling us about the devastation that Emerald Ash Borers caused on former Ash trees like this one

Tommy proudly showing off his good lookin' feather that he found on the course!

It's a bird! It's a plane! Wait, it is a bird...it's a Belted Kingfisher! 

How many goofy nature nuts can fit on one log? Quite a few, actually! 

   

Signs of Spring at Hudsonville Nature Center!

Though the temperature was only a whopping 25 degrees outside this past Sunday, the sun was shinning at Hudsonville Nature Center's trail head as we all huddled together and listened intensely to Master Naturalist Craig Elston's introduction speech about the trails and the greater property. Our guided nature hike through Hudsonville Nature Center's trails was originally going to be centered around "Signs of Spring," but that plan had to be slightly adjusted for the few feet of snow still covering the ground and entombing many of the plants and flowers that were supposed to be springing up. You just never know with Michigan weather, do you? One minute you're expecting wildflower shoots, the next you're despairing about how many feet of snow still refuse to melt.

What a wonderful adventure despite the snow and cold, though! Craig led us through some of Hudsonville Nature Center's trails and educated us on the importance of some of the property's plants, such as Staghorn Sumac. Kim also taught us about how to identify different kinds of trees by their unique bark textures and appearances. A Muscle Tree, for example, is easily identifiable once you take note of how it's bark really does seem to mimic the texture of a human muscle. That was definitely neat to see! We saw a couple of Downy Woodpeckers, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, some Chickadees, a couple of Robins, a Red-tailed Hawk and some Common Crows on our stroll. We also learned about the intensity of poison ivy and how it can stay in a person's clothes for up to 5 years if not washed out in the washing machine - yikes!

We're extremely grateful for Craig sharing his time and expertise with us. There were many beautiful things to appreciate amidst the snow. Most excitingly, there were a few subtle signs that hinted that spring is indeed on its way. Hooray!

Craig and David during one of Craig's explanations of the property's important plants

See the hole just above where Craig's ring finger is? That's a hole drilled by an Emerald Ash Borer - we learned all about these nasty beetles and their extensive assault on our state's Ash trees

Pausing to take in some of the area's property's important features. What pretty red Staghorn Sumac in the back!