Lenawee County – The Heron

Run Charlie Run!

January 28, 2018January 28, 2018 by Gregorio Perez, posted in Charlie, Hiking, tea time

Dogs are great! I’ve had a dog most of my life. Charlie is one of the best. Today’s hike was for her. We went to a local County Park that doesn’t see too many visitors. For that reason I like to take her there to run.

While Charlie ran and wore herself out I slipped into the zen of hiking; feeling each step and the sun on my face. There hasn’t been much wind lately so it has been even more quiet than normal. Sometimes I stop and try to identify everything I hear. There’s a farm next door to the park so the domestic geese are always vocal. Crow and Bluejay are always there to warn their friends of our presence. At one point along the trail we flushed a large flock of Junco. A Red-tailed Hawk scolded us from a distance. Charlie spooked up a squirrel and gave chase. I called her back quickly. There’s a picnic table along the trail at this park that I rarely sit at. But, today I chose to stop, sit and make tea. Well, actually I forgot my tea..ha! You have to read my last post to understand that I’m always forgetting things. I was fine with sipping on hot water. Honestly, there’s not much difference between hot water and mild green tea in my opinion. I bought a new Snow Peak backpacking stove yesterday at REI. It has a piezo igniter. I figured that was a good feature since on my last trip I forgot my lighter.

With all the warm weather I’ve been thinking about where to head to this Spring? Actually, I’ve been thinking about how more than where. I started looking at tear drop campers this week. I thought that might be a good option for Charlie and I.

To be continued…

Bird Count, Hidden Lake Gardens

January 9, 2011January 10, 2011 by Gregorio Perez, posted in Birds

Results from Birding at Hidden Lake Gardens for three hours (1-4 pm) on January 9th, 2011.

Chickadee, 17; Crow, 5; Blue Jay, 11; Titmouse, 11; Cardinal, 10; Yellow-rumped Warbler, 5; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1; Downey Woodpecker, 8; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Mourning Dove, 6; Starling, 29; Flicker, 1; White-Throated Sparrow, 8; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Junco, 4; Goldfinch, 2; Golden Crowned Kinglet, 4; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1; Northern Mockingbird, 1; Bluebird, 6.

We get our fair share of dreary overcast days here in Michigan. So when the sun comes out I need to get out. It was a nice leisurely day. I took my time getting ready, dressed warm, put on my snow gators, charged my camera battery, and donned my snow cleats. I headed over to HLG. The gardens were beautifully covered in snow. A few cross-country skiers were out. I turned on the “my tracks” app on my phone and put it away. I found some new trails the last time I was there. They aren’t on any map. I prefer the trails less travelled. But first I stood atop Phlox Hill and admired the view. I didn’t like the fact that the gardens mowed down the Big Blue-stem for the winter. I’m sure they had a good reason. I hope they had a good reason. I prefer the nature to look natural. Anyway, I had a lot of trail ahead of me. I listened for the Pileated. I heard some loud drumming and headed in that general direction. But, the drumming stopped. It didn’t matter. I found myself in a quiet hidden place off the beaten path. I took my time and recorded birds. They were all over; mostly White-throats, Chickadees and Cardinals. Then I heard something different. I heard a whistle. Whistles are mostly for spring so I tuned in. I saw the bird. It looked like a female Purple Finch. But it sounded like a vireo. I never did get a really good look and it didn’t stick around long. I didn’t record it. I’m leaning towards a Purple Finch. My friend Darrin spotted one near there a few weeks ago. I could have used his expert eyes and ears today. I also spotted that Yellow-rumped warbler in the same location. I was 95% sure it was a YRW but it was far away. Luckily I ran into a small flock further up the trail. I phished for them and they came closer…coincidence? I don’t know. I’m not a good phisher. I think it was just my lucky day. They were clearly YRW’s. It was slower going as I headed out of the thickets and into the open fields. A small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets crossed my path and landed 10′ away. They were feeding in the tall grass. As I walked closer they flew closer. I thought I had the perfect photo op. But they were too close for my lens to focus on them. They reminded me of that movie “Red October” where Sean Connery turned his submarine into the path of oncoming torpedos to cut the distance so the torpedo’s safety mechanism wouldn’t allow them to explode. I didn’t know Kinglets were so knowledgeable in zoom lens technology? Sean Connery would be proud of them. My last good bird of the day was next to the parking lot. A Northern Mockingbird was hanging around the gazebo. It was a good birding day at HLG. I got some sun, exercise and fresh air. What more could you ask for?

Birds to the rescue!

December 22, 2010 by Gregorio Perez, posted in Birds, Environment, Nature, The Heron

yellow4 — Yellow Warbler, Copyright Gregorio Perez

Any of my friends will tell you I get a little goofy about birds. My dad introduced me and my brothers to birds. I don’t recall a moment in my childhood when we did not have a bird feeder in our yard. For a few years we even raised chickens. Today I have my own feeders. I like to photograph birds. My artwork is about birds. I enjoy identifying them by their song. I own a good pair of binoculars for watching them. I get updates via email on birding in Southeast Michigan. I participate in bird counts. On the 19th of December I helped count birds for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Every year I learn something new about birds that fuel my passion for them. One of my favorite birds is the American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos). There are several books out there about the American Crow which describe their intelligence and social behavior. I’m also impressed by the world travelling migratory warblers who travel thousands of miles without a gps. The more you learn about birds the more you realize they don’t get the respect they deserve. I personally think we humans would be a better species if we deflated our egos a bit and allowed ourselves to learn something from the birds. They are perfectly adapted for survival on this planet. We seem to be struggling in that regard.

I’ve given this a little thought. Given our current problems with our economy and climate why not look to nature for answers to sustainability? Organic farming practices are bird friendly and earth friendly. Planting native plants and trees are bird friendly and earth friendly. Keeping our watershed clean is bird friendly and earth friendly. The things we can do to help the birds also help our planet. That’s why I’m promoting the recreational birding industry in my hometown. It’s good for the birds and it’s good for the planet. This isn’t a new concept. I’m also a member of Trout Unlimited (TU). TU fights for the protection of trout habitat for the sport fishing industry. Trout are the saviors of the great rivers of northern Michigan. Unfortunately trout can’t save us here in Lenawee. Geographically the River Raisin Watershed is too warm to sustain them. So what else is there? Birds! Birds! Birds! The River Raisin Watershed is located in the path of two major bird migratory flyways. Let your imagination run wild here. Lenawee County is also a major agriculture community. We could be leading a transition from industrial farming to organic farming. Instead of constructing more manufacturing plants why not reestablish the wetlands that once existing before they were drained for farming? Could birds be the answer to a failing economy and a deteriorating climate? I realize it’s not that simple. One might argue that capitalism will prevent this from ever happening without Government intervention. If you read the history of our great National Park Service you will find this to be true. The human spirit is hell-bent on destruction and devours everything in its path. But there are also equal amounts of faith in the human spirit. If trout can protect the great rivers of northern Michigan can the birds save us here? The answer lies in how much Faith we have and whether we live according to it.