Beavers: Oakland County’s Best Dam Builders!

December 18, 2020December 18, 2020Oakland County, MI Government 4 Comments

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

The days are short, and darkness comes all too soon. The dawn of winter draws near. We may feel sleepy at times, but there is no long winter nap awaiting the beaver (Castor canadensis,) the largest rodent of North America. Contrary to the belief of some, beavers do not hibernate. Beavers are true architects of the wildlife world. Although these highly-skilled engineers are almost never seen in winter, the evidence of their activity is everywhere, from the most rural sections of our county to the wooded banks of the Clinton River in the city of Pontiac.

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Snowy Owls Draw Near!

December 11, 2020November 4, 2021Oakland County, MI Government Leave a comment

^{Photo Credit: Jenifer Selwa}

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

The sighting of a Snowy Owl is a memorable and magical moment of nature’s way. This stunning lead image, and the final in-flight image were both captured during the last week of November along the east shore of Lake Michigan by nature photographer Jenifer Selwa’s long lens. She graciously shared them with me, along with critical coexistence advice, as these powerful owls of the High Arctic tundra continue on their journey.

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Winter’s Song Dogs: Eastern Coyotes!

December 4, 2020November 4, 2021Oakland County, MI Government 6 Comments

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

Aldo Leopold wrote: “There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.” I consider myself an unabashed member of the latter group. Coyotes certainly represent “wild things,” but they are not restricted to rural sections of our county. They are extremely adaptable creatures, and it’s perfectly normal for them to be noticed not only in our State Recreation Areas, Oakland County Parks, and Huron-Clinton Metroparks, but also in our suburban and urban areas. Coyotes are found in every city and town in our county, including populous Pontiac, Royal Oak, and Rochester, nor are they strangers to the city of Detroit.

coyote in field — Photo Credit: Donna Croaker Hall

This excellent video of a coyote hunting meadow voles in a roadside field at Detroit’s Rouge Park, as a deer casually watched, was filmed last week and shared with me by my nature friend, Donna Croaker Hall.

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Wild Turkey Tales for Thanksgiving

November 25, 2020November 25, 2020Oakland County, MI Government Leave a comment

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

Thanksgiving feasts of golden roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, and tangy cranberry sauce, accompanied by alluring arrays of delectable garnishments and mouth-watering pumpkin pie await. It’s a beautiful looking meal. About the only thing more eye-catching than a ready-to-be-carved Thanksgiving turkey, is a Wild Tom Turkey strutting his stuff in the woods of Oakland County.

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Wonderful Woodpeckers of Winter’s Approach

November 20, 2020November 20, 2020Oakland County, MI Government 2 Comments

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

It goes without saying that if you spend the day constantly hitting your forehead against a tree trunk, you will end up with a severe headache, at the very least. A concussion or brain injury may be more likely, but that’s not so for a woodpecker. Woodpeckers can spend all day pounding their heads against tree trunks at 20 times per second in search of hidden grubs and hibernating bugs and then come back for more pounding the next day. The activity is so fast that the human eye does not even notice that with each successful pounding, a woodpecker’s beak penetrates the bark, and its long sticky tongue zips in and out, snagging hidden insects and larvae.

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