05/06/2007

On the Wing

Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner
Wood ducks will be the subject of a presentation about Michigan wetlands at Nature North.

Nature North presents a wild event

By Kay Charter

Special to the Record-Eagle

Those who have never seen a male wood duck in its elegant breeding plumage will have an opportunity to do so May 19 at the Civic Center.

Wood ducks are considered by many to be the most beautiful member of North America's duck family.

A male wood duck is just one of the species that will be featured in a presentation about our state's wetland creatures by Michigan United Conservation Clubs at this year's Nature North. Other animals in the program are a mink, a snake and a snapping turtle.

This presentation, one of MUCC's three Wildlife Encounters programs, is put on across the state. Wildlife Encounters was developed in cooperation with Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine using animals that cannot be released into the wild. They are designed to raise awareness about Michigan's natural resources.

That makes this program perfect for Nature North III, since Nature North was established to connect the people of northern Michigan to the wild things and wild places around them. And because MUCC's wetland program is the centerpiece of the event, it will be presented twice — at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. — in the seminar room of the Civic Center.

Three other offerings will round out the seminars for the day: At 12:30 p.m., Rebecca Lessard of Wings of Wonder will present her raptor program; at 1:30 p.m., TV 9&10 News chief meteorologist David Barrons will head up a forum on global warming entitled "The Weather Machine Shifts Gears;” and at 2:30 p.m., entomologist Erwin "Duke” Elsner will offer a presentation on butterflies.

And in Howe Arena, there will be much more. Would you like to see an example of a backyard habitat with the kinds of native plants that are helpful to our migratory birds? National Wildlife Federation, Saving Birds Thru Habitat and the Leelanau Conservancy are collaborating on one.

NWF will also have its wolf trunk full of artifacts for children and adults to handle.

Throughout the day, Wings of Wonder will have a hawk or an owl at its booth, and Inland Seas will have a invasive rusty crayfish, this year's "alien from the deep.”

Elsner will be hosting his extensive butterfly collection and will plan to have butterflies emerging from chrysalises.

The Northwest Michigan Botanic Garden Society will take children out to the Civic Center's stone monument at the south entrance to plant native wildflowers.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore personnel will bring animal artifacts for examining. And Dave Leonhard will demonstrate fly-fishing techniques.

Grass River Natural Area representatives will give an introduction to the world of carnivorous plants, many of which are native to Grass River Natural Area.

This is just a sampling of the activities that will be offered. This is a free event.

Kay Charter is executive director of Saving Birds Thru Habitat, which helps migrating birds whose populations are declining.