Welcome to November, the month with so many great holidays! Veterans Day, Marine Corp Birthday, Deer Season, Thanksgiving, my birthday (65, whew I made it), and my wedding anniversary (39 years, I think it may last). November is also Epilepsy Awareness Month and in honor of a friend and neighbor that suffers greatly from this affliction I ask that we all take a moment and pray for those that suffer so.
Last month I mentioned that we went to Manistique for a short vacation, well in October we rented a cabin at Brimley State Park for 3 days. What a great trip! The colors were glorious everywhere that we went. The cabin had two sets of bunk beds, electricity, a microwave, and a small refrigerator. Outside there was a picnic table and a fire pit. I used the fire pit quite well each evening.
The weather was a bit stormy for bird watching but the scenery made up for it. After nine years without a vacation, this fall has been a blessing.
We did get home earlier than was planned because of the rain but it ended up being a blessing because when we arrived home, we found a very small water leak behind the refrigerator. Thankfully no profound damage was done but we are changing the flooring.
After returning home we later went to the Houghton Lake Sewage Ponds, and we were blessed with a great diversity of birds. There were water birds, shore birds, and grassland birds to be found. Now my wife has a fondness for Swans, and she had a nice long and close view of several for quite a spell.
While viewing the ponds we were able to add a few birds to our lifetime list of birds identified.
My home feeders are being used by my regular feathered friends, but I do believe that a few of their relatives have stopped by for a visit as the food consumption seems to have increased substantially.
For those that feed the birds it is beneficial to become a member of your local Ace Hardware. They send me a few coupons each month that are useful for me and I do like saving money.
Firearm deer season is once more upon us. While we have had a few early rifle seasons and archery is underway, it is rifle season that brings hunters into our area in significant numbers. It is especially important during this time to be careful when out in the woods. Even when walking along the roadways you should be wearing a high visibility item.
As a bird watcher, if I go out in deer season, I need to remember to be respectful of the hunters’ rights to be there. It is all of us using the resources together that makes it possible for our state to take care of our woods and waters. No one group could fund all the needs that we have to maintain, care for, and police the use of our state and federal lands.
I will leave you all for another month. Please be safe, respectful of others, and as always please help keep our woods and waters clean.
