Bird Count, Hidden Lake Gardens

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!

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.

Put down the Wii and get out and ski!

There’s a place in the half-light of a winter morning that defines the meaning of happiness…at least for me anyway.  Oh how I love to wake up to snow.  I love to see the birds feeding in the back yard.  The squirrels are nice and fat.  The garden is sleeping.  The trees are bowing under the weight of the snow.  Occasionally a deer wanders in to rest and wait out the storm.  It’s a time when I can take a break from yard work and concentrate on art.  My studio window has a nice view of our back yard.  A Chickadee will occasionally alight on a branch in the bush next to the house and say hi.  “Chick-a-dee dee dee!” he says.  I say hello and get back to work.  Today I’m working on a new wood block of a Pheasant Tail Nymph.  It’s nothing fancy, just an illustration of one of my favorite flies to fish with and tie.  It’s one of my favorites because it’s about simplicity.  All that’s needed is a feather, hook and some thread.  Winter is also about fly tying for most fly fishermen.  Sure China makes an inexpensive fly in a distant land in some factory where a kid probably isn’t allowed to use the toilet until he or she has made a 100 flies.  Ok maybe that’s an exaggeration but what’s the harm in learning a new skill?  It’s a good feeling to find a Pheasant tail in the woods, tie a fly with it and hold a beautiful Brook Trout in your hands the following Spring.  Winter is also a time to study our birds here in Michigan.  Sure it’s fun to bird in the Spring, Summer and Fall.  Warblers are a blast to find and photograph.  But, I have a little more respect for the birds who stick around and bear the cold Michigan winter with me.  And, lets not forget two of my favorite winter time activities….cross country skiing, and recently snow shoeing!  If you can find a place to ski I recommend it to anyone with a sense of adventure.  Dress lightly.  One of the biggest mistakes is to overdress and get overheated.  Dont worry about getting cold.  You’ll be warm in less than 2 minutes.  My favorite place to ski is Hidden Lake Gardens. Beginners should stick to the designated trails.  Advanced skiers can take the hiking trails which are more of a challenge.  It’s not too late to add skis to your Christmas list.  I recommend either touring skis or backcountry skies as groomed trails are nonexistent in Lenawee County.  Anyway, all this writing is keeping me from my woodcutting.  I hope you find some time this winter to learn a new skill that doesnt require any fancy technology.  Put down your wii and get out and ski!  Enjoy the snow while it lasts.

Great Blue Heron Header

Great Blue Heron, AutoDesk Sketch, Copyright Gregorio Perez

Epic Journey, Linocut

I had a piece of lino laying around so I made this quick print.  I called it “Epic Journey” because my friend Joel Craig let me peruse his photos to get ideas for a sailboat print.  Joel is a crew member of the sailboat “Epic” and participates in several races around the Great Lakes.  The lighthouse is a rough representation of the Round Island Lighthouse near Mackinaw Island.  This is hanging with the others to dry.  I’ll hand paint a few of these next week.

White-crowned Sparrow revisted, Woodcut

I reprinted this block because I didnt like the previous two-block experiment.  I plan to hand paint this with watercolor in a week or so.  I only printed 9 so this edition will be very small.

Big Bluestem Moon, woodcut

On the drying rack to be painted next week.

Quiet Journeys

Photo journal of the last two days….hiking, kayaking, birding.

 

 

 

 

The inner workings of an abnormal brain

Sorry for the lack of art on this art blog!  I’ve been busting my buns on a few projects in the yard.  Today I completed my first cold frame for growing cold crops through the winter.  I also plan to start some Pinus nigra from seed.  I’ve been harvesting seeds since September as the cones ripened.  If all goes as planned I hope to plant at least a half-dozen new trees in my yard next year.  My goal is to attempt to grow a new species every year.  Succeed or fail it should be fun.  And, it’s all connected to my art in one way or another.  First of all I am a woodblock printmaker.  If I plan to use wood I should commit to making it sustainable.  Secondly, I intend to switch to all natural dyes and inks in the next few years.  This is going to require some serious work.  With the help of friends I intend to grow the plants that are used to make the natural pigments.  I’ll put off making my own paper for now….but it’s on my long-range master plan.  So there is a method to my madness in case you were wondering.

Paul Young's Cabin

Paul H. Young was a cane rod builder and fly-fishing pioneer from Detroit, MI. Trout Unlimited named the Detroit chapter after him. The Paul H. Young Chapter of Trout Unlimited is dedicated to helping sustain the fragile ecological balance which trout depend on. I was honored to have been given the opportunity to stay at his lodge last weekend, which is now called “Trafeh Lodge”.

Anyone who has ever been to the Au Sable knows its beauty. It truly is a fly-fisher’s paradise and deserves the name, “the holy water”. Paul and his wife Martha built the log cabin on the mainstream sometime in the early 1900’s. The soft light of the interior glows with knotty pine. The stone fireplace and living room was my favorite hangout. The sound of crackling wood fills the room. The smell of burning firewood and fine cigars drift through the air. The kitchen is spacious. The men all came together at the enormous dining room table for breakfast and dinner. “Doc”, the cook, served prime rib that rivaled any 5 star restaurant. The coffee was always hot. The wine was homemade and the perfect solution to warm the bones after a long wade down the river. The showers were hot. The beds were warm. The conversation was good.

Outside the lodge was just like any place in the northern Michigan woods, full of Pine, Birch, Aspen, Wild Cherry, Oak and Cedar. Who can argue that the finest music ever made comes from a cold trout stream? The bird feeder behind the cabin was the largest I’ve ever seen. Even the birds are treated to a feast at every meal. Chickadees, Nuthatches, bluejay and Juncos added to natures symphony.

It’s cast and blast season on the Au Sable.  Fly fish in the morning; bird hunt in the afternoon. But, I left my gun at home. Instead I cast streamers all day under a clear blue sky….which is not good streamer fishing weather. I didn’t complain. Who would? I also went fly fishing after dark under the moonlight. It was my very first attempt at wading the Au Sable at night. It was cold. I could see my breath…but not much else….only the shadows of trees in the night sky. It was a sensory experience like none other, casting blindfolded, feeling my way down river. The trout would not come out and play that night. I didn’t care. A hot fireplace and glass of wine was waiting for me at the cabin. The next day I floated down the South Branch in a 21′ Au Sable River drift boat. It was tricky to maneuver it through downed sweepers. The fishing was just as slow as the day before. But, I finally got to see the famous George Mason Chapel.

What a beautiful sight to behold. It is without a doubt the most beautiful Chapel I have ever seen. It is modest, simple, and sturdy and sufficiently provides a perfect perspective on God’s creation. It’s all I need. Give me the woods, Faith and George Mason‘s Chapel and I’m spiritually fulfilled.

A sincere thanks goes out to my fly fishing friend Sherm for taking me on this trip.  This winter I plan to create a woodcut for the lodge and Sherm.  It’s the least I can do.