Refuge News Summer 2013 Newsletter

Seney Natural History AssociationA Publication Funded by the Seney Natural History Association for its Members.

Manager’s Cornerby Mark Vaniman

“Itisapparentthatthedaysofrelativelyhighoutputaregoneforever.Thenearestapproach to reasonable efficiency in thistype of work unit is found in the use of its machinery;butlittletalentforconstruction,sloping, chopping, and sawing, andworkof like nature exists in the present crop of CCCyouths.Consequentlythesupervisionandfacilitatingcostsaremuchhigherper

headnowthanformerly.Weknowofseveralpersonswhouseafactorof0.25insettingupman-dayproductionestimates.” TheabovequoteisfromthefirstRefugeManager,C.S.Johnson,whoin1937wasdescribingtheCivilianConservationCorps(CCC)fromCamp Germfask. Mr. Johnsonwas an outspoken gentlemanwhowasgenerallyunafraidtospeakhismindandsomeofhismorenotablequotesare summarized in a booklet In the Words of “C.S.” Johnson compiled by Mrs.ElizabethLosey.ManagerJohnsonfollowedtheabovequoteinhis1939AnnualNarrativestating,“Thisreportisclosedinexpressingtotheleadersandmenoftheworkorganization,sincereappreciationfortheirhighspiritandconsistentefforts.Theworkrecordspeaksforitself.Todolessthenextyear,ortobettertheaccomplishmentisamatterofpersonalattitude.” FromacursoryreviewofthebookletitappearsthatMr.JohnsonhadmixedfeelingsregardingtheCCC,howevertheworktheyaccomplishedisveryevidentontheRefugetoday.AllofthedikesandpoolsinUnit1arearesultoftheireffortsandmuchoftheinfrastructureasonemoveswestacrosstheRefugewascompletedbytheCCC. So–whyamIquotingMr.Johnson?Becausealotofthehardworkcompleted by the CCC underManager Johnson is nowbeingmodifiedand even removed, using the guidance of our 2009 ComprehensiveConservation Planwhich is based on our contemporary understandingof the natural world. In the nearly 75 years sinceMr. Johnsonwrotethesewordsmanychangeshaveoccurredtothenaturalworld(includingadramaticincreaseinthehumanpopulation)andmanyadvanceshavebeenmadeinourunderstandingoftheinteractionsbetweenthebioticandabiotic.ThesemanagementchangesarenotbeingdonebecausewhattheCCCdidwaswrong,butbecausetheireffortsweregearedtowardsadifferent goal – amore species-specific goalwhichhas changed aswegain more knowledge of land management and head towards a more ecological and systembasedmanagement scheme. Goodexamplesof

Table of ContentsManager’s Corner 1Species Centered or Ecosystem Centered Land Management 22013 Youth Conservation Corps 3Marsh Thistle 5Visitor Center Landscaping 6Friends of the Refuge 7Youth in the Outdoors 8New Brochure 10Nature Nut Column 11Children’s Fishing Day 12Manistique River Clean-up 12Seney Fall Calendar 13Summer Help on the Refuge 14Another Productive Year for Piping Plover 14The Creighton at Night 15Bookstore Sale and Photo Contest Entries 16

Photo: Sunset Tamarack - Dave Chase, 2012 Photo Contest.Photo: Mark Vaniman - Sara Giles, USFWS.

Continued on page 4

Seney Natural History Association Board of Directors 2013

PresidentDee Phinney

Vice PresidentTom Kenney

TreasurerNancy Strawe

SecretaryJoe Kolder

DirectorsGeorge Phinney Pat Foldenauer David Fleischmann Liz Hill Laura Gasaway

Book Store Manager Claudia Slater

Refuge Manager Mark Vaniman

Friends’ LiaisonsSara GilesJennifer McDonough

Friends Email: snhafriends@gmail.com

Seney National Wildlife Refuge1674 Refuge Entrance RoadSeney, MI 49883

Phone: (906) 586-9851Fax: (906) 586-3800

Website:www.fws.gov/refuge/seney

Refuge Email:seney@fws.gov

Photo: Morning Reflection - Canada Geese - Fred Gaunt, 2012 Photo Contest.

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Seney NWR and Kirtland’s Warbler WMA: Species Centered or Ecosystem-Centered Land Management?by Carolyn Fado, College of Wooster Habitat and Ecosystem Management, Species and Ecosystems Severalfactorsmustbeconsideredwhenmanaginghabitatsandeco-systems.Habitatsandecosystemsarenotthesame.Theterm“habitat”referstotheenvironmentofaparticularorganismorspecies:food,water,cover.An“ecosystem”referstoacommunityoforganismsandtheirsystematicrelation-shipwiththesurroundingenvironment.Scientistsapproachthepreservationofbiodiversityfromvariouslevels,includingthespecies-level,theecosystem-level,andthelandscape-level.Inaspecies-levelapproach,habitatsareoftenmanagedtomaintainorenhance individualspeciesorpopulations.Thisap-proachcouldhaveunforeseenconsequences,however,becauseitcansimplifycomplexsystems.Conversely,anecosystemapproachallowsfortheconsid-erationofalloftheorganismsandtheirrelationshipwiththesurroundingen-vironment,butitmaybypassimportantaspectsofthelifehistoryofagivenorganism.AsaRefugewithlittlehumandisruptionandthusonethatcanman-agebroadecologicalprocesses(suchasfire),SeneyNationalWildlifeRefuge(NWR)isanideallocationformanagementfromanecosystemapproach.ThemanagementatKirtland’sWarblerWildlifeManagementArea(WMA)adoptsa more species-based approach that focuses on an endangered migratorysongbird,theKirtland’swarbler,butheretooconsiderationoftheimportanceoffireisnecessary.

Seney National Wildlife Refuge SeneyNWR, located in theeasternUpperPeninsulaofMichigan, islocatedwithinaregional landscapewithlowhumanpopulationdensityandanabundanceofpubliclands.Notsurprisingly,SeneyNWRhasahighdegreeofecological integrity.ComparedtootherMidwestRefuges,SeneyNWRre-mainstruertowhattheecologywouldhavebeenpriortohumanintervention(Europeansettlement);nevertheless,fireandhydrologyhavebeenchangedfrom human intervention, and management focuses on the restoration ofthese important workings of thelandscape.

Kirtland’s Warbler Wildlife Management Area Unlike Seney NWR,Kirtland’s Warbler WMAconsists of small parcels dis-tributed across eight coun-ties in the northern LowerPeninsula. This Refuge wasfounded to conserve en-dangered fish orwildlife orplants,anditparticularlyfo-cuses on the Kirtland’s war-bler. This bird nests on theground in jack pine forests.

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BeforeEuropeansettlement,jackpineforestsandjackpinebar-rensdominated theareaandwildfiresproduced theseecosys-temswhichservedashabitatforthewarbler.Aftersettlement,firesuppressionledtofewerareasofdense,youngjackpineandreducedthehabitatavailabilityforKirtland’swarbler.

Fire and Ecosystem Management for Seney NWR Prescribedormanagedfireisanimportanttoolforman-agers. At SeneyNWR, fire can be used to restore or conservemany ecosystem types. Fire is an important disturbance thatdynamically shapes theRefugeovertime.Mixed- pine forests,for instance,needfireasanecologicaldisturbanceinordertothrive; thesefiresdonotkilladult trees,but only typicallykillseedlingsandsomesaplings.

Fire and Habitat Management for Kirtland’s Warbler WMA BecauseKirtland’sWarblerWMAisfoundwithinamorehuman-popu-latedpartofthestate,prescribedormanagedwildfireisnotasviableanoptionforhabitatmanagement. Instead,older jackpinesarecutdownandjackpineseedlingsareplanted.Landmanagersarenowtryingtoworkonwaysinwhichthismanagementbettermimicspatternsthatfirewouldcreate.Unfortunately,fire-adaptedecosystemsandhabitats,intheend,needfire.

Ecosystems, Always Important Inmanagingbothhabitatsandecosystems, it is importanttoconsidertheeffectofmanagementontheecosystemasawhole.Unfortunately,wemightsimplifycomplexecosystemsbyfocusingonaparticularspecies.Consideringtheecosystemasawholehelpsensureabalancedcommunity.AtSeneyNWRandKirtland’sWarblerWMAconsiderationoftheeffectsoffiresonecosystemsandhabitatsisessential. `

Forestfireisimportantforbiodiversityandrestoration.Photo:SaraGiles,USFWS

Kirtland’sWarblerWMAinred.

2013 Youth Conservation Corp (YCC)by Greg McClellan

TheRefugehadaverysuccessfulYCCprogramin2013. MuchofthecreditgoestoouroutstandingYCCcrewleader,MarkWilson,whowasanexcellentmentorandteachertothekids.Wealsohadfouroutstandingcrewmembers,Greg Bowler from Seney, TessaGage fromMcMillan plus Brianna Rohr and ClarenceBrock fromGermfask. The twoprimaryprojectscompletedthisyearwereaddinganadditional278feettothelengthoftheaccessibleportionofthePineRidgeNatureTrail(foratotallengthof1,478feet)andbuildingrampsatbothendsofthetwowalkingbridgesatthewestendofthePineRidgeNatureTrail.Also,IwanttothankRefugevolunteerDaveFleischmannforassistinginconstructionoftheramps.Severaltimesduringthesummer,thecrewbrokeupandcleanedawaybeaverdamsblockingwatercontrolstructuresorbridgesincludingthebridgesonthenaturetrail. ThecrewdidanexcellentjobthroughoutthesummerinmaintainingRefugefacilitiesincludingbrushingouthikingtrailsandfirelines,replacingandbrushingoutsignage,cleaningtheaccumulateddirt,gravelandpineneedlesonRefugebridgesandwatercontrolstructures,includinguncloggingdrainageholes.ThecrewremoveddebrisandpickeduplitteratvariousplacesincludingthenewHelmstromadditionupatWhitefishPoint.ThecrewalsotreatedallwoodenrailingsystemswithwatersealeronallRefugebridgesandwatercontrolstructuresandremovedthebasesfortheobservationscopesontheMarshlandWildlifeDrive’sobservationdecks.ThecrewassistedwithputtingupandtakingdownitemsforKidsFishingDay. ThankstotheassistancefromstaffwiththeAppliedScienceProgram,FireProgramandVisitorServicesProgram,thecrewwasexposedtoandgivenmultipleopportunitiesforenvironmentaleducation.Theseincludedsurveyingcolonialnestingbirds,monitoringofnestingpipingplovers;observed partoftheM-2toT-2westprescribedburn,snagecologyandmanagement,invasiveplantmanagementandecologicalrestoration.Thispartoftheprogramwasabigimprovement

Continued on page 12

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thesechangescanbefoundintheWalshDitchprojectinitiatedin2002andtherecentlycompletedRiversideDike Project. Both projects were initially conceivedby former Refuge Manager, Mr. Michael Tansy, andwerefollowedupbyRefugeEcologistDr.GregCorace.Working with colleagues at Michigan TechnologicalUniversity,Greg,Dr.ThomasPypker,andPh.D.StudentMs. Meral Jackson designed a research project thatintegrated the treatment designs of the RefugeMaintenance Staff. Treatments started in earnest onJuly 15 and ourmaintenance crew (Rich,Matt, DonandJim)havespentmostoftheirrecentworktimeonthismonth-longproject. Ditches and dikes constructed by the CCChave changed the hydrology of the landscape byinterceptingandredirectinggroundwaterandsurfacewater movement. The restoration objective of thisproject was to install water crossings through the RiversideDike to restore thepre-drainagehydrology.Meral has been collecting pre and post constructiondataonthethreesitesalongtheRiversideDike,withamorenorthern“control”site.Oneachofthethreesites the dike was breached and a low water crossing built. Thesecutsaredesignedtoreducethesurfaceacreage of open water in the pools above the cutsandconverttheopenwaterareastoamosaicofopenwetland, lowland coniferous forest, and scrub-shrubvegetation. These changes are expected to restoregroundwater levels and vegetation to roughly pre-drainageconditions.Meral’sresearchwillprovidetheinformationtodeterminewhathashappenedontheshorttermasaresultofourefforts. Thisproject,whichistakingplaceinarelativelyinaccessibleareaoftheRefuge,isguidedbyour2009Comprehensive Conservation Plan and the morerecently completed 2013 HabitatManagement Plan.These documents provide long term guidance formakingmanagement decisions on the entire Refugeandareavailableonlineatourwebsite:www.fws.gov/refuge/Seney/what_we_do/conservation.html Published papers, theses, and dissertationsregarding these and other projects on Refuge landsare found at: fws.gov/refuge/Seney/what_we_do/research.html Mr. Johnsonmay have hadmisgivings abouttheCCCcrewsoftheday,butthesemisgivingsarenotsharedbythiswriterwithourcurrentstaff–thisprojectenjoyedaminimum1.25person/dayproductionfactor.We are working hard and using the considerabletalentsofourstafftomakeSeneyNWRtheexamplefor quality and innovative landmanagement for theattainmentofourmissiongoals.`

Manager’s CornerContinued from page 1

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Getting Around SeneyRefuge Boundary Refuge Roads Open to BikingNature TrailsState HighwaysRoads Open to Motor VehiclesRoads Allowing 2-Way TrafficMarshland Wildlife Drive

Northern Hardwoods X-Country Ski & Hiking TrailsRest/Picnic AreaDistance Between Markers (In Miles)

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Finding the Refuge28

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Riverside Dike Low Water Crossing Project

An aerial photo of the new low water crossing atBigSpurPool.Noticethewaterisflowingoverthe top of the crossing,totheDriggsRiver.

Aviewfromgroundlevelofthe completed low water crossing on BigSpurPool.Theselow water crossings will help restore pre-drainagehydrology to the area near theDriggsRiver.

RiversideDikesouthcrossing.Lookingfrom the south side to thenorth.Basically,a hole is dug where thecrossingwillgo.Then,filterfabricislaid to help stabilize theroadbed.Next,rip-rapisputinplaceto complete the road bed.

Redarrowspointtotheaffectedpools.

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Marsh Thistleby Jennifer McDonough

“I know of no object more unsightly to a careless glance than an empty thistle-head.Yet,ifyouexamineitclosely,itmayremindyouofthesilk-linedcradleinwhichaprincewasrocked.”–H.D.Thoreau(1860) Probablyveryfewofusstoptoadmirethethistle.Infact,otherthanbeingturnedoffbythethistle’spricklyarchitectureitlikelyreceivesnomorethanthecarelessglancessuggestedbyThoreau.Whenonedoesstopandexaminesthistlesclosely,asmightablackswallowtailbutterflyoragoldfinch,one begins to notice structural details and differences among individualspecies. Take for example the native swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum); becomingacquaintedwiththisspecieswilllikelyresultinwetfeetforitisoneoffewthistlesinourareathathabituallygrowsinwetlands.Anencounterwitha swamp thistleduring itsfirst yearof lifewillmean squattingdowntoexamine itsrosetteofspiny leaves.However,duringtheswampthistlessecondsummeryouwillbeabletomakeyourexaminationsstandingupforitsstemwillhavegrownupfromtherosetteandtheflowerswillbeformingnear eye level. This biennial life cycle istypicalofmanythistles.

When observing swamp thistle’s flower heads you should take noteof their shape and structure,which resemble a shavingbrushwith rose-purplebristlesandaroundtooblonghandle.The“bristles”areactuallyflorets,individualflowersformingadenseclusterthatappearstobeoneflower. The“handle”ofthis species (botanically referred to as the involucre) is decoratedwith awhitewoollypubescenceorcobwebby likewhitehairs,butnospines,whicharebothdistinguishing identification features. As summerwanes,afluffymass replaces

therose-purplebristlesaseachoftheflorets progresses to become a seedwith a silky strand attached. Thesesilky filaments are lifted away bythewind, dispersing the seeds. Likethewind, goldfincheswill also breakapartthesefluffyheadstoeattheseedsorusethefilamentsfornestconstruction. When your attention is no longer held by the flower take stock ofthe stem below. The swamp thistle’s stems are relatively unarmedcompared to our other wetland thistle, the non-native marsh thistle(Cirsium palustre),whosestemsareequippedwithspinywing-likeleafbases. And the fact that swampthistlesdonotgrow incolonies likethenon-native,upland,Canadathistle(Cirsium arvense) means you can meanderaroundsinglestemsratherthantryingtoavoidathickpatchofprickles. Shouldyounoticeathistlewhileexploringafen,coniferswamp,sedgemeadow,moistforestorwater’sedgeconsiderglancinglesscarelesslyand examiningmore closely the thistle’s structural characteristics andwildlife visitors. Have you found a nativemarsh thistle or one of theexotic species? Can you recognize the décor on the handle of the“shavingbrush”?Arethestemsspiny?Whatinsectsarevisitingit?Take

SwampThistlePlant.Credit:SteveGasaway.

SwampThistleFlowerHead.Credit:SteveGasaway.

Florets (Bristles)

Involucre (handle)

SwampThistleSeedHeads.Credit:LauraWong. Continued on page 6

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amomenttobecomeacquainted. Whoknows,maybe,liketheregalfritillary,youtoowillfindsomethingworthyofaprince.`

Marsh ThistleContinued from page 5

Swampthistlestem.Credit:SteveGasaway.

Marshthistlestem.Credit:SteveGasaway.

Canadathistlecolony.Credit:SteveGasaway.

Visitor Center landscaping looking better than ever thanks to volunteers!by Jennifer McDonough

If you have been to theVisitor Center this summer youmay have noticed that the flower beds areactuallyweededregularly,thetreesaretrimmedandmorenon-nativeplantshavebeenremovedandreplacedwithnativespecies.Otherrecentenhancementsincludeanartisticsignholderandplantidentificationlabels.All thisgreatworkhasbeencompletedbyvolunteers. LauraandSteveGasawayhavegivenmanyhours toregularmaintenanceoftheflowerbeds,searchedoutaperfectlimbforthebutterflysignandhandmadealltheidentificationlabels,VernandSherryMetzgerhaveconscientiouslytrimmedtreesandJoanneandJohnKleisarecontinuingthebattleagainstinvasiveplantsaroundtheVisitorCenterandthePineRidgeNatureTrail.Thankstoallthesefolksforcreatingandmaintainingagoodlookingentryspaceforourvisitors.`

Left:Plantmarkerscreated by the Gasaways.

Credit:JenniferMcDonough,USFWS.

Right:VisitorCenterLandscape.Below:MonarchWaystation.

Credit:JenniferMcDonough,

USFWS.

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Friends of the Refugeby Nancy Strawe and Tom Kenney

The SeneyNatural History Association (SNHA) is one of the oldestU.S. Fish&Wildlife Service “Friends”groupsinthenation.Theorganizationwasestablishedin1987,assumedoperationsofthebookstoreandfromthenoncommittedallofitsproceedstowardsupportoftheRefuge.Through2012,SNHAhasprovidedapproximately$500,000totheRefugetoenhanceitsbiologicalandpublicuseprograms. In1993,SNHAbeganfundingtheinternshipprogramtoprovideopportunitiesforstudentswishingtogainexperience in natural resourcemanagement. In 2009, at a cost of $60,000, they funded the production of theorientationfilm,The Wonder of Nature,shownattheVisitorCenter. Each year, approximately 50 SNHAmembers volunteer to help the Refuge bystaffingtheVisitorCenter,collectingbiologicaldata, performing maintenance and assistingwithofficework. Atthepresenttime,theassociationhasa total of 230 memberships which representindividuals,manyfamiliesandsomebusinesses.Membership dues and donations, along withprofitsfromthebookstoresales,arevitaltotheassociation’sgoalofpromotingandsupportingthefutureneedsoftheRefugeanditsvisitors.SNHA wishes to thank its members for theirpast support and encourage them to please consider an additional tax-exempt donation.SeneyNaturalHistoryAssociationisa501(c)(3)non-profitorganization.`

Seney Natural History AssociationNovember 2012 through July 2013

Incomes Expenses

BackRow:LizHill,LauraGasaway,DaveFleischmann,GeorgePhinney.FrontRow: Treasurer Nancy Strawe, Vice President Tom Kenney, President DeePhinney, Secretary Joe Kolder. Not Pictured: Pat Foldenauer. Photo: SaraGiles,USFWS.

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Half Day Sessions:Adventure Through Seney Spendhalfadayembarkingonanactiveadventurebykayak,footandbicyclethroughasmallportionoftheRefuge.Youthwill be introduced to the basics of kayaking,will hikethroughwildlifehabitat,andbikeontwo-trackroads.Allkayaksandbicycleswillbeprovided.Participants must wear closed toe shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather and be physically capable of 3 hours of activity. Anadditionalfeeof$20isrequiredtohelpcoverthecostsofrentingequipment.(If youhaveabike youarewilling tobring,use, and let theothersessionborrowletusknow.)BS – Cycling 7; JGS – Sports Sampler, Adventure Sports 3 & 6

Fishing Thishalfdayfishingsessionisonethatwillincludemorethanjustwettingaline.Participantswillpracticebothspincastingandflycasting,learnknotsfortyingonhooksandlures,beintroducedtoseekingoutgoodfishingspots,learntoproperlyremovefishfromhook,seehowtogut,cleanandprepareafishforcooking,andmaybeevencooksomefishonthespotforeating!BCS – Requirement 23c; Fishing Belt Loop; WEB - Fishing Belt Loop; BS – Fishing 1 - 9; Fly Fishing 1 - 9; Wildlife Management 7; Nature 4; JGS – Environmental Health 10; Sports sampler 4

2013 Youth in the Outdoors Sessions

*PLEASE REMEMBER: THISISARAINORSHINEEVENTANDTHELONGERSESSIONSCANBEPHYSICALLYDEMANDINGANDMAYNOTBEAPPROPRIATEFORALLPARTICIPANTS.

All activities are geared toward kids in upper elementary school or older (approximate ages 8 and up). Please help your kids choose sessions appropriate to their abilities.

SCOUTS:someofthesesessionsmayhelpmeetbadgerequirementsandsomeofthoserequirementsarelistedunderthesessiondescriptions–youmayfindmoreconnections.

Abbreviations are as follows: WCS – Wolf Cub Scout; BCS – Bear Cub Scout; WEB – Webelos; BS – Boy Scouts;BGS – Brownie Girl Scout; JGS – Junior Girl Scout

Youth will need to bring a sack lunch the day of the event, lunch is not provided.

Using these descriptions, rank the activities on your registration form in the order that you would like to participate.

BikingatYouth in the Outdoors.Credit:JanBarrett

Youth in the Outdoorsby Ronald Allen

ThisyearsYouth in the OutdoorsisplannedforSaturday,September28th.FormerlyknownasScout Activity Day theeventnameandphilosophyhaschangedalittlebittoincludeallyouth.Weareplanningtohave70-100kidsattheevent.With10differentactivitiesofferedthroughouttheday,thereshouldbeplentyforthekidstochoosefrom. Activitieswillincludehalfdayandminisessions.Ifyouhavekidsofyourown,grandkids,friendswithkids,oryouareakid,andyouwanttoparticipate,pleaselookovertheactivitiesavailableonpagessevenandeightthencutouttheattachedregistrationformfoundonpagenineandreturnittotheRefuge. Itshouldbealotoffun.WelookforwardtoseeingyouinSeptember!`

Amphibians JoinalocalnaturalistasyoulearnaboutnativeamphibiansoftheRefuge.Theamphibianswillincludefrogsandsalamanders.WEB – Naturalist 4 & 8; BS – Reptile and Amphibian Study 1 - 4, 7 & 9; Wildlife Management 6; Nature 4; JGS – Wildlife 4 & 8; Plants and Animals

Nature Photography Join a local nature photographer to work onimage composition and wildlife photography ethics.Participantsneedtobringtheirowncamerasandknowthebasicsofhowtousethem.(Gearedtowardskids10andolder.)BS – Photography 1 - 4, Mammal Study 4b; JGS – Your Outdoor Surroundings, Camera Shots 4

Outdoor Cooking Food always tastes betterwhen cooked in thegreat outdoors! Here is a chance to try out severaldifferentmethodsandrecipes.Mmmmyummy.BGS – Ready, Set, Go; Camping 3; JGS – Outdoor Cook 1, 3 & 5

Archery Steprightupand take your best shot.Thissessionwillgive youth a chanceto hone their skills regardless if they’re anoviceoranexpertarcher. Youth willlearn to shoot like the pros after a discussion on safety and equipment.Bows and other equipment are provided. WCS – Elective 20a; BS Archery 1, 2, 3 & 5; JGS – Sports Sampler 4; Your Outdoor Surroundings 5

Short Sessions:Tracking and Trapping Hereisachanceforyouthtospendalittletimewith an experienced trapper and learn a few tricks of thetrade.Trappinginvolvesunderstandinghabitatsandanimalbehaviorandisaninterestingpartofourhistory.Youthwill explorebeaver andmuskrathabitat andbeintroducedtohowandwheretosettrapstoeffectivelycatchthesespecies. Youth should bring boots to keep your feet dry in shallow water and outerwear that will keep them comfortable for that days weather conditions. BS – Mammal Study 3 & 4; Nature 4; BGS - Watching Wildlife 1

Pond and Stream Safari Life below thewater is fascinating. This sessionwilltakeyouthtotwodifferentaquatichabitatstocollectandinvestigateaquaticinsects,crustaceans,mollusksandotherinvertebratelife.Youthwilldiscoverthediversityoflifeinaquatichabitatsandlearntheimportanceofthesemacro invertebrates as water quality indicators. Youth will need to bring waders and/or a change of clothes and shoes because they will be partially in the water while sampling. Youth should also bring drinking water and outerwear that will keep them comfortable for the weather conditions. WEB – Naturalist 4, 8 & 11; BS – Wildlife Management 6; Insect Study 2, 4 & 11; Nature 4; JGS – Wildlife 4, 7 & 8

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Mini Sessions:Nature Journaling/Drawing Youthwill get tomake theirownnature journal,learn journaling tips and start making observations andrecording perceptions about the natural world aroundthem.

Birding Lace up your hiking shoes and take a tour withsome of our local Refuge birders in search of some ofSeney’savianinhabitants.Alongthewaylearnaboutbirdhabitat, behavior, breeding and chick rearing. Youthwillhavethechancetoidentifyandlearnaboutthebirdstheysee,whiletakinginthesightsandsoundsoftheRefuge.Youthwilllearnbinocularuse.WCS – Elective 13d; BCS – Sharing Your World with Wildlife 5d; WEB – Naturalist 4, 6, 8 & 10; BS – Bird Study 3 - 7; Nature 4; Wildlife Management 6; BGS – Earth & Sky 5; Animals 2; Watching Wildlife 2; JGS – Wildlife 4,7 & 8

PondandStreamSafariHalfDaySession-YouthintheOutdoorsActivity.Photo:JanBarrett Archery. Credit: Jan Barrett

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Name: ________________________________________ Phone #: ___________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________

Email: ___________________________________ Age: ________ Grade: _____________________

Pleasemailandreturnthissheetwithyour$5(checkorcash)non-refundableregistrationfeebySEPTEMBER 23rd! To:SeneyNWR;YORegistration;1674RefugeEntranceRd.;Seney,MI49883

Please make all checks payable to Seney Natural History Association.

* You will be notified of your session choices by email or phone and any additional fees must be paid the day of the event or before the event.

Rank your session choices 1 – 10 with 1 being the session you would most like to take. Wewillmakeourbestefforttogetyouintoyourfirstchoices,butsessionchoicesaremadeonafirstcomefirstservedbasis.Remember that if you choose a half session

you must be prepared for extended physical activity and current weather conditions.

# HalfSessions # ShortSessions # MiniSessionsAdventureThroughSeney* TrackingandTrapping OutdoorCookingFishing NatureJournalingPondandStreamSafari Birding

AmphibiansArcheryNaturePhotography

Mini Sessions45 minutes

Short Sessions1hour 45 minutes

Half Day Sessions2hour 45 minutes

8:00 am - 8:45 am Registration

9:00 am - 9:45 am Session 1 Session 1 Session 1

Break

10:00 am - 10:45 am Session 2

Break

10:00 am - 11:45 am Session 3

11:45 am - 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm - 1:45 pm Session 4 Session 2 Session 2

Break

2:00 pm - 2:45 pm Session 5

Break

3:00 pm - 3:45 pm Session 6

*Additionalfeeisrequired.Seesessioninformationsheetformoreinformation.

New Brochure SeneyNationalWildlifeRefuge-WhitefishPointUnithasabrandnewgeneralbrochureanditlooksgreat.SierraUtych’sphotoofapipingploverwhichwasenteredintolastyear’sphotocontestgracesthecover.Seethenewbrochureatwww.fws.gov/refuge/seney/publications.html.

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Nature Nut ColumnDearNatureNut, Afewdaysago,myfriendand Iwerewaiting for theVisitorCenter toopenandwenoticedanumberofducksswimminginanearbypool.Theducksap-peared to all be female wood ducks and we realized that we hadnotseenabrightlycoloredmalelately.Wherehaveallthemalesgone? Signed, CuriousVisitor

DearCuriousVisitor, Excellent question! The male wood ducks are stillaround,buttheyhavetransitionedintowhatisknownastheir“eclipse”plumage. Birdsannuallyundergomolts thatoccuratspecifictimesduringtheyearthatvarydependingonthespecies.Forexample,speciesintheAnatinaesubfamily(trueducks) exhibit prominent sexual dichromatism that varies inintensitythroughouttheyear. Common AnatinaeducksontheRefugeincludewoodducks and mallards. For instance, the wood duck male isbrightly colored with an ornate design from late fall to the followingJuly.Thiscolorfulplumageisconsideredtobethebird’s “alternateplumage”. Havingbright feathers is oneofthemanywaysamalewillattempttoattractafemaleforthebreedingseason. Soonafterbreeding, themalewoodduckwilltransitionfromthealternateplumageintoits“basicplum-age”,whichisalsoknownasthebird’s“eclipse”plumage.Theeclipse plumage is similar to the plumage of a female wood duckwhichcanmakeitdifficulttodiscernthebird’ssex.

During themolting process,the male be-comes flightlessfor roughly three weeks as the wing and tail feathers arereplaced.Thenondescript ap-

pearance of a male in eclipse is presumed to be a form of de-fensefrompotentialpredatorssuchasgreathornedowl,mink,raccoon,andfox.Themalewoodduckwillretaintheeclipseplumagefrommidsummeruntilautumn.AnotherspeciesontheRefuge,theblue-wingedteal,isunusualbecauseitretainsitseclipseplumagewellintothewintermonths.Malesaren’tthe only ones who experience plumage changes throughout theyear.Femalesalsoundergothemoltingprocess,butthechangesintheirplumagearedifficulttodiscern. Sincerely, TheNatureNut

DearNatureNut, WherearethemoosewhenIvisitSeneyNationalWildlifeRefuge?WhenIamintheUP,andataWILDLIFERefuge,Iexpecttoseeamoose.Thiscannotbetoomuchtoask. Best, CommonTourist

DearTourist, To answer your question, I, theNatureNut didsome studying to determine where all those moose are located today. The history ofmoose inMichigan goesbacknearlytotheendofthelasticeage.AtatimewhentheNativeAmericansweretheonlyonestotraversetheland,nowknownasUpperPeninsulaofMichigan,moosetraveledfreely.Mooseatthistimewouldhavebeenthemost common hoofed animal in the boreal and conifer-ous-deciduousforestsofMichigan(bothupperandlowerpeninsulas).WiththeintroductionoftheEuropeanimmi-grantsthemoosepopulationtookapronounceddeclineinpopulation.Thedeclineofmoosewasnotentirelyduetohunting,manyanthropogenic(man-made)factorshaveinfluenced thedecline. As logging grew to a grandiosescalevegetationchangedandthemoose’shabitatwasal-tered.Forestswereturnedintofields,uncontroledslashfires burned out of conrol and the area where moosecouldthriveshrank. Astimehasgoneon therehavebeena fewat-tempts to reestablish the pre-European moose popu-lation. With a very successful cohort of moose onMichigan’sIsleRoyaletheMichiganDepartmentNaturalResources (DNR)decided to relocate69of them to theUpperPeninsulainthe1930’s.Thetransplantedpopula-tionheldonforafewyears,buteventuallydiedoff.Withonefailedattempt,itwasawhole40yearsbeforeanotherwasinitiated.ContinuedresearchhelpedlandmanagersunderstandidealmoosehabitatandanotherattempttoreestablishmooseintheU.P.ensued. In the 1980’s there was a collaborative effortby the Michigan DNR and Ontario Ministry of NaturalResourcestoreestablishamoosepopulationinMarquetteCounty. Within 3 years, 59 moose were captured inAlgonquinProvincialPark,Ontario,CanadaandrelocatedtoMarquetteCounty.Themoosepopulationwasexpect-edtogrowto1000animalsby2000. Thisgoalwasnotaccomplishedbutthepopulationhasheldonsuccessfully,rangingfrom400-500animals. Moose principally occupy the northwest cornerofMarquetteCounty,wheretheywerereleased. Other moosehavetraveledfarthereast intoSchoolcraft,Luce,ChippewaandMackinawCounties. Severalmoosesightingthisspringandearlysum-mercausedabuzzontheRefuge.Refugemanager,MarkVaniman spotted the moose first through the Refuge

MaleWoodDucksinEclipsePlumage.Photo:AlexandraMacKenzie

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Nature NutContinued from Page 11

Children’s Fishing Day 2013by Dawn Marsh The24thAnnualChildren’sFishingDayeventwasa success. This year,101childrenparticipated, thehighestparticipation since 2004, and approximately 225 fish dinners were served. Ninety-seven fish were brought in formeasurement.Thelargestpikewas29”,caughtbyJoshMonroe,andthelargestperchwas9½”,caughtbyKaylieGould.AftertestingtheirskillsalongtheFishingLoop,participantswereabletopracticetheircastingupontheirreturntotheVisitorCenteraspartofanewgamethatwascreatedthisyearbyRonnieAllen.Additionalgamesandactivities,suchasPike Bite (abeanbaggame)andPin the Fin on the Fish,wereheldinandaroundtheVisitorCenter.WhilethechildrenandtheirfamiliesexchangedfishingstoriesandexploredtheVisitorCenter,SeneystaffandSNHAvolunteersworkeddiligentlytocreateadeliciousmealconsistingoffreshwhitefishandlaketrout,rolls,coleslaw,beans,corn,andbrownies.Afterdinner,certificateswerepresentedtothefirst,second,andthirdplacewinnerofeachagecategoryforpikeandperch.Araffleforprizesdonatedbylocalbusinesseswasheldsoonafter.Thisyear,localbusinessesdonatedover$700worthofsuppliesandprizes. A special thank you to this year’s donors: BigCedarCampground,NorthlandOutfitters,SeneyPartyStore,FishandHuntShop,JR’sSportShop,TheTradingPost,TopO’LakeSportShop,Glen’sMarket,HolidayStation155,Madigan’sTrueValue,Bob’sIGA,WildernessSportShop,Snyder’sDrugStore(Newberry),GardenSportsShop,andWal-mart(Marquette).

Headquartersofficewindows.Hebeganyelling“moose,moose,moose!Comeon!”Soallstaffmembersandinternswentrun-ningoutsideandcaughtsightofayearlingbullmoose.Severalother sightings have occurred on the Pine Ridge Nature Trail,

M-28,andtheMarshlandWildlifeDrive. Most Refuge sighting ofmooseareinspringandfall. GoodLuck, TheNatureNut The questions in the Nature Nut column come from questions posed by visitors. This month the nature nut column was written by Dawn Marsh (wood ducks) and Ronald Allen (moose), Visitor Services Interns. If you have a question you would like the Nature Nut to answer email Sara_Giles@fws.gov. `Yearlingbullmooseseenseveral

timesthisspring.Photo:GregCorace,USFWS.

overpreviousyear’sefforts. We thank thecrew forall thehardwork thissummer and wish them all the best in the future and hold out hope that we might be able to ropeMarkWilson into returning next summer as the YCC crewleaderagain.`

Youth Conservation CorpsContinued from Page 3

GregBowler,ClarenceBrock,BriannaRohr,TessaGageandEmilarGavard.Photo:MarkWilson,USFWS.

ChildrenatFishingDay.Photo:JanBarrett.

Manistique River Clean-upby Ronald Allen OnJuly20ththeRefugehosteditsfirstManistiqueRiverClean-up.Theclean-updrew21volunteerstotheunusuallyhighrivertohelpout.Inordertocover25milesofriverwedividedupintotwogroups.Onegroupcoveredthe10milesofthenorthsectionandcollectedonefullbagoftrash.Thesecondgroupcovered15milesofriver,mostofwhichwaswithintheRefugearea,andcollectedtwofullbagsoftrash.Therewereacoupleitemsthatexceededourcarryingcapacityandwereleftbehind(theseitemsweresectionsofwooddockorsimilarboards).TheprojectwasfundedthroughtheMichiganDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality.GermfaskTownshipwastheofficialgrantrecipientbutworkedwiththeRefugetoorganizeandhosttheevent.Withagrantof$845,anda>50%matchfromtheRefugeandvolunteershours,allboats,lunches,andgiftswerecoveredwithnoadditionalcost.Thankyoutoeveryonewhohelpedout. `

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Seney National Wildlife Refuge 2013 General Calendar

Morning ToursSeptember 20 & 30, October 7 & 18 10am to 12:30pmWouldyouliketogetmoreoutofyourtriptoSeneyNationalWildlifeRefuge?Somewildlifecanbedifficulttosee,buttrainedstaffandvolunteersknowwheretolookorlisten.Joinusmorningsat10:00amtoexperienceaguidedtouroftheRefuge.Thetourwilltakeapproximately2to2½hours.Wewillbeonthelookoutforavarietyofwildlifewhilesharinginformationontheanimalswesee,thehistoryoftheRefugeandcurrentmanagementpractices.

Amateur Photo ContestLast day to enter is August 31ThepurposeofthecontestistoencourageyoutovisitandenjoytheRefuge.WhenondisplayforvotingtheentriescreateanincrediblearrayofRefugeexperiences.DetailscanbefoundintheVisitorCenteroronourwebsite.

Youth In the Outdoors For elementary age boys & girlsSaturday, September 28th 9am to 4pm OnSeptember28th,2013theRefugewillhostYouth in the Outdoors.Thiseventisaspin-offfromourannualScout Activity Day.ThedayisdesignedtogetyouthoutintotheRefugetoexploreandlearn.Participantsmaychoosefromavarietyofsessions.Theeventisopentokidsages7-17.Pre-registration and a $5 registration fee are required. Some activities may have an additional charge.

Fall Color FloatSaturday, October 511am to 4pmJoinourstafffora4-5hourcanoe/kayaktripdowntheManistiqueRiver.Boatrentalsareavailablelocally.Preregistration is required. Call for details (906)586-9851X15.

National Wildlife Refuge WeekWeek of October 13 to the 19 Laceupyourhikingshoes,straponyourbikehelmet,grabyourbinoculars,launchyourboatintheriver,driveyourcar….whateveryourpassion,cometotheRefugeandenjoyyourgreatoutdoors!

Float on the river - Tom Kenney.

Behind the Scenes...Summer Lecture SeriesThursday September 12th7:00pm - 8:30pmThisyear,theRefugeisofferingaseriesofeveningprogramsfromguestpresenters.ThisseriesofeveningpresentationscoversavarietyoftopicsincludingresearchandmonitoringprojectsoccurringontheRefuge.AllpresentationswillbelocatedintheVisitorCenterauditorium.

Thursday’s Programs Include:Wetland Restoration Effects on Hydrology, Water Chemistry, and Gas Flux in Seney National Wildlife Refuge SeneyNationalWildlifeRefugeisdominatedbywetlandsinterspersedwithuplandforestsandothercovertypes.Thewetlandshavebeenheavilyimpactedbyhumanactivities,suchastheseriesofdikesconstructedtocreatepoolsforwaterfowlhabitat.Thedikeshaveinterceptednormalgroundandsurfacewaterflowandhavechangedthehydrologyandcarbondynamicsofthesystem.Thisstudy is examining current hydrology and carbon dynamics andhowtheychangewhenhydrologicfunctionisrestoredtopre-dikeconditions.Resultstodatewillbepresented.Presenter: Meral Jackson, Doctoral Student, Michigan Technological University

What’s In The Air? MostvisitorsexpectcleanairandgoodvisibilityinwildliferefugesbutSeneyisaffectedbyregionalurbanandindustrialareasandbiomassburning.AirpollutantscanharmnaturalandscenicresourcesintheRefugesuchassurfacewaters,plants,soils,fish,birds,animals,andvisibility.In1978,CongressacknowledgedtheuniquenessoftheSeneyWildernessAreabynamingitasaClassIairqualityareaandsince2000theUSFishandWildlifeServicehasworkedwithseveralotherprogramstomonitorandbetterunderstandairqualityatSeneyNationalWildlifeRefuge.ThispresentationwillprovideanoverviewoftheairqualitymonitoringprogramattheRefuge.Presenter: Jim Patton and Don Gardner, Air Monitoring Station Volunteers, Seney NWR

Firetower,©JohnHysell

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Summer help on the Refugeby Ronald Allen, SNHA Intern

This summer the Seney Natural History Associationwas able to fund four interns. With four interns working fortheRefugethefull-timepersonnelareabletoaccomplishmorework.Havinginternsworkwiththestaffissimilartoasymbioticrelationship.TheRefugestaffreceivesmuchneededhelpfromthe up and coming interns while the interns earn the experience neededtostartworkintheirfield. Sosomeofyoumaybewondering, ‘What intheworlddothose‘interns’doallsummer?’Theansweris:notmuch.No,no,no.I’mkiddingofcourse.Wedoalotmorethanyoumaythinkwedo.TherearetimesthatIfeellikeIhavenotdoneadarnthingforacoupleweeks.Intheeyesofourtrustedsupervisorstheyseefourlittleangelsdiligentlyatwork. Two of those wonderful interns work in the AppliedSciencesProgramwithGregCorace.Theirworkforthesummerhas included nightjar surveys, frog and toad survey, invasiveplant management, marshbird survey, and many other tasks.Emily isnowoff tograduate schoolpursuingaM.S. inWildlifeConservation.Nickwillstickaroundalittlelongerandisawaitingwordonafewjobinquiries. The other two interns, DawnMarsh and Ronnie Allen,worked in theVisitor ServicesDepartmentwith SaraGiles andJenMcDonough. WhileworkingasaVisitor Services internattheRefugecanbethemost fun, therearemanydays that last12hours.WorkfortheVisitorServicesinternsincludedthe24thAnnualChildren’sFishingDay,4-Hcamp,YouthintheOutdoors,Urban/Multicultural Day, Wildlife Wednesday Tours, MondayMorningTours,schoolfieldtrips,locallibraryprograms,festivals,volunteersocials,andthelistgoeson.Dawn’sbestmemoryafterworkingattheRefugewasthisyear’sCurtisParadewhenMarkVaniman(RefugeManager)dressedupasanovenbirdandrodeabike. Ronnieenjoyedworkingwith thevolunteersandwhatfascinatedhimthemostwashowmuchpeoplelovethebirdsandwildlifehere. Twoadditionalhelpers,whowererarelyseen,exceptfortheirexcellentwork,wereVernandSherryMetzger.ThesetwowonderfulresidentvolunteersdedicatedtheirsummertohelpingSeney. Embarking on a great migration from Texas they firstfoundSeneytobealittlechilly.Theirworkforthesummerhasincluded helping the maintenance department mow the lawns androadsontheRefuge,painting,postingandfixingsigns,etc.WiththeirhardworkwehadanotherstructurallysoundsummerontheRefuge. Ofcoursewecannotforgetour60+volunteerswhohelpedoutthisseasonandeveryotherseason.Volunteerworkincludedworkingthefrontdesk,inventory,stockingmerchandise,invasiveplantmanagement,cookingforvolunteersocials,gardening,andsomanyothergreatdeeds.Theirworkasalwaysisinvaluable. ThiscouldnothavebeendonewithouttheguidanceandsupportfromtheRefugestaff.TheRefugestaffisalwaystheretoaideveryoneinmakingsureweaccomplishourmission.`

Another Productive Year for Piping Ploversby Greg McClellan

The Endangered piping plover (Charadrius melodus) had another productive nesting season attheWhitefish Point Unit for the fifth year in a row(2009-2013)aftera25yearabsence.Aswasthecasein2012,weagainhadthreesuccessfulnestsin2013with11eggshatchedand10chicksfledge.In2012,11chicksfledged. This year we had a total of four nests, butone nest failed as the female of the pair was predated upon by a merlin. The eggs were recovered andtakentothecaptiverearingfacilityattheUniversityof Michigan Biological lab near Pellston, but theeggswerenotviable. Themalefromthepairtriedto pair with other females, but was unsuccessful.ThiswasthefirstdocumentedpredationofanadultploverbyamerlinatWhitefishPointsincewebeganmonitoring nesting plovers in 2009. In past years,alltheplovernestswereonthemainpointoutfromthebirdobservatorybirdingshack.However,wehadone nest on the beach area between the main point andthenewHelstromadditionthisyear.Oneofthechickswasprayeduponbyanunknownpredator.TheploversusedthenewbeachacquiredintheHelstromadditiontofeed.Inaddition,twocaptiverearedchickswere releasedatWhitefishPoint. Inpreviousyearswe had posted and closed the beach around the main point,butwiththenewaddition,wealsoclosedthebeachsouthtoprivateproperty,includingthebeachencompassedbythenewHelstromaddition. As in years past, plover monitoring wasconducted by technicians hired by Lake SuperiorState University (LSSU) and who were stationed atVermillion,westofWhitefishPoint,andalsomonitoredtheploversatWhitefishPoint.Inexchangeforthemonitoring atWhitefish Point, the Refuge providedhousingatourRiverRoadQuartersforoneplovertechhiredbyLSSUwhomonitorednestingpipingploversatPortInland.ThankstoLSSUforalltheworktheydoinmonitoringtheploversatWhitefishPoint.`

Piping Plover. Photo: Sarah D’Angelo.

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The Creighton at Nightby Dawn Marsh, SNHA Intern

This summer Iwas presented the opportunity toassisttheAppliedSciencesPrograminternsonanumberofsurveysconductedduringthefieldseason:frogandtoad,secretivemarshbirdandnightjarsurveys.Ofthesesurveys,theMichigannightjarsurveywasthemostmemorableformebecauseofitsprotocolandspeciesoffocus.Nightjars,or goatsuckers, comprise the family Caprimulgidae (cap-rim-mole-ja-die) and are described as, “nocturnal birdswithampletails,largeeyes,tinybills,largebristledgapes,andveryshortlegs”.IntheUpperPeninsula,twospeciesof nightjars can be found: whip-poor-will and commonnighthawk. These two species are commonly identifiedat night by sound. The whip-poor-will repeats its namevigorouslyoverthecourseofthenightandthecommonnighthawkwillmakea“peent”soundsimilartothatoftheAmericanwoodcock.ThesurveyissponsoredbytheUSFish&WildlifeServiceandisaprojectoftheMichiganBirdConservationInitiativeanditspartneringagenciesandorganizations.Thepurposeofthesurveyistogainabetterunderstandingofthenightjarpopulation inMichigan,astheirnocturnalhabitsmake itdifficult toobtainreliablepopulationestimatesduringtheBreedingBirdSurvey(BBS). ThesurveysareconductedfromlateMaythroughearlyJulywhilethemoonisatleast50%illuminated.TheroutefollowspreexistingBBSpointsandisatotalof10pointsspacedonemileapart.TheCreightonroutebeginsneartheSeneyNWRsignalongtheCreightonTruckTrail.Surveyorsmustbeginatleast15minutesaftersunsetandendnolaterthan15minutesbeforesunrise.Ateachpoint,thesurveyorstopsandlistensforsixminutes.Duringthistime,eachindividualthatiscallingisnotedeachminuteintervalwiththedirectionthesoundiscomingfrom.Thesurveyisgenerallycompletedinninetyminutes. NickMarengo,AppliedSciencesintern,andIwentout

May25thandJune17thtoconductthesurveys.Thefirstrunresultedinwhip-poor-willsandcommonnighthawks,aswellas,adeafeningchorusofspringpeepersthatwaspresentatthemajorityofthestops.Thesecondrunofthesurveyprovedtobemoreexcitingduetoanincreaseinthenumberofwhip-poor-willsheardalongtheroute.Ihaveaslightfearofthingsjumpingoutatme,soIwasthankfulthatIwasassistingNick.Atroughlythefourthstop,wegotoutofthetruckandhadjuststartedoursix-minutelisteningperiodwhensomethinginthewoodsbeganrunningtowardsus.Ofcourse,NickgrabbedtheflashlightandtriedtofinditwhileItriedtoignoreit,notwantingtoknowwhatitwas.Ourbestguesswasthatitwasonlyawhite-taileddeer,butweliketotellpeoplethatitwasawolforabear.Thenextpointprovedtobeevenmoreheart-

pounding.Westopped,gotout,andstartedlisteningjustasanothercritterrantowardsus.Thistimetheanimalwasclosingthedistancebetweenusrapidlyandgaveusnoindicationofstopping.Allofthesudden,asnowshoehareburstsoutofthewoodsintoviewandscampersacrosstheroadrightinfrontofus.Secondslater,threemoreharesleapfromthewoodsandsprintaftertheinitialhare.Theexcitementandreliefofknowingthatitwasonlyapasselofharesresultedinhystericallaughterfromoneoftheinterns,nottellingwho.Therestofthesurveywasuneventfulinthatregard,butitwasalwaysentertainingtohearwhip-poor-willsoverlappingtheircallsandcreatingamusicalround.Atthefinalsurveypoint,theInternationalSpaceStationpassedoverheadandthenvanishedintothestarrysky. ThesurveywasagreatopportunitytogainfieldexperienceandagreaterappreciationforallthattheRefugehastooffer.

Eastern Whip-poor-will.Photo: Laura Gooch, Flickr Creative Commons.

Common Nighthawk.Photo: Jason Crotty, Flickr Creative Commons.

Seney Natural History Association1674 Refuge Entrance RoadSeney, MI 49883

Bookstore Sale!Starting August 30th 15% off Storewide

25% Inventory Reduction on Select Merchandise

40% Off Sellout ItemsStop by and save!!!

Normal SNHA Members Discount of 10% is not cummulative.

Photo Contest!Don’t Forget! Photo Contest Entries Must be Postmarked by August 31st.

We look forward to seeing your photos!

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