Category - Nature

Guardian of the Plover Galaxy

Thursday, May 12, 2022 11:00 AM by Mike Kent

Alice Van Zoeren stands to watch on the sands of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. She has come to these shores for 17 years as a guardian. She searches to find, defend and protect the endangered bird known as the Piping Plover. 

The Bear Never Hibernates

Tuesday, February 1, 2022 1:00 PM by Traverse City Tourism

There is one bear where hibernation is not part of an annual hibernation ritual: the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Many people don’t realize that the National Lakeshore is open year-round. Word to the wise: if you miss a visit in winter, you are missing out on a remarkable experience. 

(All photos courtesy of Lake Michigan Whale Migration Station. No claims are made for their accuracy.)

The volunteers at the Traverse City Visitor Center can almost always come up with advice for baffled tourists who need directions. However, one question consistently leaves them speechless.

It’s the one about whale-watching tours.

Birding the Leelanau Conservancy Lands

Wednesday, July 27, 2016 10:40 AM by Kay Charter

Photo Credit Ed Ketterer

While I have long been aware that Leelanau County is a great place to bird, that message was strongly reinforced when my pal Dave Barrons and I organized (and ran) a birding festival here for five years. A number of Leelanau Conservancy properties were included in our field

The Wonderful Leelanau Trail

Thursday, June 23, 2016 8:00 AM by Allison Taphouse

As the weather starts to heat up, so do the trails. The paved Leelanau Trail spans a full 19 miles, flowing through orchards, wooded wildlife sanctuaries, wineries and open meadows – offering miles and miles worth of biking paradise. Every mile has something new to offer for both experienced cyclists and beginners alike. Ready to explore? 

A Spring Preview

Thursday, February 26, 2015 2:00 AM by Traverse City Tourism

By MIKE NORTON

Spring is on the way -- you know it is! The days are getting a little longer, the nights are getting a little shorter, the sap is starting to run in the sugar maples and the birds are beginning to make cheerful noises in the yard. So just to help you keep your spirits up and help you

Home is Where You Run

Wednesday, September 3, 2014 3:00 AM by Heather Johnson Durocher

It’s sticky-hot, one of the final days of summer, and my feet have a mind of their own -- they’re taking me past my parked car and toward the sparkling waters of West Bay. Water. Cold, refreshing water.

I come to the end of Maple Street, the sweet bakery smells greeting me as I run past Bay Bread

Birding in Northern Michigan

Tuesday, May 13, 2014 3:00 AM by Mike Norton

I heard my first loon last night. Far out on the harbor, that strange wild, half-crazy laugh came out of the evening mist.  Back from the warm places where they spend their winters, back to join us in the uncertain Northern springtime. I love those big birds.

Dynamic Variation: