Small change in the schedule

Hello everyone. Due to the fact that Chris Neri is out of town, there will be a small change in the program schedule for tonight. Instead of the Warbler ID presentation, we will be having the Birds of Whitefish Point presentation. It will still take place at 7:30pm at the Visitor Center; only the content of the program has changed. Warbler ID will be back at the regular time next week. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

~ Sarah

Fall Programs

Hey everyone! September is here (already!) and the leaves have begun to turn. That means our fall programs at the Point are just about to start. Our popular Owls of Whitefish Point and Bird Walk programs are returning. We are also adding a few new things, including a Warbler ID program and an Owl Prowl. See the flyer above, or our website, for more info.

~ Sarah

Labor Day Weekend

Hey all! We have been enjoying some great weather at the Point the last couple days--sunny, warm, and with a little breeze. The beautiful weather is forecast to continue through the weekend, so we hope you can make it up to the Point!

We will have our usual programs Saturday and Sunday, but have added a couple special ones for Labor Day on Monday. We will be holding two nature walks around the Point at 11am and 2pm. We will be walking the trails, exploring the flora and fauna of Whitefish Point. The walks will last about an hour. We hope to see you there!

~ Sarah

Breather after Blueberry Weekend

Hey all! Blueberry Festival weekend has come and gone, and it was a fun time! It did rain up at the Point for most of the afternoon on Friday, causing some programs to be cancelled, but the rain held off for Saturday. The rockhounds found at least one agate, and the folks who came on the Blueberry Stroll definitely found blueberries! It seems to be a good year for them.

Other berries we came across were bunchberry and huckleberry. Both are edible, but bunchberries are apparently pretty bland and kind of mealy. At least, that is what it said in the wild berry book I looked them up in. Huckleberries, however, are delicious.

Bunchberry is in the dogwood family and has an unusual attribute. Its pollen is contained in springy filaments that snap upward in order to release the pollen (yes, the plant moves). The unusual part is that it takes less than half a millisecond for the motion to happen. This is one of the fastest plant motions so far discovered. You would need a camera that can shoot 10,000 frames per second in order to capture it. The pollen shooting off the filament experiences 800 times the force the space shuttle does during liftoff. Nature is so cool, huh?!

~ Sarah

Blueberry Festival Weekend

This weekend is the Blueberry Festival in Paradise. We are hosting a Blueberry Stroll on Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd at 3pm, along with our regular programs. We will look for wild blueberries in the woods around the Point and hopefully see some of the wildlife that also eat the berries. Rain will cancel this event, so keep an eye on the weather. There is a chance of rain Friday, but it looks to be nicer on Saturday.

We hope to see you then!

Apple Sphinx Moth

This is a picture of a Northern Apple Sphinx moth. We found one of these during a Night Hike program this week. It's a really beautiful moth that inhabits bogs and boreal forest. The larvae feed on the leaves of apple, blueberry, spruce, tamarack, meadowsweet, and Sweet Gale. The adults drink nectar from a variety of flowering plants.

Butterfly Ramble a Success

Our first Butterfly Ramble event on Friday, August 7th, was a definite success. Although turnout was small, the participants had a great time. They saw several interesting species, including a hummingbird moth. They were also treated to the sight of an immature bald eagle fishing in the waters of Whitefish Bay. The young eagle caught a fish, but an adult eagle came and stole it! The participants were very excited to witness this natural drama. A very special thanks to Jack Reinoehl for leading the program.

Our next special event is for Blueberry Festival the weekend of August 21st. Check back for more details soon!

~ Sarah

Butterfly Ramble

Hi everyone! Don't forget our special event this week--the Butterfly Ramble! Learn to identify the butterflies in the area with Jack Reinoehl. Meet at the Owl's Roost at 1pm this Friday, the 7th. We will be doing some walking, so be prepared. Don't forget bug and sun protection!

We hope to see you there.

~ Sarah

No "Evening at the Point" Tonight

Hello everyone. This is a quick note to let you know that the special event we had planned with the Shipwreck Museum tonight is postponed. We're not sure when it will be held, but I will post any updates.

Thanks!
~ Sarah

Library program and Piping Plover presentation

Hello everyone! The program at the Whitefish Township Library went very well, despite some technical difficulties. 22 people learned about owls and owl research at Whitefish Point. Thank you to everyone who came out, and to Cindy for giving me the opportunity to speak at the library.

Don't forget, tomorrow is our special presentation "Piping Plovers at the Point" with Erin Roche. Piping Plovers have nested at the Point this summer for the first time in 23 years! We are very excited to have Erin speak about these endangered birds. The program is at 1:00pm in the Visitor Center (in the same building as the gift shop; across the parking lot from the Shipwreck Museum). We hope to see you there!

~ Sarah

Hi everyone! We are in our third week of programs for the summer, and things have started out slowly. The weather has not been very cooperative and we have had to cancel several programs due to rain. I want to remind everyone about our upcoming program at the Whitefish Township Library. It will be at 7pm on Wednesday, July 22nd. I will be speaking about owls and the research we do at the Point. Afterwards, attendees are encouraged to come to the Point for our Night Hike program and owl banding. I hope to see you there!

~ Sarah

Summer Programs at WPBO

Hello everyone! I am pleased to announce the schedule for our summer education programs at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory. We are hosting a number of programs, with topics ranging from birds to trees to rocks. Our popular owl program returns this summer as well.
Please see the schedule and descriptions above for more details.

We also have a number of special events lined up for the summer, including a Piping Plover presentation and a Butterfly Ramble! See the flyer below.

We hope to see you at our programs! Please do remember to bring bug and sun protection with you, and a jacket. Often times the Point is windier and cooler than surrounding areas. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at (906) 492-3596 or wpbostaff@gmail.com.

~ Sarah

Memorial Day

Hello everyone! Because of the holiday weekend, we will be having an extra bird walk on Monday, May 25th. We will start at the same time, and meet in the same place, as our other bird walks. Have a good weekend!

~ Sarah

Hawk ID 101

Learn to distinguish a Rough-leg from a Red-tail! Meet me on the hawk platform at 11 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through May 30th for a short raptor identification discussion, then practice your skills on the hawks flying overhead. This is a program for those of you new to raptor ID; we will be discussing raptor silhouettes and the basic field marks to look for in flying birds. Rain or fog will cancel this program. I hope to see you there!

~ Sarah

PS--For some finer points of raptor ID, see the discussions John has posted on our hawk blog.

Spring Education Programs at WPBO

We're very happy to say that for the first time in many years WPBO has an interpretive naturalist/educator on the staff this year. Sarah Pitzer will be conducting guided walks and educational programs through September. Click on the above image to enlarge the current schedule, and check back for future programs that Sarah will be running. As indoor seating for the owl programs is limited, please contact Sarah to arrange for the accommodation of groups, wpbostaff@gmail.com