Katy and I just returned from two weeks in Costa Rica. As part of an Elderhostel–though the program is now called Exploritas–we visited five sites ranging from mangrove forest along the Pacific Coast to the rather chaparral-like vegetation called paramo around 11,000 feet above sea level on Cerro de la Muerte. Included were visits to [...]
The following is approximately what I said in my brief remarks at the Save the Colony Farm Orchard Rally last Tuesday night, 8 December 2009. I have, however, expanded on my thoughts under point 3, adding a consideration of conservation easements.
We need to recognize three aspects to the conservation value of this piece of land. [...]
As we all know, HB 5207 put forth by Representative Bob Jones (D–Kalamazoo) is designed to strip the conservation/public use restrictions from the Colony Farm Orchard as a first step in turning the 54 acres into an Annex to Western Michigan University’s BTR Park. Here are the stated restrictions: “The conveyance shall provide that Western [...]
Mid-morning I looked out the window and saw a small bird in the shrubs, moving about pretty actively. It was an American Redstart, not in the black and orange adult male plumage, but rather the olive-backed, gray-headed plumage with yellow wing and tail patches that at this time of year could be a female or [...]
From statements by Western Michigan University’s PR guy, we know what WMU thinks the Colony Farm Orchard is good for–expansion of the University’s business park.
The motivation for such an action is unclear, as are the need for it and what the expansion would involve. But none of these needs to concern us here. We want [...]
I saw an American woodcock at the Colony Farm Orchard Monday afternoon. It flew up from a little patch of woods as I approached. I only got a quick look, but woodcock are easy to identify, with the big head and the large dark eye nearly centered as you see it from the side. The [...]
When I arrived at Western Michigan University in 1959, Michigan was in the midst of an ornithological Golden Age. Dozens of ornithologists were practicing their science in the state or had recent (or soon-to-come) connections. Nearly every college and university had one to several faculty members with a special interest in birds.
My first exposure to [...]
