Chippewa Valley Audubon Club

10/19/2026

10/11/2026

Biologists at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, say the piping plover had the largest year-to-year increase in 2026 in more than 20 years. In the Great Lakes region 99 piping plover pairs established 101 nests, up from 88 pairs in 2025.

Sleeping Bear Dunes played a key role in this season’s success. Its shoreline was home to about one-third of all Great Lakes piping plover pairs in 2026, with 32 pairs establishing 33 nests at the Lakeshore. Together, they laid 129 eggs, and 111 hatched in the wild. From those nests, 60 chicks successfully fledged in the wild, with another four chicks fledging through the captive-rearing program.

The progress is remarkable considering there were only 17 breeding pairs in 1986 when the Great Lakes piping plover was listed as endangered.

09/23/2026

09/22/2026

09/14/2026

🍂 Millions of dragonflies are on the move! 🐉

Each fall, enormous numbers of dragonflies migrate south across North America—some traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles toward Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Species like the Common Green Darner, Black Saddlebags, and Wandering Glider are among the long-distance travelers making this remarkable seasonal journey. And unlike monarch butterflies, dragonfly migration often happens almost unnoticed overhead.

Have you spotted large numbers of dragonflies where you live lately? 👀

🔗 Learn more about the Great Dragonfly Migration — link in comments.

09/06/2026

At peak last night, over a quarter billion birds were in the air traveling southward for their fall migration. The next few nights could exceed these numbers with favorable atmospheric conditions expected. A sure sign of the changing seasons ahead!

09/05/2026

Expansive wetlands, bottomland forest, and open-water pools create prime wildlife habitat across this 10,000-acre refuge south of Saginaw. More than 270 migratory bird species use the area, with spring and fall bringing especially impressive concentrations of waterfowl. The five-mile Ferguson Bayou Trail follows dikes beside the restored Maankiki Marsh, with observation decks and a photo blind overlooking habitat used by ducks, geese, deer, and other wildlife.

From June through September, visitors can also explore a seven-mile seasonal wildlife drive that winds past marshes, grasslands, forests, pools, and the Shiawassee River. Admission is free, and the refuge maintains more than 12 miles of trails for hiking, with bicycles allowed on selected routes. Pets are not permitted, and flooding or hunting periods can temporarily change access, so checking conditions before visiting is worthwhile.

Have you been here? If so, share your experience in the comments below!

⭐ Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge
📍 6975 Mower Rd, Saginaw, MI 48601

09/04/2026