Monday, May 22, 2017

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, MI, U.P: 5-21-17





The Porcupine Mountains (Porkies) were named by Ojibwa Indians for the forested ridges resembling a porcupine's back.  This is the largest stand of old-growth forest (35,000 acres) between the Mississippi River and the Adirondacks.  The park was formed in 1945 and encompasses 60,000 acres.  The park has a small population of black bears, and in recent years there have been sightings of long-absent wolves and moose.  This is the only state-designated wilderness in all of Michigan.





The Escarpment at the Lake of the Clouds









Garlic Mustard



Highly invasive and problematic plant.






Swainson's Thrush





The only woodland thrush whose song goes up in pitch.






Great place for binoculars, especially if you want and up close and personal view of a fence.





Handsome male Blackburnian Warbler

Most of these birds nest in the boreal forest of Canada and the northern U.S., ranging south in the Appalachian mountains.  They typically feed at or near the ends of branches which is where we saw this one.




A good idea on night's like the one here in Porcupine Mts Wilderness SP  (41 degrees with a 20 mph wind coming off Lake Superior about 30 yards from our campsite).







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