On Friday, Lise and I drove an hour to the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge, trying for a few more species. We got stilt sandpiper, our only new species for that trip. The stilt was number 300 for me and 285 for Lise. Still a good trip, even getting only one new species. Had great views of immature eagles. Like right in the tree over our heads good views. Hundreds of American egrets and great blue herons. We saw a Wilson’s phalarope, our second for the year. Sandhill cranes are grouping up, telling us it’s time for a Jasper Pulaski run. And we had a nice sunset.
Immature bald eagle, eying me up as a snack.
Sandhill cranes grouping up.
Egrets at sunset.
This evening we bought Molly a better violin at Elderly Instruments. This is one of the places in Lansing that has some character to it. It’s an old multistory I.O.O.F. building, right across the river from the Behnke Fish Ladder. No telling what those Odd Fellows did in there but right now it’s kind of a music Mecca. The first time I ever went there an elderly black gentleman was just sitting on the front steps, playing some great blues guitar. I’m not a musician of any sort but I like wandering through there. There’s hundreds of instruments sitting around and usually a couple people playing some of them. Lindsay and I could hear Molly trying out the violins while we wandered the store. It’s the kind of place where I would buy a mandolin just so I can say, “I picked this little beauty up at Elderly Instruments.” It would be even better if I could find an electric guitar that goes to 11. Now that would be a must-have.
On the way back we stopped at a place with considerably less character, the MSU sod farm. Leading the nation in turf research. Never mind climate change, energy crisis, world over-population and dwindling water supplies, we gotta make them golf courses look good. Now that’s important research! At least we got an American golden plover there. Number 301 for me and 286 for Lise, only a mile from home.
Ed's and Lise's Biggish Years 