Despite snow and sub-zero Fahrenheit temperatures this weekend, I started my Saturday with our local Wild Ones chapter winter sowing native plant seeds with several dozen gardeners at the University of Michigan-Dearbon Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC).
While I was at the EIC, I knew I wanted to stop at the Observation Room and check out the new Feeder Bird Symphony mural I learned about from the January 2026 newsletter.
The artist is Morgan Corley, a former EIC Student Naturalist and University of Michigan student.
I enjoyed how Corley portrayed the change in seasons of the area seen from the Observation Room.
On the left side of the mural is a brightly colored scene of birds in leafed out trees, on birdhouses, and on the ground.
On the right side of the mural the scene transitions to birds in a wintry landscape covered with snow.
What I noticed quickly: the birds in the mural, except for the Red-breasted nuthatch, are all birds I’ve heard and seen year-round from the Observation Room.
The Red-breasted nuthatch migrates south from its breeding grounds in August through September, and is rarely seen in southeast Michigan past April the following spring.
If you find yourself visiting the Dearborn, Michigan area, I recommend stopping by to check out the EIC Observation Room mural. As well as the birds!
