Photo of the Week: American Yellow Fly Agaric Mushroom

Yellow mushroom with white cotton-like warts on top surrounded by dead, brown pine needles on the ground.

Since the weather has finally cooled down in southeast Michigan, and with all the rain we’ve had recently, I’m finding more mushrooms in the woods when I’m out birding.

Mushrooms on the ground near decaying leaves, at the base of trees, as well as nestled in the V of dead limbs of deciduous trees in the woods.

Including this yellow mushroom, which I’ve seen increasing in numbers under the white pines at Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Continue reading Photo of the Week: American Yellow Fly Agaric Mushroom

Photo of the Week: Fall Colors Starting to Change

Orange and gold leaflets on a sumac bush stand out in the green woods.

In southeast Michigan, I smile as I hike the trails and see the brilliant gold, orange, and red colors of the sumac leaves in the mass of green in the woods. Honey locust trees have turned a golden yellow as their leaves flutter to the ground in a circular movement. While our maples have yet… Continue reading Photo of the Week: Fall Colors Starting to Change

Photo of the Week: Cape May Warbler in Fall Plumage

Small gray and yellow bird with short, sharp billperched on hanging bare tree branch, green foilage in the background.

What a treat to find and identify a Cape May Warbler along the shore of Lake Erie this weekend!

Every fall I go through the steps of re-learning how to identify migrating warblers on their way to places further south of Michigan.

This year was no different.

Continue reading Photo of the Week: Cape May Warbler in Fall Plumage