Photo of the Week: Which Black-backed Gull Did I See?

Large white gull with deep gray/black back, orange tipped yellow bill stands in the shallow open water of the marsh.

When I first traveled down the main road of Sterling State Park in Monroe, Michigan this weekend, I couldn’t miss the gulls.

They were everywhere!

In the lagoons, near the boat launch, in the air, and in the Hunters Club Marsh where I often see lotus pods along the shoreline in winter.

Continue reading Photo of the Week: Which Black-backed Gull Did I See?

Photo of the Week: Lotus Pods at Sterling State Park

Brown lotus pods wash up on the shore of an inland lake at Sterling State Park.

At the end of the season, the American Lotus looks nothing like the butter-yellow colored flowers seen on the inland ponds of Sterling State Park in Monroe, Michigan.

The brown Lotus pods are a collector’s delight, especially for floral designers and others who use the pods for decoration.

North America’s largest native aquatic water flower, American Lotus blooms can grow to almost 10 inches across.

That’s the size of a dinner plate! Continue reading Photo of the Week: Lotus Pods at Sterling State Park