Category Archives: 2018 EVENTS

December 18 Bird Survey at ESGR

The ESGR hosted 12 people for a bird survey that started at 6AM and ended around 11AM, December 18th, 2018.

~~ 27 species were tallied ~~

Highlights were great looks at Barred and Eastern Screech-Owls pre-dawn (making the early morning worth it). It was great to have access to a warm house and kitchen for refreshments.

We are looking forward to a return by the bird surveyors during breeding season, in May or June. We also welcome visits by bird watchers during the earlier migration too!

Happy Solstice Everyone!

RETREAT HELD FOR LANDMARK STUDY OF RED SQUIRRELS

The annual meeting of the Kluane Red Squirrel Project (www.redsquirrel.ca) was held at E.S. George Reserve in December 2018. The Kluane Red Squirrel Project is a 30+ year study of the ecology, evolution, behavior, physiology, and energetics of North American red squirrels in the Yukon, Canada. Members gather each year to discuss squirrel lore as well as project logistics, the latest results, and future research plans. This workshop gathered researchers from Ben Dantzer’s Lab at the University of Michigan along with their collaborators from the University of Alberta, University of Guelph, and the University of Saskatchewan.

Sometimes Things Just Happen...

Sometime in mid September, 2018 this gorgeous old oak crashed to the ground, bringing with it innumerable nests and holes, but creating some new connections to the soil organisms! Photos by Alex Wenner & Nathan Sheldon

ESGR Film !

A quite professional film was recently made by a visitor to the ESGR: Michael Foster. It is linked here – enjoy the sights, sounds, and stories in early June at the E. S. George Reserve!
https://vimeo.com/274673554

The Mushroom Whisperer

Alex Wenner, facilities manager of ESGR, is now Michigan famous with two recent articles about his Mushroom hunting prowess on M-Live! Check out this link MUSHROOM WHISPERER

Sustainability & Environment Writing Workshop May 3-4, 2018

One of the most popular annual traditions of the Michigan University-wide Sustainability & Environment workshops is to convene a writing retreat at the Edwin S. George Reserve. We love getting away from email and out into the woods to write, share feedback on each other’s work, and have meals together at the lovely Hill n’ Dale house.

First Wildflowers for April 2018

The Botany Group at U of M held an impromptu field trip to ESGR on April 23 to see if anything was showing. A day for short sleeves or even tank tops! We found Hepatica americana and Carex pensylvanica but nothing else was up flowering (yet!)

The sounds of Spring, 2018

Although we can barely sense it, spring is here. Our days are longer and the sounds of spring are upon us. This report from Michael Fraker for April 13th:

... there were chorus frogs and spring peepers calling in most ponds; wood frogs also were calling in Southwest Woods, Southwest Marsh, the small pond just northwest of Crane, and West Woods Big and Little; and leopard frogs were calling in Fishhook…

there are more places to be explored!

February 2018 EEB Writing Retreat

On February 17-18, 2018 the first EEB Writing Retreat was held at the ESGR. We occupied the HillnDale house and spent both days in dedicated writing activities.
The lack of wifi was optimal for staying focused; those with flash drives or AirDrop were able to trade files, charts, or folders for reviewing! Late night activities included Ouija Board directives from beyond. Below a saturday view of Buck Hollow from the Esker Road: you can see the boardwalk and the trail to the bog.