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Monarch Butterflies
Michigan in the Great Lakes Monarch Butterflies Did you know that many Monarch Butterflies spend their summers in Michigan and migrate to Mexico in the latter part of the summer and early fall to spend the winter there? A different generation of Monarch Butterflies returns to Michigan from Mexico the following year mostly in the…
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Piping Plovers
Michigan in the Great Lakes Piping Plovers Have you ever seen a Piping Plover? The Piping Plover is a small, endangered shorebird with a white breast and sandy-brown feathers on its back and head. It is found in both the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, especially in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake…
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Tulip Time Festival
Michigan in the Great Lakes Tulip Time Festival Have you ever seen an authentic, Dutch windmill spinning next to a field of colorful tulips? How about Dutch wooden shoes being worn by costumed, parade dancers, walking-tour guides and others? The Tulip Time Festival in Holland, Michigan showcases both of these things and more in its…
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Herons
Michigan in the Great Lakes Herons Have you ever seen a Green Heron? Or maybe you’ve seen a blue one. There are green ones, too. Green Herons are smaller and stockier than the more often seen Great Blue Herons and have a shorter neck. Herons often wade or stand still in shallow water as they…
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Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Michigan in the Great Lakes Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Have you ever seen Pictured Rocks? Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore near Munising, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula is filled with colorful cliffs of sandstone known as Pictured Rocks. The colors appear when mineral-filled groundwater oozes through cracks in the rocks and runs down the sides of…
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Robins
Michigan in the Great Lakes Robins Did you know that the American Robin is the state bird of Michigan? Robins can be found in Michigan year-round, although most of them fly south for the winter and return in early spring. They eat earthworms, insects, fruits, and berries. The scientific name for the American Robin is…
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Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
Michigan in the Great Lakes Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse Did you know that there is a lighthouse in Michigan that looks a lot like a castle? Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, which is sometimes referred to as the “Castle of the Straits,” is located in the lower peninsula of Michigan on the Straits of Mackinac, a…
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Egrets
Michigan in the Great Lakes Egrets Great Egret Did you know that the Great Egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society? The Great Egret is a tall, white bird. It has black legs and feet and a long, yellowish-orange bill. It can be found wading in shallow water in ponds, lakes, rivers, and…
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Black Bears
Michigan in the Great Lakes Black Bears Did you know that Black Bears are the only bear species in Michigan? They are found in both the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan and are usually black or very dark brown in color. The large majority of them inhabit the forests of the Upper Peninsula although…
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Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
Michigan in the Great Lakes Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Oval Office and Cabinet Room Exhibits Have you ever seen the Oval Office up close? How about the Cabinet Room? The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan has full-sized exhibits showing how both White House rooms looked during Gerald R. Ford’s presidency…