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Sandhill Cranes
Michigan in the Great Lakes Sandhill Cranes Have you ever seen a Sandhill Crane? It is a tall, slender bird found in marshes, swamps and other wetlands. It has long legs, a long neck and a grayish body with a distinctive red patch on the crown of its head. Most Sandhill Cranes in Michigan migrate…
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Apple Blossom
Michigan in the Great Lakes Apple Blossom Did you know that the apple blossom is Michigan’s state flower? It was designated as such in 1897. Apple blossoms form on the branches of the deciduous apple tree which is a member of the rose family. The blossoms often start out as buds in various shades of…
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Lake Sturgeons
Michigan in the Great Lakes Lake Sturgeons Did you know that the largest fish in the Great Lakes is the Lake Sturgeon? It is found in large lake and river systems in the Great Lakes Basin. The Lake Sturgeon can grow to a length of more than six feet and reach a weight near two…
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Mackinac Island
Michigan in the Great Lakes Mackinac Island Did you know that Mackinac Island can be reached by a short ferry ride in the summer from both the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Lower Peninsula of Michigan? Mackinac Island is a popular vacation spot situated on Lake Huron near the Straits of Mackinac between the…
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Traverse City National Cherry Festival
Michigan in the Great Lakes Traverse City National Cherry Festival Did you know that Michigan has a cherry festival? Michigan is known for its cherries, many of which are grown in the Traverse City area in northern Michigan. They are celebrated annually, usually around early July, at the eight-day National Cherry Festival in Traverse City,…
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Holland Harbor Lighthouse
Michigan in the Great Lakes Holland Harbor Lighthouse Did you know that Holland Harbor Lighthouse in Holland, Michigan is also referred to as Big Red? It was painted red by the Coast Guard in 1956 and is located at the entrance of a channel that connects Lake Michigan with Lake Macatawa. The red color indicates…
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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…
Terri Greening
Author
Terri Greening 