Even as Mother Nature plays her own little cat & mouse game with us regarding whether or not spring has actually arrived, there is one unimpeachable source telling us that, despite the chilly temps and snow showers, spring is here.
No doubt you've heard the welcome sounds of birds chirping. That harbinger of warmer weather to come got us wondering: what's the State of the Michigan bird?
For those who may not know, the Michigan State Bird is the American Robin, which has been the official state bird declared by the Michigan Audubon Society since 1931.
Late last month, some of the state's top conservationists, biologists and professors came together for a statewide Michigan bird conference.
The co-chair of this Michigan Bird Conservation Initiative Workshop is Kara Haas. She is with the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary in Hickory Corners, near Battle Creek.
Her mission is all about protecting and restoring bird populations and their habitats in Michigan.
Today Haas gives us a picture of the overall health of Michigan's bird populations, the success stories and the challenges that are being faced in terms of conservation and restoration of bird populations and their habitats.