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Bee on the Lookout!

​Bumble Bee Watch
The US Fish and Wildlife Service contacted Beaver Island with a request to be on the look out for a rusty-patched bumble bee which is listed as an endangered species.  It was last seen in Michigan in 2006. Rusty-patched bumble bees are active May through November. Where the species remains elsewhere is often in natural areas within an urban/suburban settings--essentially natural habitat islands, isolated from other natural areas. They are associated with Milkweed and other native flowering plants. Disease is one suspect for the decline of the species, so perhaps isolation whether man-made or natural might be important.  Great Lakes islands may be the last refuge to find a rusty-patched bumble bee thus the agency is asking for your observations.  Below is a bumble bee watch program for those who are interested to help find rare bumble bees in Michigan. It would be wonderful to have more eyes looking for bumble bees and submitting photos.
 
Website --http://www.bumblebeewatch.org
See the color photo on the front page to identify!
 

News from the birhc wellness garden
 Wellness Garden Scheduling Small Events 
After a year of quarantine, lockdowns, vaccinations and social distancing we are finally hoping to add a few dates to the BI calendar. 
JUNE 19th: Gardener's Day.   Join us at the BIRHC Wellness Garden  12-3pm . We will be offering plants for sale grown by us, as well  as divisions from our own gardens, both vegetable and ornamental, to help fund the new plantings and supplies to support the all-volunteer 
BIRHC  Garden.  Cash, checks, and donations will be accepted.  In addition,  local gardeners are invited to set up an area for their own sales at no charge.  Registration and other details will be available soon.  Standard Pandemic practices are required to protect  us all. including masks and social distancing. Contact Dana D'Andraia with any questions. 
June 26th: A Memorial Silent Auction in honor of Bill Johnson, former BI resident and Health Center Board member,  will take place in Peaine Twp. Hall on Saturday from 12-3pm. Attendees will need to be masked, socially distanced and asked not to linger. Objects from collectible retro and antique decor, paintings, and other art will be for sale. There will be a "Buy Now" price, or bid your best price with reserves on a few items. The funds raised will pay for revamping the front sidewalk area around BIRHC, in honor of Bill's vision of the Peace and Beauty of Beaver Island. If you are able to donate an item for the Auction please contact me at your earliest convenience. Watch for flyers with more details.
August 10th:  our Annual Garden Tour will take place on Donegal Bay. This will be a limited ticket Event . Vaccinated attendees with masks will be transported to various homes and enjoy a day of fun, education,  prizes, and a nice lunch. Dessert will be at one of our Donegal Gals' home. This Event will be evolving over the Summer as Covid continues to grip Michigan.  Hopefully we can count on your support by adhering to our guidelines for everyone's sake. More details throughout the summer on this Event as well as ticket sales. Please call me, Leonor, if you have any questions at 231-448-2894(9-5 daily) (leave message if necessary)  Looking forward to a busy but fun summer!
Leonor Jacobson for the Wellness Garden Fundraising Committee 
 
 
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Valentine's Day Greetings appear in the Print issue of the NorthernIslander, available at McDonough's Market, Island Energies, Powers Hardware and other locations around Beaver Island. Click the Buy it Now button above to subscribe to the monthly print issue.

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Beaver Beacons Here!  Did you know,  you can click on the photo above to link to pdf copies of Vintage Beaver Beacons?  Try It!

Hunting fossils with cyndy hunting! 

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FOSSILSWhat are they?  Where do they come from?How do they form? How many different kinds of fossils can you find on Beaver Island?  Where do you find them?That’s a secret!The fossil at right is beautifully formed from shells and actually a large stone worthy of a museum piece. At left, Cynthia Hunting’s collection of fossils gathered over many years with children and grandchildren on Beaver Island. ​Read more in the October Issue!

Beautiful Beaver Island!

Beaver Island is a place of pristine wilderness and lakeshore, infused with freshwater lakes and breathtaking views from dunes and bluffs and roadsides. 

​Beaver Island is solitude, peace, silence filled only with sounds of nature’s abundance on wings of eagles and swans, in the call of peepers, crickets, nightjars and loons.
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Beaver Island is a hallowed, quiet land where one walks among ancient forests, sentinel cedars, pines and ironwood trees with gnarled and...READ MORE