THE DAILYPRESS, ESCANABA
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2026
A8
OUTDOORS
OUTDOORS NORTH
Cold air, loud caws and the promise of spring
Animals that aren’t
We held our tube straps of long-term recovery by begun the wintertime peanut in the snow. The
By JOHN PEPIN
Michigan Department of
Natural Resources
hunkered down in their together and we all went
own versions of warm down the hill at the same
creating connections and organizing of fishing tackle crow helped itself to the
reducing barriers for those and
shopping
for
treat.
“In the wintertime, hiding places, like cedar time. With our combined
when all the leaves are stands and brush piles, weight, we were able to
brown and the wind blows often use roads, power slide out onto the surface
(so chill) and the birds lines and water courses for of a frozen lake at the
affected by substance use.” replacement lures and
It was a really great other items I may be low
opportunity, though a bit on or out of.
The third crow seemed
very apprehensive. It stood
on a snowbank trying to
view the top of the barrel.
It then flew up over the
barrel.
of a stretch for me.
The last couple of days,
have all flown for the travel.
bottom.
As activities go, I will I have again been watching
almost always prefer doing the three crows we have
whatever it is alone or with around our house – Los
one or two close friends. Tres Amigos.
summer, I’m calling, hear
Like humans,
We also took
several turns rid-
ing solo, and I
went down with
Nathaniel in the
same tube with
me. So did the
Queen. On one
run, Nathaniel
dumped himself
into his tube
head-first and
me calling, hear me calling, they seek the path
In mid-air, it stopped
and tried to drop itself
down on the barrel lid.
Instead, it flew off and
landed back on the
snowbank. I never saw that
bird land on the barrel.
The peanuts were gone
quickly, largely through the
efforts of the first crow that
was loading itself up with
peanuts and then flying off
to bury them. It came back
several times in just a few
minutes.
ahh,” – Steve Miller
of least resistance.
For me, there’s
A crow glides over a
It takes something crucial
I wanted to set out some
snow-covered farm field, a time each winter
its black and glossy wings when my body
outstretched. The bird tells me that I have
lands on a wooden fence acclimated to the
like tubing to get me out peanuts in the shell for the
in a group of dozens of crows, as I’ve heard that is
people.
one of their favorite foods.
It was so much fun. I To reduce the competition
can’t wait to get out there from squirrels, blue jays
post.
wintry
He announces his conditions. For
presence with caws loud this winter, that
enough to rattle the time occurred a
breakfast dishes on the few days ago.
again.
and woodpeckers, I put the
Pepin
Little Nathaniel didn’t peanuts out on top of a
want to leave, but he had wooden barrel we have on
to keep his appointments, our deck, away from our
which included an after- bird feeding station.
went down the run with
his legs sticking up in the
air.
farmhouse table at the
head of the property.
I was out enjoying the
beauty and pleasure of an
noon birthday party to
attend.
I guess crows are
Maybe he’s lonely and afternoon, thinking what
looking for connection. a wonderful day it was to
Maybe he’s hungry, with be outside, breathing fresh
food a struggle for crows air, feeling the sunshine on
to find during the win- my face and getting some
It was his first time
being at the tube run and
he was incredibly excited
about the whole experi-
ence. With his boundless
energy, he was up and
down the hill, probably
three times as many times
as I was that day.
accustomed to familiarity;
My muscles were sore another trait animals share
the next day, but that’s with humans.
Deep relaxation and
peacefulness can come
from watching birds and
other wildlife. It’s one of
the many gifts that nature
provides. I am thankful for
them all.
OK. The Queen and I
Consequently, the crows
fired up the sauna and didn’t find the peanuts on
enjoyed the cold evening the first day even though
easing our aches and pains they were still visiting the
tertime.
exercise.
Maybe he’s just angry
Out of curiosity, I
about something, nothing decided to check the
or everything, like a lot of temperature. It was 8
away.
nearby feeding station.
Welcome to the Great The three birds were in
There’s light snow in
the air today. The tem-
perature has risen and it’s
another pleasant day to be
outside.
us.
degrees. If I was cool in 8
When I was growing
up, this tube run was used
as a ski hill. In those olden
times, we found similar
thrills on a toboggan run
located in the woods
nearby.
North Woods.
competition with each
Whatever his motive or degrees, I was clearly
intention, he doesn’t stay acclimated.
While there are several other for pieces of suet
weeks of wintertime dropped to the ground by
activities left to come, in the pileated and red-bellied
some ways, my mind is woodpeckers.
long to discuss it before he
I was out with a group
lifts himself off the fence of revelers enjoying the fun
post into the cold, gusting at a local tube slide.
I spotted two ruffed
grouse sitting in the upper
branches of a deciduous
tree, trying to snap off a
bud or something else to
eat.
already aware that the next
The following day, the
wind.
Just like when I was a
season ahead is springtime. first thing I saw when I
The Queen and I were looked outside was a gray
watching television when squirrel sitting atop the
there was a scene that wooden barrel, nibbling
showed rain falling into a one of the shells away from
He flaps and floats his kid, I loved the thrill of
way to another fence post careening down the
at the far edge of the field smooth and glistening side
and repeats his repertoire. of a big hill – the faster and
These days in the farther the better.
We’d start from the top
of the hill, which was just
outside a winter lodge.
The iced run would take
us rushing down alongside
a different inland lake, this
one much smaller in size
and depth.
This is a scene I see
occasionally. I don’t usually
see the birds land in the
tree or fly away from it, but
I do see them eating.
I walk a short way down
the road, trying to keep my
mind on the bright side of
life.
mud puddle.
the peanuts inside.
depths of winter are
This hill was luxuriously
“Yuck,” she said.
The squirrel picked up
characterized typically by maintained, provided
cold temperatures, biting innertubes and even had a
winds and all-you-could- tow rope to pull me back
want emptiness and up to the top to race down
silence. The snow again.
However, my sponta- another peanut in its
neous reaction was an mouth and jumped off the
excitement that shot barrel onto the ground. He
through my chest. The buried the peanut in the
sight immediately made snow and went back to the
me think of trout fishing barrel.
That toboggan run is no
longer operating, but the
tube run – with its higher
height, longer run, less
waiting and tow rope – is
a wonderful replacement.
Today, there is also access
from the top of the hill to
the lake by snowmobilers
traveling to and from their
distant ice-fishing shacks
dotting the ice.
enhances the effect by
The Queen of Shebis
muffling sounds, covering was there, as was our little
the landscape in a blank friend, Nathaniel, who is
and solemn nothingness. 7 years old.
in the rain and about how
Just then, the amigos
Meanwhile, in the
distance off in the woods,
I hear a single crow loudly
cawing.
I just can’t wait for that. arrived.
I also thought about
One landed on the
how long it has been since barrel and began picking
I’ve heard thunder. I up as many peanuts as it
visualized one of those could hold in its beak
summer thunderstorms, before flying into the
being outdoors with it woods. There, the bird
being so warm and green. buried the peanuts in the
It’s great to know those snow at the base of a tree.
I keep walking, shaking
my head.
Outdoors North is a weekly
column produced by the
Michigan Department of
Natural Resources on a wide
range of topics important to
those who enjoy and appre-
ciate Michigan’s world-class
natural resources of the Upper
Peninsula.
The day I was out at the
run, the public was able to
tube ride for free, thanks
to an invite from the
Superior Connections
days are on their way.
Meanwhile, one of the
We are down to just other crows was hopping
under six weeks before the along the ground, fol-
Recovery Community spring robins arrive, and 71 lowing the squirrel tracks.
Organization, which days until trout season It located the place where
“exists to cultivate a culture opens. To that end, I’ve the squirrel had buried a
Scientists say genetic analysis could greatly
speed restoration of iconic American chestnut
Department of State Elections & Campaign Finance
Administrative Rules for:
Campaign Finance Reports, Contributions, and Expenditures
reveal which are most likely
The American chestnut,
By
MICHAEL PHILLIS
to resist disease and grow sometimes called the
Associated Press
Campaign Finance Committees
tall, thus shortening how
“redwood of the East,” can
growquicklyandreachmore
than 100 feet (30 meters),
produce prodigious amounts
of nutritious chestnuts and
supply lumber favored for its
straight grain and durability.
But it had little defense
against foreign-introduced
blight and root rot. Another
type of chestnut, however,
had evolved alongside those
diseases. The Chinese
chestnut had been intro-
duced for its valuable nuts
and it could resist diseases.
But it isn’t as tall or com-
petitive in U.S. forests, nor
has it served the same critical
rolesupportingotherspecies.
So, the authors want a
tree with the characteristics
of the American chestnut
and the disease resistance of
the Chinese chestnut.
WASHINGTON — long it takes to plant the
Billions of American next, more robust, genera-
chestnut trees once covered tion.
Disqualification from Ballot Based Upon Contents of
Affidavit of Identity Rule Set 2025-52 ST
the eastern United States.
A smaller gap between
Friday, March 6, 2026, 10 a.m.
They soared in height, generations means a faster
producing so many nuts that path to lots of disease-
sellers moved them by train resistant trees that will once
car. Every Christmas, they're again be able to compete for
calledtomindbytheholiday space in Eastern forests. The
lyric “chestnuts roasting on authors hope that can occur
Room 1100 of the Binsfeld Office Building
201 Townsend St., Lansing, MI 48933
e Department of State will hold a public hearing to receive public comments on
proposed changes to:
an open fire.”
in the coming decades.
“What’s new here is the
But by the 1950s, this
e Campaign Finance Reports, Contributions, and Expenditures Rule Set
venerable tree went func- enginethatwe’recreatingfor
tionally extinct, culled by a restoration,” said Jared
deadly airborne fungal blight Westbrook, lead author and
and lethal root rot. A new director of science at The
ese rules will address campaign finance reports, contributions, and expenditures. It
will modernize the existing rules for those areas to align them with current practice and
policy. It will also address issues, such as social media expenditures and late contribution
reports, that are not fully addressed by the Michigan Campaign Finance Act (MCFA).
study out Thursday in the American
Chestnut
journal Science provides Foundation, which wants to
hope for its revitalization, return the tree to its native
finding that the genetic range that once stretched
testingof individualtreescan from Maine to Mississippi.
ese changes would be made by authority conferred on the secretary of state by Sections
15, 23, and 47(3) of the MCFA, 1976 PA 388, MCL 169.215, 169.223, and 169.247(3).
e Campaign Finance Committees Rule Set
ese rules will address campaign finance committees, and will modernize the existing
committees rules to align them with current practice and policy, as well as address
issues, such as treasurer vacancies, filing obligations, and dissolution of committees
and disposition of committee assets under various circumstances, that are not fully
addressed by the MCFA.
Start the new
year clog-free!
That goal is not new —
scientists have been reaching
for it for decades and made
some progress.
ese changes would be made by authority conferred on the secretary of state by
Sections 15 and 24 of the MCFA, 1976 PA 388, MCL 169.215, and MCL 169.224(7).
e Disqualification from Ballot Based Upon Contents of Affidavit of Identity Rule Set
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ese changes would be made by authority conferred on the secretary of state by
Section 31(1)(a) of the Michigan Election Law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.31(1)(a).
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All three proposed rule sets will take effect immediately afer filing with the secretary
of state. e proposed rules are published on the State of Michigan’s website at
Michigan.gov/ARD and in the March 1, 2026, issue of the Michigan Register. Copies
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e public hearing will be conducted in compliance with the 1990 Americans with
Disabilities Act. If the hearing is held at a physical location, the building will be
accessible with disability parking available. Anyone needing assistance to take part
in the hearing due to disability may call 800-292-5973 to make arrangements.
