Sounds of Leelanau Peninsula: Lighthouse West Natural Area

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Welcome to the 14th episode of the Nature is my Jam Podcast. Based on feedback from last week’s episode (and trust me, you had a lot of feedback!), we need a palate cleanser from the mesmerizing persistence of the Eastern Whippoorwill. The consensus is that we could have done with more mesmerizing and less persistence. Although I disagree, I have heard your voice. 

This week, we venture out to the Leelanau Peninsula to visit the Lighthouse West Natural Area, part of the Leelanau Conservancy. While the natural area is small in stature at 42 acres, it is mighty in terms of the wildlife present and the unique geography of the area. Most notably, it is a certified bird habitat, meaning, “the native plants in this landscape support healthy bird populations by producing an abundance and diversity of insects.” This distinction is the real reason I wanted to visit this area. The fall migration will begin soon and I want to be fully prepared for those hectic couple of weeks of birding. 

Next door to the Leelanau State Park, this natural area doesn’t get the tourist traffic or the noise. From the small parking lot, the trail meanders through a meadow for a short distance before plunging into a large stand of mature maple trees. It’s quite a contrast in terrain, but it changes again as the trail goes along an ancient bluff and eventually levels off into what is called a “boulder terrace”. Created eons ago, when the lake level was much higher, the terrace was a visual reminder of a different time. There is also evidence of massive boulders left by the glaciers. 

As I approached the beach, the sun was just setting, and the crickets made themselves known. The sky turned a brilliant yellow and orange while the waves slowly washed ashore. It was stunning. I placed the recorder and microphone by some gnarled cedar trees, hoping to catch the ambience of the surrounding crickets and cicadas without being overwhelmed by the waves. Not to fear, I also placed a second recorder in the meadow and captured some very talkative owls and a pack of very busy coyotes. That recording will be available next week. 

As always, I welcome your thoughts and hope you enjoy this episode. Thanks again for your continued support! 

Recording Summary:

• Date and Time: 9/6/2022 | 4:45 AM
• Location: Leelanau County, Michigan, USA
• Landscape/Feature: Lighthouse West Natural Area | Lake Michigan
• Conditions: Night, Light Breeze, Clear Skies, Mild Temps
• Recording Device: Zoom F3
• Microphone(s): Sonorous Objects SO.1 Microphone Pair
• Digital Audio Workstation: Adobe Audition