Last week the Post ran an article from the Michigan Audubon Society on the short-eared (barking) owl. Ranger Steve sent us a note about it:

“I noticed this week the article about Short-eared Owls. It included that people can go to Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge or the UP to see them. People from the community do not need to travel more than 25 miles to see them. They reside during the winter by the model airplane flight area in the Muskegon Wastewater Management area off Swanson Road just south of Apple Ave.

A free permit is needed to drive the waste management roads and can be attained by stopping at the office off Maple Island Road. The Waste Management area is a popular bird watching area in West Michigan. Many waterfowl use the holding ponds and many other birds use the farm fields in the management area where treated water is used to irrigate crops.”

Thank you for the info, Ranger Steve!