Michigan Forest Life - September 8, 2025

Good day, nature enthusiasts!

Let me share today's Treehouse sunrise with you (Photo 1) ...and the sunrise a few minutes later from Winterfield Pines Nature Sanctuary's Sunrise Corner - overlooking the neighbor's wetlands (Photo 2). It was a 30°F morning, although the air was still and there was no bite to the cold.

Today was a firewood replenishment day for me. The woodshed at the bunkee is now fully stocked - two rows deep. Tomorrow I will work on the stack at the Treehouse. My busy summer in the civilized world has left me behind on this work. I often have firewood sorted out by the beginning of August. I will admit, I feel some seasonal pressure. I may reward my efforts today with a small, evening fire in the Treehouse woodstove. 

I wonder if bats are using the new bat house I installed a few weeks ago in a tree west of the treehouse (Photo 3, 4).

Batty, one of the bats in this part of the forest, glides into hanging position next to another bat on a limb not far from the bat house. "What is that thing, Batress? Do you think it's a condo? The human who put that up isn't very smart. Doesn't he know we have the whole forest to roost in? What use is that little thing. We have so many options. And there are so many of us." 

"But we do control this small corner." Batress shifts her small, laser eyes to look directly at her partner, "Don't be so uncharitable, Batty. You know how hard it is for you to squeeze through that little hole under his treehouse's roof. He's probably just trying to make things easier for us. Besides, when he finds the hole he may plug it."

"Oh, that’s a good one. That human couldn't find our hole if I waited until he was

standing in front of it to fly out.  But at least he put THIS THING high enough in the tree so we can feel the tree move in the wind." Batty stretches his left wing in a wide circle and yawns. "Since he disconnected the Treehouse from the trees last year it hasn't been the same (Photo 5). What's a bat to do for quality of life? I need the soothing sway." 

"Give it up, Batty. Stop complaining. You know you like any dry, dark spot. Besides, I liked the sound of that clock on the wall. The one he calls a cuckoo clock. It's soothing. We're lucky the human has only been around about 160 nights from one winter season to the next. A half time forest human."

"Yeah, he doesn't seem serious about forest life. He comes here for a few days, shifts some firewood around and leaves. We can take over! It's really too bad we can't find a way past the attic and into the treehouse, where the clock is. He's got that sealed up tighter than any place around - if you don't count that little log cabin north west of here. That's pretty sealed up too."

"You know, Batress," Batty rocks back and forth on the limb, "we should go to Florida again this year. It's been so dry here. We're running out of mosquitos. Did you see how shallow the river is now?” 

"And the pond," Batress replies, "We're likely to starve if we stay here. Do you remember all of the roosts along the way?"

"I sure do. Or we can just follow the mosquitos. Let's go. We'll start at sunset."

"Better get some rest in this daylight. It’s too bad about the Michigan condo."

"We'll come back in the spring."

Dan speaking now... I wish you a lovely fall evening. No bats. 🙂

Until next time,

Dan