Visiting Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary

Today I had so much fun! A few weeks ago some of my friends, one of whom I had taken to Warren Dunes last month, asked if we could do another photography run sometime. Well of course! And since we had already spent some time at the beach/dunes, I wanted to see if there was another environment close by we could do photography in...like maybe hike in the woods.

Thing is, southwest Michigan is mainly farmland, so it's hard to find woods. But after a little looking, I found a place called Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary nearby - free entrance, trail in the woods, and supposed to be great for wildflowers. Due to our long-lasting winter, I figured there probably wouldn't be tons of wildflowers out yet, but we could at least have a fun hike.

My friends agreed and we all hopped in my car this afternoon. It turned out to be way better than I could have ever hoped for! It was the perfect temperature, and pileated woodpeckers and chickadees were calling in the distance. The trail was great and photographic opportunities (including a few wildflowers) abounded. I was like a kid in a candy shop :D Had a great time with my friends which made the experience even better! I know that we saw lots of sharp-lobed hepatica out there, as well as a few other species. I don't have the time right now to look up their identity, but I hope to do so soon.

Anyway, here are some of my favorite photos from today! I hope you enjoy them! :)

~Austin

Thanks for reading! :)