Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/author/clincolnhol/)
By Clara Lincolnhol
Michigan experiences hundreds of thousands of lightning strikes each year and ranks 25th in lightning density per square mile, according to data from last year. Lightning strikes in Michigan are on the lower side of the scale because the state gets fewer storms than many others. But the number of people struck by lightning in the state is disproportionately high.
By Clara Lincolnhol
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking state residents to report the number of wild turkeys they see this summer. The statewide survey will be used to get a sense of the turkey population to find out if baby turkeys are replacing adults. The survey, which runs through the end of August, asks residents to report when and where they’ve seen the birds in Michigan.
By Clara Lincolnhol
The Department of Natural Resources is encouraging residents to report bat roosts. These are the places where bats sleep and raise their babies like chimneys, trees and bridges. DNR bat specialist John DePue says the Michigan Bat Roost Monitoring Program will collect data that will help scientists better understand bat behavior and improve conservation methods.
By Clara Lincolnhol
A very round white throated sparrow is the heavyweight champion of the 2025 Wisconsin Fat Bird Week contest. The bird, coined the “spherical white-throated sparrow,” won by a landslide, receiving 72% of the vote in the final round against its nearest competitor, a “rotund ruby-throated hummingbird.”
By Clara Lincolnhol Many Ontario farmers acknowledge the positive benefits of sustainable farming practices but don’t have the manpower to actually adopt them, according to a study published by the University of Waterloo.
By Clara Lincolnhol
Writer Tamara Dean left the city for a rural life in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, a region known for dodging the glaciers that carved the landscape of the surrounding states and the Great Lakes 10,000 years ago.
By Clara Lincolnhol
Climate change is making it easier for Great Lakes water birds to get sick, according to a recent University of Illinois study. Data from the last 50 years shows an increase in avian disease as climate change worsens, said study co-author Nathan Alexander.
By Clara Lincolnhol
Ice fishing has returned to Lake Erie this year after several seasons of thin ice and open water. Business owners and anglers have noted an increase in activity, with some reporting higher turnout than in previous years. At the same time, changing ice conditions in recent years have raised questions about long-term trends on the Great Lakes.
By Clara Lincolnhol
Toledo, Ohio, has a rich Rust Belt history that influences its present-day culture. Local environmental groups and agencies are turning to public art to teach residents that the area’s natural history is just as important.
“Telling this story through something visual that beautifies a community is a great way to educate Toledo residents and reconnect them to nature in the place they call home, said Rob Krain,” executive director for the Black Swamp Conservancy.
By Clara Lincolnhol
Chris Compton, owner of a company called Goose Busters, has spent nearly 30 years addressing human-goose conflicts. Over the years, the goose population has continued to grow, especially in more populated areas, he said.
“We have them all over,” he said. “They’re building up in Lansing quite a bit. Ann Arbor’s a big area. Troy, Detroit, Rochester Hills and Auburn Hills too.”
That also means there’s a lot of goose poop. One adult goose can produce up to two pounds of feces a day. Too much waste could cause environmental problems, research shows.