Science of Sea Michigan

Those Are Not Seagulls

I’m no ornithologist, that is for sure. Yet, I have a great appreciation for nature and especially that here in Michigan and at/near Sea Michigan. And nearly everyone (except ornithologists!) call the birds we commonly see along the Lake Michigan shoreline ...seagulls. While I have trademarked the name “Sea Michigan”, much to my chagrin...these are not seagulls. Seagulls is a broad brush name that has been generously applied to a variety of birds. 

They are gulls. 

There are over 50 varieties of the species Laridaeacross the world, on every continent. What do we call a flock of gulls?...well, let’s start with “flock”, but other terms that are used are “colony”, a “scavenging”, “pack”, “flotilla”, “screech”, “swoop”, or a “squabble”. Have fun and take your pick. 

There are multiple varieties of gulls that live or migrate through Michigan. A common variety that is seen on Sea Michigan (confusing right?) is the Herring Gull (Larus Argentatus).

The Herring Gull can grow to be up to 26 inches, with a wingspan of up to 57 inches. They are mostly white, some light gray feathers, black wing tips, yellow eyes, dull pink legs, and always appear well-fed due to their “full structure” shape. They eat a wide variety of items, either from the water or on land. 

Another common variety almost always spotted here along Sea Michigan is the Ring-billed Gull. (Larus Delawarensis) They largely differ via having the distinctive black ring toward the end of the bill, yellow legs, and are roughly 10-20% smaller than the Herring Gull. Ring-billed Gulls are more likely to be seen inland, yet will also explore the coast. They have a strong sense of where they were born, and return to their original nesting place typically, each year. I see a lot of these ring-billed gulls on walks along the shoreline. The time of the year seems to impact there presence to some extent. 

So to recap, yes there are gulls on/near Sea Michigan, but no seagulls per se!  

July 2024

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a challenge to manage as we are often out in the sunlight more during the summer (although the rays are there year round!). UV rays do play a role in our skin making vitamin D naturally, yet that vitamin can be accessed via our diet choices or alternatively, supplemental pills too. 

Multiple sun exposure collective factors matter, including: 

•  Location: how close to the equator are you? Here in Michigan, we are in the low to mid 40’s, so not nearly as intense as it is near the equator...yet still quite potent!
•  Altitude matters: at higher altitudes, more rays reach the ground. (If you have ever gone skiing in the Rockies, you will experience the difference from Sea Michigan level.
•  Seasonality: Michigan’s spring and summer experience the stronger UV rays. Longer days, longer exposure automatically. 
•  Time of day: the rays are strongest between 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. 
•  Clouds: their filtering ability varies widely...yet the UV rays still get through them.
•  Reflective attributes: UV rays do bounce from surfaces, especially water and snow, yet also often many different surfaces even with low reflection qualities. 
•  Air content: Ozone at higher altitudes does filter some rays. Other conditions such as potentially the Canadian wildfire smoke in 2023 limited some of the rays getting through. 
•  Individual skin condition: individuals can have difference tolerance/processing abilities of sun rays based upon individual health make up. 

Preplanning your day as to what can be done to manage exposure, turns out to be critical:

•  Manage your sun exposure intentionally. Shade is good, yet you still enjoy the outdoors!
•  Make it a daily habit to put on sunscreen, at least during the summer. Always use UVA plus UVB blocking sunscreen. Water resistance is a good consideration. 
•  Clothes that have the ability to block sun rays is generally labeled for that purpose. 
•  Cover arms and legs too, even though t-shirts and shorts are the ultimate in comfort in warm weather. Consider long-sleeve shirts in the mid-day hours, and short-sleeve shirts in the morning and late afternoon/ evening. 
•  Wear a hat: wide brims do more for you than short brims.
•  Protect your sensitive eyes...you only get two. Here too...UVA and UVB blocking ability. 

In a coming article, we will address the UV Index that is used as a broad guide to exposure risk. 

As another severe sign of climate change and other weather pattern factors, Sea Michigan (aka Lake Michigan) has experienced record low ice coverage levels this winter. This is essentially true for all of the Great Lakes in this 2023-2024 winter season. 

See the 50 year trend chart via this link from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration):  

https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/ice/glicd/AMIC/Michigan.png

This month, Sea Michigan ice coverage was approximately 2.7%...nearly off the chart above, that showed somewhat common coverage of 20% in many years. Of course, each year is different, bringing highs and lows...but this is a true record low winter season. On average, the maximum ice coverage has seen a decline of approximately 5% per decade...approximately a 25% collective decline since 1973. 

Ice coverage normally peaks in late February or early March. The lack of ice coverage can impact multiple factors:

-  Ice coverage would minimize the amount of sediment deposited close to the shore. The lack of ice thus allows more sediment to be deposited near ports, that will likely drive the need for dredging sooner than it would normally needed. This in turn drive a significant cost factor of the dredging operations. 

- With no ice coverage at all at the shoreline, the winter winds can cause more beach erosion. 

- With less ice, that subsequently is melted sooner, the water temperatures are likely to be warmer, sooner this year. This can impact fish and other species to have irregular activity cycles. Some conjecture that this may impact fish spawning timing. Fish that normally seek the cooler water layers in Sea Michigan, may be seeking deeper habitat  this year. 

- Less ice coverage can cause greater evaporation levels if the warm water periods are extended. 

Recent outlooks for March are that air temperatures will be above average, and thus by the end of this February’s leap year day, we will have already seen the last of the ice on most of Sea Michigan, other than at the northern-most areas. 

It’s more than ice fisherman that should be saying “Let there be ice!”