Michigan visit

My Iowa friend was attending a conference for 4 days, so I decided to drive east, stop at a bird event, and continue on to Ann Arbor, MI.  My niece and her boyfriend hosted me for the week.  They have a downtown apartment that features a large living room with a huge glass wall.  Its a wonderful bright space for sitting, or for classes.  They generously offer the space to yoga, dance, and swordsmanship classes.  She teaches aerial silks.
       Living in downtown, one can walk to many stores, events, theaters, and restaurants.  One night we walked to a movie theater (nearly next door) to see the Lord of the Ring movie Two Towers.  What a amazing movie !!                     Another evening we went rock climbing at Rock Planet, a wonderfully diverse climbing gym.  Lots of fun.
       My nephew lives in another part of the city near a forest with walking trails.  He let me park Silver truck at his place all week.
Ann Arbor is a vibrant city, people are out walking, doing things all day. The city parks are well used.  Snow is gone, however the air is cold with a brisk wind. Trees are still in winter dormant condition, not thinking about Spring quite yet.  Snowdrops and crocuses are blooming, daffodils are pushing up little green stems.  A promise of Spring to come.
       Bird sightings:  Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, Tufted Titmice, Robins, Canada Geese, Mallards, Cardinals, Blue Jays, and a White-throated Sparrow.  Barton Lake had Mute Swans, Ring-necked Ducks, Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads, Redheads, and American Wigeon.
A stop in Peoria, Illinois was productive for a new Life bird, the European Tree Sparrow. This species was introduced 150 years ago in St Louis, and has not spread very far. Populations remain small.

Photos of my niece on her aerial silks. Her boyfriend often partners with her.