From gutters to mailboxes, birds can choose inconvenient, silly – and sometimes dangerous – places to nest. If you come across such a predicament, what can you do?

First, it’s important to recognize that birds often will abandon their nests and eggs if they have been moved. It’s also good to know that outside of a few exceptions, most species (and their eggs and nests) are federally protected. While it can be inconvenient, the best and recommended course of action in the majority of cases is to leave the nest be until the eggs hatch and the young leave the nest.

To help determine next steps if you do stumble across a bird nest in a bad spot, explore our quick guide to bird nest conflicts across the Great Lakes for the different rules and regulations protecting these nests.

This guide is brought to you by MI Birds, a public outreach and education program by Audubon Great Lakes and the Michigan DNR. MI Birds aims to bridge the divide and deepen all Michiganders' engagement in the understanding, care and stewardship of public lands that are important for birds and local communities.

Questions? Contact Erin Ford at 313-820-0809. (Robin photo above courtesy Dori Eldridge, Audubon Photography Awards.)

Summer is officially here, and so are opportunities to learn more about Michigan’s natural and cultural resources. Here are just a few events coming up on the DNR’s July calendar:

July Fourth celebrations

Several locations across the state will host Independence Day celebrations. Some events are for campers only, but others – including the following – are open to the public.

• July 3: Pentwater Independence Day fireworks at Mears State Park.
• July 6-7: July Fourth celebration at Wells State Park.

Fish and feathers

July is a great time to learn more about fish and birds in Michigan. Warmer waters and winds make great conditions for birdwatching and fishing, and it’s always a good time to brush up those skills and learn more about these species.

Join Outdoor Skills Academy pro-staff July 6-7 for a beginners fly fishing clinic or attend one of the upcoming classes from the Outdoor Adventure Center: Get Hooked on Fishing July 14 and July 21, or Freshwater Fishing Series: Trout July 14.

Head to Indian Lake State Park July 18 and Palms Book State Park July 19 for a state park turkey tour, where you can learn about wild turkey conservation and hunting heritage. At the Rifle River Recreation Area July 19 and Bay City State Park July 26, learn about firearm safety and efforts from Pheasants Forever to restore habitat for these exciting game species.

Outdoor learning

The Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit has an excellent lineup for all ages this month, hosting opportunities to get up close and personal with Michigan species, get outdoors and learn a new skill like archery. Here are just a few classes offered this month:

• July 13: Sensory-Friendly Days.
• July 16: Explore It Archery, Archery Graduate Shoot.
• July 18: Active Aging Adventures Brunch & Learn: Detroit River Sturgeon.
• July 19: Nature Play for Pre-K: Water Play!
• July 20: Birding Belle Isle.
• July 25: Yoga and Mindfulness in Nature at Milliken State Park.
• July 27: Wild Science Saturday: Animal Olympians.

Plus, don’t miss out on upcoming Outdoor Skills Academy clinics – classes in July will cover wild mushroom identification, bear hunting and survival, bushcraft and wild edibles.

Find more exciting events and opportunities like these across Michigan on the DNR’s events calendar.

Last month we announced Michigan’s participation in the Midwest Walleye Challenge – a partnership between the DNR and MyCatch by Angler’s Atlas that invited residents to fish inland waters not just for the fun of it, but also to net some prizes and help the DNR collect valuable data about walleye populations.

This year’s challenge is part of a larger fisheries research project funded by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Michigan anglers compete only against Michigan anglers for prizes, while all catches from across the Midwest qualify for the grand-prize drawings at the end of the event.

There’s still time to register for the challenge, which closes Sunday, June 30. You can choose the free entry option to qualify for noncash prizes or pay the $25 fee to qualify for all prizes, including cash payouts. Full details about prizes and qualifications are available on the prizes tab of the main event webpage.

Nervous about giving up your secret fishing spot? Don’t worry; the MyCatch mobile app maintains anonymous location data, so DNR fisheries biologists are able to get valuable information – generalized lake and river catch data entered via the app – while no detailed catch location are shared.

Questions? For all technical/operational information about the challenge, email Angler’s Atlas at events@anglersatlas.com. For more on Michigan’s walleye fishery and statewide management, contact Seth Herbst at HerbstS1@Michigan.gov.