Red-bellied Woodpeckers struggling against Starling invasion of their nest site.

A Red-bellied Woodpecker pair has excavated their nest cavity for a couple weeks. Recently Starlings wished to take control. The battle over occupancy is intense. I had concern for the woodpecker pair and their resolve to hold firm against the Starlings. As of yesterday evening the woodpeckers were still at and in their nest cavity. This pair is in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. While the Red-bellied Woodpecker breeding range is expanding north, it is not regularly observed nesting throughout the Upper Peninsula ... yet.

Red-bellied Woodpecker nesting pair in St. Ignace, Michigan

I've observed Red-bellied Woodpeckers nesting in Alpena since 2006. This is the first pair I've observed nesting in the Upper Peninsula. The species nesting territory is expanding north. Here is a link to a write-up from MBBAII.

MBBAII Species Account

Evernia Mesomorpha with Apothecia

Evernia mesomorpha rarely produces apotheica. On April 29th, 2013 I observed this thallus in Michigan's Upper Peninsula at Point Aux Chenes dune/swale complex just west of St. Ignace.

Substrate: The bark of a fallen black spruce tree.

Evernia prunastri grows in the western US and in Europe. Apothecia on e. prunastri is as uncommon as e. mesomopha. Here is a link to images of e. prunastri with apothecia:

http://www.lichens.lastdragon.org/Evernia_prunastri.html
See the second and third images.