Seven Ponds Nature Center encompasses nearly 500 acres of woodlands, wetlands, lakes, ponds, prairies, and fields. There are over six miles of trails for you to explore and enjoy. Please check-in at the nature center prior to venturing out on the trails. Our trails are open to guests Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and open to Seven Ponds members dawn to dusk, every day of the year.
January 11, 2026- A fresh blanket of snow has brought the winter wonderland back to Seven Ponds, making it a perfect time to explore the beauty of our Michigan environment!
RECENT OBSERVATIONS
We have had two separate confirmed sightings of a red morph Eastern Screech-Owl in a bird box near the viewing tower in Paul's Woods! This may be the same red morph that has been sighted at the bird box by the feeders next to the interpretive building, so keep an eye open the next time you trek the Paul's Woods trail! (01/11/2026)
The Evening Grosbeaks are proving to be popular for birders and casual visitors alike! We have noticed that they are most active at our feeders and in the trees surrounding the interpretive building during the mornings when we put out fresh black oil sunflower seeds on our flat platform feeders. If you come early, you may catch a sighting! (01/11/2026)
In spite of the freezing rain making this year's Audubon Christmas Bird Count a challenge at the nature center, our naturalists were fortunate enough to photograph a group of Evening Grosbeaks who visited the feeders off the library. Evening Grosbeak sightings are unusual in the area at this time of year, but not unheard of, so it was a special treat to see these large and beautiful finches up close! (12/27/2025)
UPDATE! It appears that as of Dec. 18th, the red morph Eastern Screech-Owl is still nestled in the nest box outside our library feeders, and graced us with a fine portrait! (12/20/2025)
On Dec. 7th, our naturalists spotted an Eastern Screech-Owl poking it's head out of a wood duck box mounted near our bird feeders off the library. What makes this one special is that it is of the red morph variety, and not very common to this area! Eastern Screech-Owls readily accept nest boxes, though the last owl to occupy this same box last year (a more common grey morph), only occupied the box for about a week before moving on. Perhaps we'll see it again; and we've got our scope positioned in a good spot just in case! (12/13/2025)
Bald Eagles have been spotted over the ponds today. As the open waters of Northern Michigan begin to freeze over, eagles will expand their range, seeking other open waterways to hunt. (11/29/2025)
Two male and two female Evening Grosbeaks enjoying lunch at our feeders
206 bird species have been observed at Seven Ponds! The most recent addition to our property list was Common Goldeneye, seen on March 12, 2023. For more recent sightings posted to eBird, click the eBird logo to the right.
Our satellite properties are visited less frequently, but offer different habitat for birds. Check out the eBird reports for these two areas below:
