For Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

1 – Fall colors are showing up across Michigan. 

According to the folks at Pure Michigan, the colors are expected to peak in the next two weeks (through Oct. 10, 17, 19) in parts of the Upper Peninsula. 

Closer to home, on the shores of Lake Huron, the Oscoda area is estimated to see peak fall colors during the week of Oct. 12-19. 

Mount Pleasant and Frankenmuth are on a similar schedule, with the expected best viewing time from Oct. 13-20. 

Most areas in the Northern and Central Lower Peninsula are in the 20-40 percent range right now. 

More info is online at Michigan.org/FallColorMap.

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2 – A rare bird is among the first examples of a climate change species. 

Biologists at The University of Texas at Austin discovered a bird that’s the result of a green jay mating with a blue jay. 

The two parent species are separated by 7 million years of evolution. Their ranges didn’t overlap as recently as the 1950s. They used to be strangers. 

But the two types of birds have expanded their ranges in recent decades, due in part to climate change. 

Green jays have pushed north. Blue jays, common throughout Michigan and the Great Lakes region, have pushed west. Now the habitats of green jays and blue jays converge, resulting in the rare hybrid. 

The researchers didn’t opt to name the green jay-blue jay hybrid. But one suggestion from a news release put out by the university … is “grue jay.”

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3 – Beach season is over, but E. coli bacteria is still a concern. 

The bacteria used to monitor beach conditions is the focus of a mapping system just updated by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. 

The E. coli Pollution and Solution Mapper was launched in 2017 as part of a state water quality standard. It’s used to explore water quality monitoring locations, and evaluate sources of fecal pollution in local areas.

Newly added layers include Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation manure and waste land-application areas. 

The state says E. coli is a complex issue. There’s rarely a single source or single solution. Michigan’s environmental agency says it enforces regulations with the goal of reducing contamination.

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM WUCX in University Center, Michigan, near Bay City (listen live). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes