June 9

Saturday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. The afternoon weather was sunny with a temperature of 86 degrees and a steady west wind. Standing at the crest of the hill, I noticed some white Hoary Alyssum. Horses can be poisoned from ingesting the dried plant in hay, or from grazing on large amounts of the plant in fields. Clinical signs include fever, swollen limbs, loss of appetite, dehydration and death. Next, I saw that a Yellow Goat’s Beard flower had gone to seed displaying a white, fuzzy “goat’s beard.” I descended the hill and paused at Mallard Marsh where I spotted a pair of Grebes. Hiking through Bobolink Meadow, I recalled my joy yesterday of sighting my first Bobolink of the year perching and singing from a small bush. As it took off and flew north, I longed for the days when these rare birds nested here and were seen frequently. Next, I stopped to smell a beautiful Wild Rose blossom. Entering North Woods, I stopped near the boardwalk where I noticed some tiny flowers of Honewort. Young leaves, stems and flowers of this plant are edible - raw or cooked. They can be used as a potherb or added to salads with a flavor somewhat like celery. Exiting the woods, I wandered over to the deer remains that were hidden in the dense vegetation. Circling Succession Field, I stopped to examine an oak tree whose leaves were dotted with tiny green bumps. Each bump is a gall inhabited by the larvae of the Jumping Oak Gall Wasp. When the minute galls fall to the ground they begin hopping about like jumping beans. The larva inside is active during the summer months, but ceases its activity by late summer and fall when it changes into a pupa. Out in the meadow I saw lots of Oxeye Daisies. I entered South Woods and walked along the edge of Swanson Swamp where I observed some Wild Iris. Exiting the woods, I continued toward Artist Overlook where I spotted some grass with the white froth from Spittlebugs. Spittlebug nymphs turn a liquid secretion into bubbles by moving or pumping their bodies. The ‘spittle’ shields them from predators, insulates them from temperature extremes and prevents them from dehydrating. I paused at Artist Overlook to gaze at Sora Swale. Following the south trail, I turned at Frog Fen and headed toward Brady Cemetery. Passing the cemetery, I hiked into Native Grassland and stopped at Grebe Pond where I counted a family of geese with one gosling, a family with two goslings and four others. Following the trail toward the barn, I spotted lots of yellow Lance leaf Coreopsis. I came to the Classroom where I noticed Mayweed growing over the drain field east of the building. Finally, it was back to the van to turn on the air conditioning and head for home

The morning mist begins to lift


O'er a carpet of green.


And high above, the dawn out of,


A golden sun does gleam.


A tickling breeze on senses pleased


Stirs the new day's life,


Awakening souls from branch and hole


To the world so rife.


With glorious, notorious


Beauty un-compared


Here the essence of the presence


Of spirit is now declared.


Upon the moor, so clean and pure

There is no darkened shadow


And light does fill the mind so still


At sunrise in the meadow.

Toni McKilligan