May 18

Saturday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. The mid-day weather was mostly sunny with a temperature of 63 degrees and a slight southeasterly breeze. At the crest of the hill, I looked over a mid-May landscape. I descended the hill and paused at Mallard Marsh where Max was perched in his usual willow tree that had leafed out which made it harder to spot him. The other male Redwings were not around. Also, I was pleased to see a nesting pair of geese and four fuzzy goslings on the pond. Hiking through Bobolink Meadow, I saw my first Cabbage Butterfly of the season. At the entrance to North Woods, I spotted several blossoms of Wild Strawberry on the ground. I entered the woods and noticed a Poison Ivy vine crawling up a tree as well as a pretty Yellow Violet blossom. Following the trail west, I looked to my right and saw a few clusters of lovely Blue Phlox. Exiting the woods, I circled Succession Field and hiked along the western boundary where I noticed most of the new leaves of a Basswood tree were full of holes due to the Leaf miner beetle. Turning east, I walked out into the meadow to admire the blossoms of a small cherry tree. I entered South Woods and was surprised to see some bright orange Rust Fungus growing on a Mayapple leaf. Walking along the edge of Swanson Swamp, I observed a few Jack-in-the-Pulpit plants. Exiting the woods, I proceeded east where I observed both a male and female Baltimore oriole perched high in the same Aspen tree. I turned south and arrived at Artist Overlook to look down on Sora Swale. Continuing south, I spotted the lovely blossoms of Choke Cherry. I followed the trail east to Frog Fen where I could not find Fred. Next, I turned south and made it to Brady Cemetery. I entered the cemetery and immediately noticed a pile of gray feathers from a Mourning Dove that had been eaten. I climbed the hill to the south end of the cemetery to smell the wonderful fragrance of both White and Purple Lilac blossoms. At the base of an old fence, I spotted a patch of Wormseed Mustard plants. Gazing south, I noticed our neighbor’s field had been plowed in preparation for this year’s crop. Leaving the cemetery, I walked north through Native Grassland to Grebe Pond and paused to see that Gus and Gabe were flying from cattail to cattail patrolling their territories. Continuing toward the barn, I saw both Gil and Gordy protecting their nesting areas. Also, I recalled earlier in the week getting a rare glimpse of an American Bittern flying west over the pond. Just before the barn, I spotted a Painted Turtle sunning itself among the cattails. Arriving at the Classroom, I paused to notice the Granary and thought about how it had changed since I first saw it in 1993. Then I looked over to the Storage Building and remembered what it looked like 20 years ago. Finally, we hopped in the car and left for home.

Questions arise on a spring day?
Who will win, predator or prey?
Will a coyote get a rabbit to eat?
Or will it run in full retreat?
Will the swallow snatch a fly?
Or will it escape to the sky?
Will the snake catch a frog?
Or will it leap over the log?
Eat or be eaten, try to survive
Needed for nature to thrive.

D. DeGraaf