December 1

Saturday would have been a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. However, we waited until Sunday when deer-hunting season was over to return to the Nature Area. The midday weather was cloudy with a temperature of 36 degrees and a steady breeze out of the north. Before descending the hill, I gazed west at a typical brown, beige and black landscape of late autumn. I proceeded down to Mallard Marsh where I spooked up a nice buck as it took off and headed west across Bobolink Meadow. Continuing through the meadow, I came to the entrance of North Woods where it was easy to spot a squirrel’s nest high in a leafless tree. I entered the woods and turned west where I saw a couple of more Ash trees ravaged by the effects of the Emerald Ash borer. Next, I paused at the boardwalk where I was surprised to see no new fallen trees from the windstorm of a few weeks ago. Exiting the woods, I circled Succession Field where then green and red colors of a wild rosebush got me in the Christmas spirit. Also, I noticed some dead oak leaves left on a tree and a few patches of snow on the trail after most of it melted earlier in the week. I entered South Woods and walked along the edge of snow-covered Swanson Swamp where I was amazed to watch a small, beige moth fluttering over the leaf litter. Also, I paused in the quiet woods to hear the faint drumming of a woodpecker only to look up and see a Downy Woodpecker pecking away on a tree trunk. Near the exit to the woods, I spotted a few decomposing mushrooms on the ground. I turned east and then south where I stopped at Artist Overlook to look down on ice-covered Sora Swale. Continuing on the south trail, I watched a half dozen Juncos flying from tree to tree. I arrived at Frog Fen and turned south toward Brady Cemetery. When I got to the cemetery I noticed a large tree had blown down during the recent windstorm. I turned north into Native Grassland and paused at a lifeless Grebe Pond. I continued north toward the barn looking in vain for any signs of bird life. Finally, we came to the car to warm up and head for home.

Wildlife throughout the year

For example, consider the deer

I see this creature around a lot

Sometimes alone, sometimes not

It leaps high across the field

It will not stop. Will not yield

It races fast from tree to tree

Seldom it stops to look at me

A doe in winter is often in view

Feeding on cedar and acorns too

Its tracks are seen in fallen snows

It moves around, comes and goes

A buck in autumn is quite a sight

A fawn in spring is shear delight

I’m glad we have a place here

For the graceful whitetail deer

D. DeGraaf