December 15

Saturday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. The early morning weather was cloudy with a temperature of 18 degrees and a stiff northeasterly wind blowing moderate snow flurries. I stood at the crest of the hill and gazed at a wintery landscape as the blustery wind whipped the snow. Descending the hill to Mallard Marsh, I scared up four deer from the swale north of the trail. I continued though Bobolink Meadow past the entrance to North Woods and turned south toward Willow Wallow. I came to the pond where I noticed a tunnel entrance into the cattails made by a Cottontail Rabbit. I turned west and proceeded around a barren, wind-swept Succession Field. Hiking along the far west path, I turned east past the entrance to South Woods and paused at Artist Overlook to view Sora Swale. I continued on the trail, turned east and headed toward Frog Fen. Next, I turned north and climbed up Reflection Hill where I felt the full affect of the wind and snow. I looked down on a desolate Grebe Pond and descended the hill toward the Classroom where I spotted a dozen Mourning Doves fluttering in the trees next to the pond. Arriving at the Classroom, the bird feeders were very busy with a variety of visitors. On one house feeder was a mixture of Goldfinches and Snow Buntings. On another were a Goldfinch and Cardinal. On one tube feeder were two Goldfinches. On another was a Chickadee. On the ground under a feeder were a mixture of Sparrows, Buntings and Juncos. Finally, we made to the car to find shelter and head for home.

The outer edge of autumn

Reveals a layer of snow

Creatures hunker down

Meadow ceases to grow

Farewell sun of summer

Cold winds from the north

Sweep the ice-covered pond

Reeds sway back and forth

Gone are the flowers of May

Gone are the birds of June

Nature takes a break

Winter has come too soon

D. DeGraaf