March 27

Thursday, Remi and I hiked at Forest Hill Nature Area. The early morning weather was cloudy with a temperature of 32 degrees and a mixture of light snow flurries and snow pellets being pushed by a stiff south wind. I stood at the crest of the hill to view the western landscape and recalled this same vista a year ago. Passing Mallard Marsh, I noticed a half-dozen male Redwing Blackbirds spaced out around the frozen pond, perching and singing to establish their nesting territories. Continuing through Bobolink Meadow, I noticed the snow had disappeared from everywhere except the trail. Approaching the entrance to North Woods, I couldn’t help but see a few catkins sprouting from branches of the Silver Maple trees. Hiking west through the woods, the forest floor remained fully snow covered crisscrossed by several deer tracks. Exiting the woods, I glanced at Succession Field, compared to a year ago and turned west where I spotted a fresh deer carcass just off the trail. I followed the trail into South Woods and stopped at the edge of Swanson Swamp to hear a few male Redwings staking out their territories. Exiting the woods, I arrived at Sora Swale which remained ice covered. Heading south, I scared up a herd of 14 deer that ran east out of Sora Swale toward Frog Fen. Turning east on the trail, I glanced south at the neighbor’s field of corn stubble where I counted another dozen deer. Approaching Frog Fen, a dozen geese flew above me in formation. I turned south, passed Brady Cemetery before I turned north and hiked through Native Grassland to the edge of Grebe Pond where a noisy pair of geese were walking on the ice before taking off. Approaching the barn compared to a year ago, I saw a few male Redwings perched on cattails along the pond edge. I passed the barn where a mixed flock of sparrows and cowbirds huddled in the vine-covered tree next to the Observation Deck. Finally, we made it to the car for the trip home.

March makes its final stand

Deep in a cattail marsh

Pond won’t give up its ice

Weather remains harsh

Amid dense, barren trees

Sheltered from a windy chill

Patches of melting snow

Vestiges of winter linger still

From the silence of a forest

A welcomed sound is heard

Hail, harbinger of spring!

Hail, redwing blackbird!

D. DeGraaf

March 20

Thursday, Remi stayed home while I hiked at Deerfield Nature Park, a 600-acre Isabella County park located 6 miles west of Mt. Pleasant on Remus Rd. The early afternoon weather was partly sunny with a temperature of 36 degrees and a steady north wind that I was sheltered from by the dense tree stands in the park. Since today is the Vernal Equinox, I exited the car and paused to look at the sun to recognize its position in space as it crossed the celestial equator to begin spring in the northern hemisphere. In the peace and quiet of being alone in the park, I headed west along the edge of the Chippewa River on the snow-covered Lewis Pontiac Trail through a mixed forest of hardwoods and Red Pine. The river was open and the current strong as I watched a nesting pair of Canada Geese swim along the edge. Approaching a newly constructed bridge, I noticed a dozen Cedar Waxwings fluttering and feeding on the ground. As I crossed the bridge, I paused in the middle to listen as ice-cold water rushed into the river from a tributary on the north side. On the other side I followed the River Loop trail east through a woods of oak, maple and occasionally, birch. Looking around, I began to notice the snow cover was receding to reveal patches of last autumn’s leaf litter. Soon, I came to a vista overlooking one of the many scenic streambeds in the park. I turned around and began retracing my steps toward the car where I was pleased to see a male and female Goldeneye swimming far out in the river. These ducks are most likely a nesting pair stopping to rest on their spring migration journey to Canada or Alaska. Next, I came to the swinging bridge which I recalled using several years ago and was now closed for the season. Just off the trail I spotted a patch of equisetum or horsetail. Finally, it was not hard finding the car for my trip home.

Spirit of spring

I know you’ll bring

A time of rebirth

For Mother Earth

I hope you revive

What’s already alive

Bring a shower

To grow the flower

Bring life anew

I’m counting on you

D. DeGraaf

March 14

Friday, Remi and I hiked at Forest Hill Nature Area. The early morning weather was mostly sunny with a temperature of 32 degrees and a stiff wind out of the South.  At the crest of the hill, I gazed west at a landscape still in winter’s grasp. I descended the hill past Mallard Marsh where I heard a pheasant and soon noticed its fresh tracks on the hard, crusty snow. Following the trail through Bobolink Meadow, I recalled earlier in the week leading a group of Alma College biology students on a hike to demonstrate some of our wildlife conservation efforts. Entering North Woods, I headed west where I spotted lots of Raccoon tracks. At the boardwalk I could see that snow was beginning to melt and expose the ice on the large vernal pond. Exiting the woods, I turned west and circled Succession field before entering South Woods where I noticed some fresh Pileated Woodpecker holes in a dying Ash tree. I exited the woods and turned east where I spotted some fresh wild turkey tracks. Making my way to Artist Overlook, I stopped to view Sora Swale and heard my first male Redwing Blackbird of the season calling from Willow Wallow. Following the south trail, I turned south toward Brady Cemetery and scared up a herd of 16 deer next to Frog Fen. Most of them hightailed it toward the cemetery while one ran east where it stopped and stared at me. Arriving at the road by the entrance to the cemetery, I noticed a variety of tracks including my first Red Squirrel tracks. I turned north, continued through Native Grassland and paused at an ice-covered Grebe Pond. Following the edge of the pond, I finally got my first glimpse of a male Redwing Blackbird perching in a nearby tree. Despite the prolonged winter, my records show that male redwings first appeared about this same time last year. I passed the barn and came to the Classroom building to check out the bird feeders when I saw a rotund Woodchuck heading toward me. After it saw us and left the scene, my attention turned back to the feeders that were occupied by some Gold Finches and a Downy Woodpecker. Finally, we got to the car for our trip home.

When will nature wake from its long sleep?

When will green replace snow so deep?

Looking for a muskrat to break the ice?

Listening for a goose to call once or twice?

Soon the sun will thaw frozen ground?

Soon swooping swallows will be found?

Finally redwings returned to the marsh?

Finally the wind has stopped being harsh

Waiting and waiting for spring to show

Loosen your grip winter! Time to let go!

D. DeGraaf

March 5

Wednesday, Remi and I hiked through Reed Park, a 100-acre, Gratiot County park located 12 miles southeast of Alma near the village of North Star. The early morning weather was partly sunny with a temperature of 10 degrees and a mild north wind. We left the car and headed south across a footbridge over a frozen pond where I followed a path through a semi-wooded setting that was used by disc golfers in the summer. Along the way, I looked up to see a couple of Blue Jays flying and looked down to notice a patch of snow stained red by berries that had fallen from a nearby shrub. As I circled back, the trail led me through a dense grove of diseased Ash and scraggly Box Elder. Before retracing my steps back across the footbridge, I couldn’t help but notice a huge spinning wind turbine, a now familiar sight on the county landscape. After crossing the footbridge, I headed north and found the entrance to the Beech-Maple trail. As I followed the circular trail, I paused to look at some man-made carvings in one of the Beech trunks and wondered what was Dale’s story. Was he alive or dead? Was he young or old? Was he a local or out-of-townie? Resuming my walk, I wasn’t surprised to see lots of young Beech trees that still held their leaves. Heading back to the car, I walked under a Red Oak that was still shedding its leaves. Finally, we arrived back at the car for our trip home.

A hike in the dawn of March

Old man winter won’t let go

Mother Nature still fast asleep

Trail covered deep in snow

Walking through a silent forest

Naked maples in a sea of white

Few squirrel tracks to my left

Some deer tracks to my right

Turning into a stiff north wind

Hands are cold. Cheeks numb

Not yet sounds of singing birds

Not yet clues of spring to come

D. DeGraaf