May 21

Wednesday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. The mid afternoon weather was mostly sunny with a temperature of 81 degrees and a steady breeze out of the southwest. At the crest of the hill, I viewed a lovely spring landscape. Moving down to Mallard Marsh, I spotted a Leopard Frog sitting still in the water. Continuing through Bobolink Meadow, I recalled with excitement the sight of my first male Bobolink earlier in the day as it flew south from the neighbor’s farm toward this meadow. On the path, I noticed some Dandelions were already going to seed. Also, I spotted patches of a green groundcover with a very tiny white blossom with a very long name-Thyme-leaf Speedwell. Passing through North Woods, an 8-inch diameter shelf fungus and a few blossoms of Blue Phlox caught my eye. Exiting the woods, I circled around the back of Succession Field and entered South Woods where some Mayapples were beginning to blossom. Also, a few Wild Geraniums were making their appearance. Leaving the woods, I turned east and noticed the apple tree was blossoming. I turned south and hiked around Sora Swale where I enjoyed the sweet aroma of blossoms from a Wild Cherry Tree. Following south trail, I turned south at Frog Fen and headed toward Brady Cemetery where I stopped at a Honeysuckle bush to see a Mourning Dove nest with two eggs. This nest had been built by a Robin and had three of her eggs in it before it was ransacked and taken over by this Mourning Dove. I turned north into Native Grassland, stopped at Grebe Pond and continued toward the barn where I noticed a single plant of Hoary Cress with it’s cluster of tiny white blossoms. Next, I walked around to the east side of the barn to see the tiny blossoms and smell the leaves of Ground Ivy. Finally, we came back to the car for our trip home.

One of nature’s finest

I look for you each spring

I waited for your arrival

I longed to hear you sing

Daily, I searched for you

On a bush and in the sky

No sightings did I report

I paused and wondered why

Suddenly, you did approach

Your markings very clear

Bobolink of the meadow

I’m glad you’re finally here

D. DeGraaf