May 7

Wednesday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. The early afternoon weather was cloudy with a temperature of 48 degrees and a steady wind out of the east. At the crest of the hill, I gazed west at a landscape that continued to green up. Down the hill, Mallard Marsh was busy with male and female Redwing nesting activity. Next, I passed through Bobolink Meadow that was also greening up as the spring season unfolded. Entering North Woods, I noticed the trail had been cleaned up by Alma College students who are doing lots of service-learning projects throughout the property. Exiting the woods, I turned west and immediately spotted a wild turkey egg on the trail. I left the trail and walked into Succession Field where the deer carcass was still being eaten by Carrion beetle larvae. Passing through South Woods, I was pleased to see the log seats next to the trail that the Alma College students had made after cutting up a huge Ash Tree that had fallen over the trail. The muddy trail revealed some fresh deer tracks. Exiting the woods, I turned east and saw a few Wild Mustard plants in the field beginning to blossom. At Artist Overlook, a Pin Cherry tree was beginning to leaf out. I followed the south trail toward Frog Fen where I just about stepped on a Painted Turtle laying motionless in the middle of the trail. Looking south, I could see one of several brush piles the college students made for wildlife habitats. I turned south, entered Brady Cemetery and climbed up the hill to the back end where a huge Red Maple had been broken apart by a prior storm. The ground nearby was littered with its red flowers. These trees are classified as polygamo-dioecious. Thus, some trees are entirely male, producing no seeds; some are entirely female; and some are monoecious, bearing both male and female flowers. On monoecious trees, functioning male and female flowers usually are separated on different branches. Leaving the cemetery, I headed north and stopped by Grebe Pond where not much was seen except a few swooping Tree Swallows. Finally, we headed north past the barn and arrived at the car for our trip home.

Nature seems reluctant

Moving through May

No Bobolinks in the meadow

Few blossoms on display

Bees remain reclusive

Chill remains in the air

Butterflies still in hiding

Sight of sun is rare

Earth keeps her promise

Her cycles have no end

Despite a slow beginning

Spring has sprung again

D. DeGraaf