March 26

Thursday, I drove 5 miles west of Mt. Pleasant where Remi and me hiked at Meridian Park. The early afternoon weather was overcast with a temperature of 39 degrees and a steady north wind. Based on the trail map, I chose a path that followed a meandering stretch of the Chippewa River where erosion had cut off some of the meanders to form oxbow lakes, some of which had evolved into oxbow marshes. So, we left the car, headed east through a mix of evergreens and hardwoods and paused on a high bluff where I gazed down on a section of an oxbow marsh. Continuing east, I spotted some colorful, orange shelf fungi on a decaying log. Soon, I came to a newly formed oxbow lake with an island in the middle and the main river channel in the distance. Up ahead, the path returned to that river channel where I stopped to listen and observe the scenic riparian landscape. I followed the path as it circled back to the west and entered a forest of oaks and aspens where the leaf litter displayed a wide variety of wildlife including Carpet moss, Hair cap moss, Fire moss, Club Moss and Reindeer Lichen. In the understory I noticed Amber Jelly fungi covered several oak branches. Finally, we completed the loop back to the car and headed south toward Alma.

New season arrives

Moon, crescent phase

Sun climbs the sky

Beams warmer rays

Trails begin to soften

Creatures begin to stir

Calendar is ready

Nature’s still not sure

Rising of the maple sap

Whirring of a Redwing

Bursting of a bud

Glad tidings of spring

D. DeGraaf

March 20

Friday, after leg surgery and 2 months of rehab, my dog, Remi was excited to be back with me as we hiked at one of our favorite places, Forest Hill Nature Area. I decided to go in the early evening during the vernal equinox to bid farewell to Old Man Winter and celebrate the official beginning of spring. The weather was partly cloudy with a temperature of 53 degrees and a stiff wind out of the west. I headed west down Energy Hill, past Mallard Marsh and through Bobolink Meadow where I could hear the distant call of a Sandhill Crane, another harbinger of spring. In North Woods, reddish spore stalks were evident on some of the mosses and Woodland Sedge was beginning to green up the forest floor. Following the trail west, I noticed a carcass of an immature Raccoon at the base of a tree and the vernal pond next to the boardwalk was flooded. I exited the woods and circled Succession Field where some lingering patches of snow remained at the entrance to Birch Row. Entering South Woods, I found my way into Swanson Swamp on the new boardwalk where I paused to take in some sounds of the season. At 6:45pm, the exact time of the sun’s crossing the celestial equator, I exited the woods and walked into Succession Field to face the sun. Unfortunately, clouds moved in to block it. However, I stilled turned to the WSW and gazed up about 10 degrees of altitude to where the sun would be and welcomed it into the northern hemisphere. Also, I was reminded of a favorite Native American prayer:

We gather once again to celebrate the sacred Earth and the turning of the seasons
 as the maples and birches grow green in the hills, the streams rush full down the mountainside
 and our hearts fill with the promise of new beginnings. Together we will weave the web of community spanning many generations, traditions and life-styles around a shared core of deeply held Earth spirituality. The sacred fires will burn 
as the drums echo the rhythms of life and the dancers join the sparks flying toward the darkened sky. Stimulating conversations will continue from one day to the next and children's laughter will sparkle in the wooded hills. Lasting friendships will form and grow as we come together in our learning, our music, our ritual and our joy.

I turned south past Sora Swale, followed the south trail to Frog Fen and turned north to the top of Reflection Hill where I looked down on a still ice-covered Grebe Pond. Descending the hill, I came to the classroom and turned south where I paused on the observation deck. Finally, we made it the car for our trip home.

Vernal sun

Arrives at last

Celestial equator

Like in the past

Equal hours

Of dark & light

Spring begins

Time is right

Warm the ground

Awaken the earth

Nature’s cycle

Death to birth

D. DeGraaf

March 16

Monday, I hiked at Chipp-A-Waters Park in Mt. Pleasant. The early morning weather was partly sunny with a temperature of 43 degrees and no wind. As I stepped out of the car, I spotted a melanistic eastern gray squirrel sitting at the base of a tree. I walked south a few hundred feet to the bank of the Chippewa River and noticed it was ice-free and flowing fast. However, the small cattail marsh off to the north was still ice-covered except along the shoreline. I headed west on a paved trail where I saw patches of the green, invasive Garlic Mustard and an old dying Cottonwood tree with several fungi attached called Artist’s Conks. This fungus gets its name from the change in color that occurs when the white underside of the conk is scratched. The scratched trace immediately turns brown, allowing artists to create intricate drawings on this natural “canvas.” Besides being used as an artist’s canvas, large specimens have been made into tables and shelves. When burned, it is said to repel insects. Its medicinal properties have been investigated and shown to display antimicrobial and antitumor properties. Next, I turned south and was ready to cross the bridge over the river when I paused to hear not one but two unknown, distinctive birdcalls high in a leafless tree. Later, I sent a recording to local bird expert, Stan Lilley, who identified both calls coming from a single male Carolina Wren. These birds have been mostly year round residents of southern United States. However, since the turn of the century, they have extended their range northward with a few more sightings in central Michigan. After crossing the bridge, I followed a circular loop through Viet’s Woods where I observed a tree covered with Whitewash Lichens. I crossed the bridge again and began retracing my steps back toward the car when I spotted a fresh beaver stump. Finally, I made it back to the car for my return trip to Alma.

Mid March day

Find my way

On a scenic lane

In nature’s domain

Late in the season

I have a reason

To hike this trail

Over river in dale

That leads beyond

Ice-covered pond

Wren in the trees

My ears to please

D. DeGraaf

March 11

Wednesday, I hiked alone at Forest Hill Nature Area. However, Remi’s leg is healing well and hope he’ll soon be joining me. The early morning weather was clear as the rising sun burned off a thin layer of ground fog while the temperature was 28 degrees and no wind. From the top of Energy Hill, my shadow and I gazed west at a thawing landscape. While descending the hill, I heard and saw a lone Canada goose flying nearby. After passing Mallard Marsh and Bobolink Meadow, I came to the entrance of North Woods, where I spotted a tiny patch of colorful British Soldier Lichens on a rotten stump while further into the woods, I noticed some unique red lichens on another tree next to the boardwalk. Exiting the woods, I began circling Succession Field where a gibbous moon was setting above the tall, leafless oaks to the west. Next, I stopped and bent down to see tiny grass shoots beginning to emerge from a frozen earth, another sign of the season to come. Further ahead at a place where I discovered a fresh deer carcass several weeks ago, only clumps of hair remained. I turned to face the sun, hiked down Birch row and entered South Woods where I noticed some moss and Green shield Lichens at the base of an Ash tree. Following the trail, I discovered an unusually large pile of fox scat next to a tuff of rabbit fur. Leaving the woods, I turned east, ambled past Artist Overlook and followed south trail to Brady Cemetery where much of the snow had melted. I turned north, walked through Native Grassland and paused at an ice-covered Grebe Pond. Finally, I headed toward the barn to complete another hike.

Images of summer

Verdant is the field

Grasses and flowers

Nature revealed

Images of winter

Stark is the field

Barren and bleak

Nature concealed

Under patches of white

Under blades of brown

Frozen earth cracks

Green breaks ground

D. DeGraaf

March 4

Wednesday, I drove 8 miles southwest of Alma and hiked some property west of Osborn Rd. owned by Larry & Anne Marrin. The early morning weather was mostly sunny with a temperature of 23 degrees and a brisk wind out of the west. After parking the car, I put on my snowshoes and headed west across an open field where 3 inches of new snow fell yesterday making it easy to spot fresh tracks from a running deer. Turning north, I was pleased to observe my second Snowy Owl of the year as it circled high in the distance before disappearing into the tall trees. Approaching the 30-acre woods, I noticed a Fox Squirrel scampering up a tree and resting on a limb to eat. I continued north into the woods where the snow-covered ground was heavily marked with fresh tracks of Wild Turkey and Whitetail Deer. Other evidence of recent turkey activity included feathers and scat. I also came upon some fresh tracks and scat of an Opossum as well as a meandering snow ridge made by a tunneling Meadow Vole. Following the turkey tracks and sounds, I turned east and spotted a few of these foraging birds in the distance before they disappeared in the understory. Next, I paused to take in the sights and sounds of this scenic woodland. Finally, I completed the loop back to my car and headed home.

Earth moves to March

Few clues around

Nature’s Flora Queen

Nowhere to be found

Trees are still naked

Ground is still white

Forest almost silent

In early morning light

Cardinal in the canopy

Love to hear you sing

Sweet courtship song

Foretelling of spring

D. DeGraaf