June 24

Wednesday, Remi and I hiked again at Forest Hill Nature Area. The early morning weather was sunny with a temperature of 54 degrees and a slight breeze out of the west. From Energy Hill, I proceeded down toward Mallard Marsh where I noticed the White Campion blossoms were opening up. Next to the marsh, I paused to enjoy the sweet scent of newly opened Milkweed flowers. I continued through Bobolink Meadow where I spotted a couple of deer far off to the west. Entering North Woods, I headed west and noticed sunlight had penetrated this dense stand of broadleaf trees. Near the exit, the tiny red Cynipid galls on a Bur oak leaf caught my eye. Circling west around Succession Field, I was pleased to see the white blossoms of Oxeye Daisy and the yellow blossoms of Field Clover. Also, I was amazed by the number of white, frothy globs attached to the branches of Dogwood shrubs. Not having seen these before at the nature area, I discovered they were made by nymphs of a species of Spittlebug that feed only on dogwoods, blueberries and buckeye. Although these spittle masses are conspicuous and often numerous, they do not harm the plants. Hiking along the west trail, I spotted a Crane Fly resting on a leaf, basking in the morning sunlight. I entered South Woods where a juvenile Opossum approached me before it scurried under the boardwalk. Moving out onto the boardwalk in Swanson Swamp, I paused at one of my favorite spots to listen to the calls of Green Frogs, Redwing Blackbirds and Crows. Exiting the woods, I turned south along the edge of Sora Swale where St. John’s Wort was starting to bloom. Turning east, I came to Frog Fen, circled around past Brady Cemetery and entered Native Grassland where my ears caught the calls of a Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow and Mourning Dove. Next, I walked along the edge of the Palmer Rock Preserve where I noticed both Elderberry and Motherwort blossoms. Continuing north, I stopped at Grebe Pond where the invasive Watermeal weed almost completely covered the surface. Finally, I passed the barn and arrived at the car for our trip home.

Bidding June farewell

Hiking day by day

Summer’s invitation

Sights along the way

Morning has broken

Nature’s mystique

Pausing at a pond

Green Frogs speak

Out in the meadow

Whitetail  reside

My companion dog

Walks by my side

D. DeGraaf

June 17

Wednesday, Remi and I hiked at the former Horizon Education Center property owned by the St. Louis Public Schools. This 70-acre parcel is located 1 mile south of downtown St. Louis and half mile east off Jackson Rd, the first driveway after the Burnham Outdoor Center. The early morning weather was mostly sunny, with a temperature of 59 degrees and a slight easterly breeze. From the parking lot, I wandered to an open area where I paused to enjoy a serenading House Wren perched in an old apple tree. Continuing to the edge of the woods, I noticed two well-established invasive plant species: Wild Privet and Oriental Bittersweet. Next, I headed south on one of many mowed trails and immediately stopped to watch the wind-blown leaves of a Trembling Aspen tree. Continuing south, I came upon an extensive grove of Tulip Poplar trees, a species that I’ve never seen on my other hikes in the area. Following the path, I hiked into a dense woods dominated by mature maple and oak with some Witch Hazel in the understory. On both sides of the trail were swollen vernal ponds due to above average June rainfall. Exiting the woods, I circled back toward the parking lot where I noticed a sign indicating the trails were used by the high school cross-country team. Approaching the car, I passed a blossoming Catalpa tree and Smooth Sumac shrubs. Finally, we found the car and headed back to Alma.

Hiking a trail

Piece of ground

Bones & flesh

Carcass found

Mass of maggots

Devouring

Organs & tissue

Decomposing

Putrefaction

Smell of decay

Mother Nature’s

Wondrous way

D. DeGraaf

June 10

Wednesday, Remi and I returned to Forest Hill Nature Area for our weekly nature hike. Arriving early in the morning, I was greeted by mostly sunny skies, a temperature of 68 degrees and a refreshing breeze out of the southwest. From the top of Energy Hill, I headed west past Mallard Marsh into Bobolink Meadow where both the small flowers of Hop Clover and the larger flowers of Red Clover dotted the landscape. Also, on a Milkweed leaf, I spotted a tiny Rust Fly while off in the distance I noticed a Whitetail deer staring at me. Moving into North Woods, I was pleased to see the results of last Saturday’s effort by scouts from Breckenridge in spreading bark mulch on the trail. I exited the heavily shaded woods into bright sunshine and circled Succession Field where I saw both a Green Bottle fly and a Crane fly sitting close to each other on leaves of Virginia creeper. Rounding the bend through Birch Row, I saw some white froth stuck to the side of grass blades. Removing some of it, I exposed the tiny organism that produces this stuff, a Spittlebug nymph. Further along, I noticed the colorful hallucinogenic mushroom, Amanita. Next, I turned into South Woods and proceeded onto the boardwalk in Swanson Swamp where I observed several Wild Irises blooming among the cattails. Leaving the woods, I walked east where a Garter snake slithered across the path in front of me. Up ahead at Artist Overlook, I paused to smell the sweet aroma of Multiflora rose blossoms. Around the next bend, I headed east on the south trail, where I got a glimpse of a Robin’s nest where a baby bird poked its head out from under the sitting mother. Continuing past Frog Fen and Brady Cemetery, I turned north into Native Grassland where the first of many colorful prairie wildflowers, Spiderwort was starting to blossom. On the edge of the trail, what appeared to be red ripe berries were actually the closed up petals of the Orange Hawkweed flower. Curving around Grebe Pond, I approached the barn where I noticed the tiny flowers of Bittersweet Nightshade among the cattails. Just west of the barn, I stopped to observe a patch of disturbed ground where a few days ago a large female Snapping Turtle laid and buried her eggs. The eggs should hatch sometime around Labor Day. Finally, we got back to the car and headed home.

Spring nears summer

Fledglings learn to fly

Basking in the sun

Garter snakes lie

In the lush meadow

Milkweeds add more green

On the floating logs

Turtles can be seen

Dark beneath the canopy

In the forest deep

Reverence for life

A covenant I keep

D. DeGraaf

June 4

Thursday, Remi and I hiked at the 90-acre Pine River Park & Outdoor Center in Alma. The early morning weather was party sunny with a temperature of 55 degrees and no wind. From the parking lot, I followed a paved path west along the Pine River where I spotted the white blossoms of Meadow Anemone and Maple-leaf Viburnum as well as the deep pink blossoms of Wild Rose. Further ahead, I paused to enjoy the mimicking songs of a Gray Catbird perched on a dead branch and a mother Mallard swimming with her ducklings way out in the middle of the river. On the ground, cotton-like seeds were beginning to fall from the large surrounding Cottonwood trees. Leaving the river, I followed the path south through a dense woods of maple, aspen and oak. I reached a clearing and spotted a couple of deer before they retreated into the forest. Continuing south past the Girl Scout cabin, the crimson red fruit of the Staghorn Sumac caught my eye. As the path curved east, I saw the first of many patches of Dame’s Rocket. Like many invasives, this plant was imported as an ornamental from Europe to the US many years ago where its seeds readily escaped gardens into natural areas via water runoff, wind and animal fur. It can spread rapidly as it appears to be doing in this park and outcompete native plants for water, nutrients and sunlight. Passing through another clearing, I followed an earthen trail into a dense woods dominated by spruce and pine. Along the way, I noticed Virginia creeper vines were starting their seasonal ascent up the trunks of many trees. After exiting the woods, I retraced my steps back to the parking lot where I paused to watch a Red-bellied Woodpecker pecking away on a wooden post near the boat launch. Finally, we found the car and headed home.

Wildflowers unfold

Long before noon

Along the river’s edge

Gray Catbird’s tune

High in a maple

Sleeping Raccoon

Spring is fading

Summer comes soon

Nature’s expressions

First week in June

D. DeGraaf