February 25

Thursday, Remi and I stayed in Alma to hike at the Pine River Park and Outdoor Center. The mid-afternoon weather was sunny with a temperature of 32 degrees and a stiff north wind. With blue skies overhead, we left the car and trudged west along the river's edge through 10 inches of new snow from last night’s storm. Gazing north at the river, I noticed a dozen Trumpeter Swans swimming in open water near the far shore. An early sign of spring, these birds have returned from wintering in western Canada and Alaska. While this swan’s population has made a comeback, they were nearly extirpated as a result of over-harvesting and widespread destruction and degradation of wetlands. In 1932, fewer than 70 trumpeters were known to exist worldwide. Continuing west on virgin snow while overlooking the frozen river, I was admiring the shadow patterns on the snow when I came across fresh squirrel tracks. Next, I turned south away from the cold wind and looped east through a stand of mature spruce and pine heavily laden with snow where I paused to scan the snowy landscape. Also, I was reminded of seeing another sign of spring earlier this week when a male Cardinal, perched high above was singing to establish his territory. Finally, after Remi stopped to roll in the snow, we returned to the car and headed home.

February’s finale

Lingering chill

Creatures hiding

Sounds are nil

Out of silence

A song is heard

Morning music

Nature’s word

High in the pines

Message to bring

Cardinal of winter

Beckoning spring

D. DeGraaf

February 17

Wednesday, Remi and I ventured 16 miles west of Alma to the small village of Cedar Lake to hike a section of the Meijer Heartland Trail. The early morning weather was partly sunny with temperature of 23 degrees and a light, variable wind from the north. We left the car and headed due west where a couple inches of fluffy overnight snow covered the trail while some of it decorated cattail seed heads as well as Old Man’s Beard's seeds. Further along, I spotted some leafless Tag Alder bushes with their cone-like female catkins and caterpillar-like male catkins. While a few Mourning Doves flew overhead, some Chickadees fluttered through the underbrush. Continuing west, the trail passed through wetlands that included ice-covered puddles and narrow streams that contained green duckweed, a portent of spring. Next, I paused to enjoy the sights and soothing sounds of one of these streams. Overhead, I noticed the naked branches of a Tamarack tree that unlike most conifers, drops its needles in the winter and grows new ones in the spring. After turning around and welcoming a warming sun, I paused to admire the surrounding wooded landscape. Continuing east toward the car, I could barely make out a network of subnivian tunnels made by small mammals including shrews and voles. Finally, we continued east to the car and took off for home.

Depths of winter

Hidden by snow

A racing pulse

Runs to and fro

Mouse is caught

Venom is spread

Minute or two

Cold and dead

Tunnel creature

Consumes its prey

Short-tailed shrew

Lives another day

D. DeGraaf

February 11

Thursday, Remi and I traveled 13 miles southwest of Alma to the small village of Sumner to hike at the 35- acre, Centennial Park where yesterday’s dusting of snow whitened the landscape once again. The mid-morning weather was partly sunny with temperature of 16 degrees and a light, frigid breeze out of the north. We left the car and proceeded west to the edge of the Pine River where I spotted a mating pair of Canada Geese that were getting an early start staking out their spring breeding territory. Hiking north, I paused to observe the swollen river as it flowed from north to south carrying small pieces of ice. Next, I started down the walking trail and remembered the time we were here last April. Continuing north along the riverbank, I paused and heard two birds: first, the mating call of a Cardinal, one of the early signs of spring, second, a Nuthatch. Fresh tracks on the trail revealed the movement of a variety of creatures including: coyote, rabbit, house cat and weasel. Further along, I stopped to gaze at the snow covered flood plain where last April the Skunk Cabbage was beginning to sprout. As the trail looped around toward the south, I thought about how it looked compared to last spring. Finally, we returned to the car and headed home.

February forest

Meandering flow

Carving the earth

Onward you go

Current speaks

Clear and concise

Scouring rocks

Sculpting ice

By snowy banks

Waters confine

Nature’s creation

River called Pine

D. DeGraaf

February 3

Wednesday, Remi and I returned to Forest Hill Nature Area. The mid-day weather was partly sunny with a temperature of 34 degrees and a blustery southwest wind. Leaving the car, I headed west and paused at the crest of Energy Hill to scan the landscape where much of the snow cover had melted from heavy overnight rain. Descending the hill, I passed Mallard Marsh and walked through Bobolink Meadow where deer and pheasant tracts were easily seen on the trail. At the entrance to North Woods, I spotted some colorful British Soldier lichens on a stump. Following the trail through the woods, I noticed a half dozen deer running ahead before I paused near the exit where the forest floor was littered with an unusually large number of downed trees, large and small. Next, I looped west around Succession Field through Birch Row and hiked into South Woods where I paused to take in a favorite winter scene from remote Swanson Swamp. Leaving the woods, I proceeded to Artist Overlook to check out Sora Swale before following the south trail where a hole in the snow cover revealed greening of ground vegetation, a subtle sign of the season to come. At Frog Fen, I turned north and climbed to the top of Reflection Hill where I gazed down at the flooded ice on Grebe Pond. Descending the hill to the north, I spotted a Red-tailed hawk soaring high above the pond. Arriving at the classroom building, I noticed a few Mourning Doves flying away from the bird feeders. Finally, we returned to the car for our journey home.

No gathering geese

Or mallards in flight

No croaking frogs

To welcome night

Nestled in mud

Turtles aren’t seen

Beige and broken

Cattails aren’t green

Winter wetlands

Covered and sealed

Front of February

Nature revealed

D. DeGraaf