March 12

After coming back home to Michigan nine days ago, I returned to Lumberjack Park to hike on the nature trail that I’m helping to develop. The early morning weather was cloudy with a temperature of 27 degrees, light snow flurries and no wind. Leaving the car at the south trailhead off Madison Rd., I headed north on a path covered with 4 inches of fresh snow where I immediately noticed several fresh squirrel and turkey tracks. Continuing north, I walked on the boardwalk over the wetlands where I paused to observe a partially frozen puddle while listening to a Cardinal sing, a sign of the changing seasons. Just ahead, I paused in the middle of the new bridge to look at and listen to Mud Creek. A short distance beyond the creek, I turned east, then south and followed the trail through a dense growth of tall Red and White Pines where a noisy crow greeted me. Continuing south, I came to the edge of the Pine River where I paused to take in this scenic riparian landscape. Following the trail west along the riverbank, I came upon a pair of swimming Canada Geese who suddenly took to flight while making quite a ruckus. Continuing west, I glanced skyward to note the open canopy of leafless deciduous trees. Just ahead, I spotted a patch of Foliose lichen growing on a tree trunk. After reaching the other trailhead off Lumberjack Rd., I turned east and followed the trail through a grove of mature white pine where a few small beech trees in the understory still retained their dead leaves. Nearby, I noticed lots of deer tracks in the snow as well as a White Pine tree trunk with several fresh holes made by a Pileated Woodpecker. This colorful bird chips out these large holes with its long sharp bill, searching for Carpenter Ants and wood-boring beetle larvae. It has a long sticky barbed tongue that it sticks in them to pull out its prey. Later on these holes will host a diverse array of other birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates which use them for feeding, shelter and nesting. Proceeding eastward, I looped back to an earlier trail, retraced my steps across Mud Creek, back over the wetlands and finally to the car.

Spring starts to pull

Winter won’t let go

One warms the ground

Other returns the snow

One thaws the pond

Welcoming the geese

Other refreezes water

Nesting efforts cease

One brings Redwings

Songs from the marsh

Other keeps the wind

Still cold and harsh

D. DeGraaf