April 2

Last Wednesday, I traveled 10 miles west of Alma to hike once again in the14-acre Stearns Preserve, another property of the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy. The mid morning weather was overcast with a temperature of 37 degrees and no wind. Leaving the car in the Heartland Trail parking lot in Riverdale, I headed north a short distance to a 1-acre field where I paused to look at and listen to a Robin perched high overhead in a leafless tree while a crow called from afar. Hiking east, I came to the edge of the Pine River and explored the bank where I noticed some new green growth including Eastern Woodland Sedge and Foxtail Grass. Turning south, I walked a short distance to the Meijer Heartland Trail and followed it east where I spotted a large patch of Horsetail and a few red berry clusters still hanging on the bare branches of Maple leaf Viburnum. Just ahead, I paused on the bridge to observe the rapid river current while listening to a distant Tree Sparrow. Proceeding east, I walked under a canopy of bowing Box Elder trees and paused to listen to a noisy Blue Jay. Also, facing north, I scanned several acres of muddy river flats dominated by mature leafless oaks and maples. Still heading east, I arrived at the Preserve boundary identified by a small yellow tree label, turned north and climbed down a steep slippery bank into a unique wooded area called a rich conifer swamp. This groundwater-influenced, forested wetland is dominated by Northern White Cedar growing on rich organic soil. This landscape is also referred to as cedar swamp. Walking around, I noticed the ground was covered with dead, scale-like cedar leaves, sedge, Pincushion Moss and decaying trunks displaying Blue-Green Lichens. Exploring the muddy wet ground, I noticed Skunk Cabbage sprouts, young Wild Ginger leaves under a thin sheet of ice and a few shells of the invasive Banded Wood Snail. Next, I climbed back up the steep slope to the Heartland Trail, turned west and began retracing my steps toward the car where I paused as a perching crow flew off over the river. Finally, I returned to the car and headed home.

Seasons have changed

Ice is still there

Ground is still frozen

Cold morning air

Warmer sun rises

Mostly silence around

Nature’s asleep

Except a lovely sound

I welcome its song

From a leafless tree

Robin of spring

You’re singing for me

D. DeGraaf