June 5

Last Saturday, I drove 32 miles northwest of Alma to join about a dozen members of the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy for a bird hike in the 165-acre, Hall’s Lake Natural Area, one of the Conservancy’s preserves. The early morning weather was overcast with a temperature of 52 degrees and a steady northeasterly breeze. Leaving our cars parked on Broomfield Rd, we hiked west through a dense deciduous forest while listening to the call of a Tufted Titmouse. Continuing west, I noticed the leaf litter was sprinkled with two kinds of small white blossoms: Starflower and Canada Mayflower. Pausing at a high bluff above Hall’s Lake, we listened to the song of a Northern Water Thrush. Turning north, we continued along the lakeshore where I spotted some Cinnamon Ferns with their cinnamon-colored spore stalks from which the name derives. Next, we stopped to listen to the song of an American Redstart coming from the dense canopy. Up in a nearby Birch tree, we could barely see a Robin sitting on its nest while on the ground I noticed a single Bunchberry blossom. Proceeding north on a footbridge over a marshy area, we were surrounded by large patches of Wild Iris in bloom. Back in a secluded area, I discovered the ball-like flower clusters of Tufted Loosestrife. As the trail curved west along the lake, I stooped down to get a closer look at some fresh Oak apple galls as well as some Bubblegum Slime Mold. Turning north, we followed the trail as it ascended to the top of a hill where we paused to hear a single call of a Crested Flycatcher followed by the call of another Northern Water Thrush. Turning around, we stopped briefly to explore a peat bog where I stepped out on thick mat of Sphagnum Moss growing over the water and jumped up and down to watch it bounce. Nearby, I spotted a lovely blossoming Calla Lily. Continuing south toward the trailhead, we passed by a few Wild Columbine blossoms. Finally, we got back to our cars and headed home.

Curtain opens

On the month of June

Far from the shore

Call of the Loon

Dragonfly perches

Wings to dry

Down in the duckweed

Turtles lie

Muskrat moves

Through cattails green

Mother Nature

Directs the scene

D. DeGraaf