Under partly sunny skies and temperatures in the single digits, I trudge west along a snow-covered Meijer Heartland Trail in the Vestaburg State Game Area, 3000 acres of hunting land just west of Montcalm County’s village of Vestaburg. Soon, I pass one of several Tag Alder trees with its frost-ladened flowers and then pause to listen to the song of a Black-capped Chickadee. This “fee bee” song is not as common as others and obviously not used in winter for mating purposes but rather to establish territorial boundaries with rival flocks. Another sound that catches my attention is the drumming of a Red-bellied Woodpecker. Just ahead, I come upon a tree with bark chewed off by a hungry porcupine. These mammals do not hibernate but might den in hollow logs or abandoned burrows in bad weather. Due to their heavy bodies and short legs, they cannot easily navigate deep snow, therefore wintertime adds extra pressure on them to find accessible and nutritionally dense food. Like beavers, porcupines prefer to eat the nutritious inner tree bark or phloem. To get to it they have to remove the bark all the way down to the cambium layer. If this happens all the way around the trunk (girdling it), the tree will die. Continuing west, I spot a few spore stalks of ferns poking out of an 8-inch snow cover, a few dried seedpods of Tiger Lilies and Milkweed. While following deer tracks that continue laterally down the trail in front of me, I spot a set of least weasel tracks that cross the trail, north to south. Also crossing the trail nearby are a set of running deer tracks that have a leaping span of about 8 feet. Still heading west, I pause again as a light south breeze moves through a stand of Phragmites. Approaching a frozen creek bed, I spot a couple of Tree Sparrows feeding on Goldenrod seeds. Despite the name, these birds are not really associated with trees. In winter, flocks of them are common in open country rather than wooded areas while in summer they migrate and nest far north on the tundra, above the tree line. After 1.3 miles, I turn around to begin my trek back to the trailhead where I come upon wing prints in the snow most likely made by a raptor such as a hawk or owl swooping in to snatch its prey such as a rodent or songbird. Continuing east, I watch the morning sun rise to produce lengthy tree shadows. Finally, I make it back to the car, turn on the heat and head for home.
Season of cold
Leafy lairs appear
Darts among branches
Displays little fear
Snowy tracks
Between the trees
Chatters on high
Stash in the leaves
Creature of winter
Worthy of praise
Squirrel of the woods
I admire your ways
D. DeGraaf
👍
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