December 26

Under mostly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 20’s, I head west on the paved Meijer bike trail through a snow-covered landscape, just west of Vestaburg. On the path, I recognize tracks of a Cottontail rabbit and a Fox squirrel while off to my right in the underbrush, I catch a quick glimpse of a perching Dark-eyed Junco. Further along, I’m surrounded by Tag Alder shrubs, displaying their reddish male catkins and dark female cones. Nearby, I come upon a willow shrub displaying 1-inch Pinecone Galls. These galls are produced by the Willow Pinecone Gall Midge to house, nourish, and protect a single fly larva (maggot) located deep within the gall (stock photo). Galls are formed when females use their sharp ovipositors to insert an egg into an apical bud. The females also introduce chemicals into the wound that turn plant genes on and off in the bud tissue at just the right time to direct gall formation.  It is highly directed growth specific to the gall-maker. In this case, the improbable-looking willow pinecone galls are formed; they never develop into any other type of gall. Proceeding west, I enter the northern section of the 3000-acre Vestaburg State Game Area (stock Photo) where I notice some red fruit of a type of Viburnum called High Bush Cranberry. These berries will soften and sweeten over winter to provide food for Cedar Waxwings and other winter birds. Other fruit that catch my eye are clusters of shriveled-up Wild Grape. Next, I come by a dense patch of Phragmites (Common Reed) with their feathery flower-heads swaying in the breeze. The sight of a few cattails within the patch reminds me how this invasive species can takeover wetlands leaving less habitat available for other native species such as cattails to live and thrive. Phragmites form thick stands up to 12 feet high that easily shade out native species. They also clog waterways and negatively impact the expansion of desirable wetland habitats. Soon, I pause to watch the water of Wolf Creek flow slowly northward under the trail. From here it veers slightly west for about 2 miles under M-46 near Cedar Lake and then turns northeast for about 3 miles where it empties into the Pine River about 2 miles due north of Bass Lake (stock photo). Turning around, I face east and retrace my steps where I spot some Crust fungi on a branch and a colorful Northern Cinnabar Polypore mushroom on a decaying log. Near the car, I scan a woodlot where several of the tree trunks display blotches of mosses and lichens.

 

Robe of colors drops

Mighty oak stands bare

Creature scampers up

Toward his leafy lair

Hightailing skyward

Filling his cache

Over furrowed bark

Along branches gray

Perched in a crotch

Mate lingers near

Through barren twigs

Snow clouds appear

 

D. DeGraaf

December 19

I’m a short distance east of the village of Vestaburg, hiking in the 200-acre Alma College Ecological Station where the morning temperatures are in the low 30’s and skies are overcast. Soon, I come upon a lifeless, football-size, Bald-faced Hornet’s nest hanging from the branch of an American Beech tree. Last spring, a single queen hornet found this spot and began chewing up rotting wood to mix with her saliva to create a papery cellulose material for nest construction. She then, laid eggs in newly built brood cells (stock photo). After hatching, these offspring assumed the duties of nest building, food collection, feeding, and guarding the nest. By the end of summer, this nest may have contained over 300 offspring that had built a nest as large as this one. As summer turned to fall, the queen gave birth to the next generation of queens who then left the nest, finding their overwintering spot and beginning the process over again. Hornets in this nest all died during the first frost. However, the nest continues to provide food for birds who will tear it apart over the winter consuming dead insects. After passing through a dense, leafless woodland where some Turkey-tail fungi are seen, I make my way down grade onto a leaf-covered dock across a wetland covered with a thick layers of Sphagnum moss. Carefully, stepping off the dock, I’m not surprised that my boot sinks down into a spongy, squishy layer of this moss. Although, it’s possible to walk on this stuff, there is a risk of getting stuck up to your knees. Following the dock to the edge of the moss layer, I scan the open water of an ice-covered, 30-acre lake whose water is moderately acidic. This ecosystem, referred to as a peat bog is rarely seen in this area. Along the shore, I spot a patch of dormant Pitcher plants, an insectivorous species typically found in peat bogs. These plants consume insects by luring them into their colorful, hollow leaves that resemble hooded vessels. These vessel-shaped "pitchers" are filled with digestive enzymes that transform the insects into nourishment for the plants. As winter approaches, these leaves will wither and die. Come next spring, new leaves or pitchers will sprout from rhizomes in the soil.  Continuing to explore the lakeshore, I spot a few, edible bog cranberries still on a bush, so I pick and eat one. Nearby, I see the bare branches of a Tamarac tree, one of only a few conifer trees that is not evergreen, shedding its needles in the fall and growing new ones in the spring.  Leaving the bog and heading back toward the car, I notice fresh scat, most likely from a fox and a large, 1/2-ton glacial erratic boulder covered with moss.

 

Late December

I remember

End of the year

Solstice near

Sun shines low

Reflecting snow

Shadows long

Winds strong

Trees undressed

Nature at rest

 

D. DeGraaf

December 12

A noticeable south wind and temperatures in the upper 20’s greet me on this partly sunny morning as I begin my hike at Forest Hill Nature Area, a few miles north of Alma.  After ascending Reflection Hill, first I notice a field of Wild Carrot plants with their seed heads swaying with the wind and then I turn eastward to look down on Grebe Pond. Nearby, I come upon a tree filled with ripe, 1-inch crabapples. So, I pick one to eat and enjoy its tart flavor. After passing by a few fluffy seed heads of Phragmites waving in the breeze, I come to the edge of Grebe Pond where I spot 2 juvenile Muskrats on the end of the dock eating corn, put there by a caring human. Following the trail west toward North Woods, I spot a pair of male House Finches perched high overhead. Native to the Southwest, these birds are now well established throughout the US. In 1940, New York pet shop owners, who had been selling the finches illegally, released them into the wild to avoid prosecution. Over the next 50 years they spread eastward across the continent, meeting their western kin on the Great Plains. During the winter, groups of these non-migratory birds can be seen on feeders, foraging on the ground or perching in tall trees. Making my way through North Woods, I’m surprised to see the large vernal pond is empty with only the base of nearby tree trunks marking where the water was when full. Up ahead, I come face-to-face with a dead Ash tree displaying the meandering channels where Ash Borer larvae girdled and killed the tree. While walking through White Birch row on my way to South Woods, I notice the leaf litter consists mostly of birch mixed with a few oak, maple and beech. Moving quickly through South Woods, I see a Witch Hazel tree displaying flower buds. This plant is exceptional by flowering in the dead of winter. Soon these buds will open to reveal a fragrant yellow flower (stock photo). Leaving South Woods, I pass by Sora Swale where a Muskrat lodge is easily seen. Turning east and making my way toward the car, I notice the recently-melted snow reveals a 1-inch-wide tunnel excavated by a tiny mouse-like Meadow Vole (stock photo). These tunnels provide voles protection from the wind and cold and keep them hidden from predators. Nearing the car, I pass a clump of pinkish Switchgrass and a clump of Indian Grass, swaying in the breeze. 

Outer edge of autumn

Now and then snow

Creatures hunker down

No tall grasses show

Warm sun moves south

Cold winds from the north

Sweep the icy pond

Reeds sway back and forth

Gone, flowers of May

Gone, birds of June

Nature takes a break

Winter’s coming soon

 

D. DeGraaf

December 5

It’s in the upper 30’s and overcast as I start my morning hike at the Lumberjack Park Nature trail. After crossing the boardwalk through a green-less landscape, I approach the bridge over Mud Creek where I stir up a Black-capped Chickadee, darting through the underbrush as it gives out a warning call that sounds just like its name, “chickadee-dee-dee”. These non-migratory birds have many different calls, communicating information on identity and recognition of other flocks. Their summer diet is mostly caterpillars and other insects, spiders, snails and berries. In winter, Chickadees feed on insects (especially their eggs and pupae), seeds, berries and small fruits. These birds hide seeds and other food items to eat later. Each item is placed in a different spot and they can remember thousands of hiding places. Standing on the bridge, I gaze west as Mud Creek flows slowly through its stark surroundings toward a confluence with the Pine River. After passing through a mature plantation of Red and White Pine trees, I make my way to the edge of the Pine River where I’m pleased to see the flowing water is clear enough to see the sandy bottom. Heading west, I cross the Lumberjack Rd. bridge, turn east along the riverbank where I notice a patch of snow remains from last week’s storm. Up ahead, I watch a melanistic Eastern Gray Squirrel scamper across the river on a downed tree trunk. The squirrel’s black color is due to a variant form of a specific gene that produces more dark pigment. The range of the Gray Squirrel stretches across the eastern half of the country extending well into Canada. Several studies have shown that the dark morph squirrels had lower heat losses and lower basal metabolic rates compared to the regular gray squirrels during winter. The dark-morph squirrels have lower energy costs for living in cold and wintry conditions compared to the gray ones. Not surprisingly, there are more of them sighted as you move north from here into Canada. Just ahead, I pause to listen as river water flows over some embedded rocks. Turning south onto the Campground trail, I come upon a healthy patch of moss growing on the south base of a tree, debunking the myth that moss only grows on the north base. Nearby, in the crevice of tree bark, I spot an old egg mass of a Sponge Moth (formally called a Gypsy Moth). While making my way back toward the car, I spot several patches of Christmas fern whose sterile fronds accumulate carbon compounds, mostly in the form of plant sugars that act as a natural antifreeze and keep them green throughout the winter.

 

She whispers to me in the wind

Beckons with calls of the wild

She displays profound beauty

Makes me curious as a child

She surrounds me with life

With death and life anew

She shows a delicate balance

Harmony through and through

She teaches me lasting truths

Joins me to the cosmic whole

She feeds my body and mind

Nourishes my earthly soul

 

D. DeGraaf

November 28

I’m at Mt Pleasant’s Chipp-a-Waters Park on a mostly sunny morning with temperatures in the lower 30’s and a westerly breeze, watching the clear, cold water of the Chippewa River flow gently east through a snowy landscape. Up ahead, I watch a family of geese move with the current downstream. Following a paved pathway along the river’s edge, I spot a Cocklebur plant with its prickly seedheads and a Prickly rose plant with its large, bright-red, pear-like hips. Since these hips are fleshy and edible, I pick one and enjoyed its sweet flavor. While they are consumed by humans for jelly and tea, birds love them as well. On the other side of the trail on the snow-covered ground, I notice tracks of a Field mouse and a briefly resting Dark-eyed Junco.  Juncos, like many other birds, migrate “South” for the winter months; however, lower Michigan is their south. These birds live in Canada for the rest of the year and come down here only in the winter where they can be seen around backyard bird feeders eating assorted grass, thistle, and sunflower seeds. When they are not at feeders, they can be found near farm fields foraging for grains on the ground that were not harvested. Scanning the understory, I’m not surprised to see dead leaves of American Beech and White Oak still attached to branches. However, I am surprised to see a solitary Maple tree with leaves still attached (a possible hybrid). Tree foliage that is still green include Buckthorn with its dark blue fruit and Winterberry with its bright red fruit. Crossing the Brandell bridge over the Chippewa River, I gaze west to take in the scenic riparian landscape. Circling the paved path around Viet’s Woods, I spot a female Hairy Woodpecker (males have a red patch on the back of the head) feeding on a snag and a perching male Goldfinch. Beginning in September, and continuing for six to eight weeks, these birds molt all their feathers, ending up with a completely new, drab-colored set as they head into the winter. In the spring, they grow new feathers that are a bright yellow breeding plumage (stock photo). Most Goldfinches observed around here do not migrate. To stay warm on a cold winter's night, these birds have been known to burrow under the snow to form a cozy sleeping cavity. They will also roost together in coniferous trees. Other sightings include Whitetail deer tracks and Fox Squirrel tracks. Back across the bridge heading toward the car, I notice a stand of leafless Black Locust trees with 4-inch seed pods hanging from their branches.

 

Hunter or hunted

Man or deer

Who’s the killer

Answer is clear

Heated blind

Comfortable wait

High-powered gun

Pile of bait

Shots ring out

Bullets stray

Whitetail runs

No death today

 

D. DeGraaf

November 21

Before starting a hike at Alma’s Conservation Park, I’m checking out my newly-started butterfly garden next to the bathroom building. Under overcast skies and temperatures in the lower 30’s, I head south when a gust of wind shakes the dead oak leaves still clinging to the tree above me. Further along, I pass through a grove of Red Pine trees where their slightly reddish trunks are noticeable and the leaf litter reveals lots of their dead needles. Moving west under the powerlines through the native grassland, I notice a few blue berries remain on some dead Pokeweed plants. As the trail veers north, I come upon a vine of the invasive, Oriental Bittersweet with its colorful red berries, some of which still display their orange seed capsules. This Asian native was imported in the 1860’s as an ornamental landscape plant but has long since escaped into the wild. The vines grow vigorously and tend to suffocate native plants from growing by preventing exposure to sunlight and other resources in the landscape. It’s not surprising that florists like to add these vines to wreaths and other autumn decorations. While the berries are toxic to humans and pets, they are a winter food source for birds like Robins, Grouse and Starlings. Birds are a key part of the plant’s success story sine the seeds inside the fruit usually pass safely through the birds’ digestive tracts and quickly get spread. Up ahead, I come upon another invasive, Asian import- a thorny shrub with bright red berries, called Japanese Barberry. This plant was introduced to the United States as an ornamental in the 1870’s. As a hardy, exotic species, it since has spread to open woods, roadsides, and natural areas. The berries are eaten by birds and small mammals who widely disperse the seeds. Humans can eat the berries as well. Eaten raw, they taste a lot like very tart cranberries. In the Middle East, the fruit is usually dried for preservation so it can be used year-round in all manner of dishes. At my feet, I notice the leaf litter includes oak, maple and cottonwood. Up ahead, I stop by the Eyer Learning Circle and Bird Observation Hut before heading west through tall pines as snowflakes begin to fall. Turning north, I come to a high bank of the Pine River where I scan the austere millpond, occupied by some swimming waterfowl. Upon closer observation, I see several male and female Mallards. As snow continues to fall, I follow the riverbank eastward through one of the overlooks where the leaf litter reveals big-tooth Aspen. Finally, I glance one more time at the whiting landscape before reaching the car.

 

Far away from the hunter’s gun

Run, river run

By light of the moon, light of the sun

Run, river run

Your journey’s not over, only half done

Run, river run

Keeping you clean is priority one

Run, river run

Ice flows have not yet begun

Run, river run

Walking beside you is lots of fun

Pine River run

 

D. DeGraaf

November 14

About 2 months ago, I started my quest to explore the 14-mile, Pine Creek channel from its end, where it empties into the Maple River, to its beginning. Following the creek north, I first watched it spill over the Rainbow Lake dam. Further upstream, I saw it flow under the Luce Rd bridge and the sturdy railroad trestle near Perrington. Working my way upstream, I remember seeing the narrowing creek flow under the Grant Rd bridge and Hayes Rd bridge. Approaching its source, I observed its water flowing under the Johnson Rd bridge and Pierce Rd bridge where it became increasingly vulnerable to polluted agricultural runoff. Other memories include a soaring and wading Great Blue Heron.  So, for my 10^th and final encounter with Pine Creek, I’m standing on the St Charles Rd bridge watching its water trickle south. Under partly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 40’s, I explore the banks where a steady east wind blows some dying stalks of Goldenrod and Milkweed. On the cropland nearby, I spot some dried-up, papery husks of Ground Cherry. During the summer, this 3-ft vining plant produces cherry-size fruit wrapped in a thin, lantern-like husk (stock photo). Leaves and stems are highly toxic while unripe berries can cause upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea. The ripe orangish yellow berries (stock photo) are a food source for turkey, opossums, skunks and humans. The berries taste slightly sweet and tropical, with a texture that's somewhere between a tomato and a grape. Ground cherries also make wonderful pies and preserves and can be used in any recipe that calls for tomatoes. Crossing the road, I come to the actual source of the creek which is nothing more than a small pool of water, fed by two county drains, that flows gently south through a huge culvert-a humble beginning indeed. While bidding farewell to this watercourse, suddenly, a muskrat swims by me. Ten years ago, the North American muskrat market was booming, thanks to soaring purchases by Chinese and other newly rich nations that desired muskrat fur to line coats and footwear. An auction in North Bay, Ontario featured 55,000 muskrat pelts that were all purchased by China. This high demand was good for Michigan trappers who had no limits on how many they could harvest. A pelt was going for $10-12 —five times what muskrats fetched in the 1990’s. Since then the market has softened. Currently, a pelt goes for $3-4 conservatively, with averages around $5.

 

Predator of night

Dark becomes day

Your hunt was hard

Your hunger obey

Picked up a scent

Options to weigh

The kill was quick

Devoured your prey

Found your den

Ended your quest

Coyote of the wild

Your time to rest

 

D. DeGraaf

November 7

Under sunny skies with temperatures in the upper 40’s, I’m standing on the Pierce Rd. bridge, watching a muskrat swim south along a narrow channel of Pine Creek that looks a lot like the hundreds of drainage ditches seen throughout Gratiot County. Classified as omnivores, muskrats mainly consume roots, stems, leaves, and fruits of aquatic vegetation. Once these are depleted, they will eat insects, fish and amphibians. These mammals remain active during the winter, foraging for food, since they do not store any in their lodges. In addition, they are among a few animals that regularly defecate in water where their droppings often contain a protozoan parasite that can cause a flu-like infection that old-time trappers referred to as “beaver fever.” Moving down to the water’s edge, I spot some raccoon tracks in the mud as well as one of their food sources. Moving south along the bank, I’m alarmed to see nearby cropland covered with fresh manure, allowing animal waste easy access to the creek. Further along, I spot a Muskrat resting on the far shore. Michigan’s culinary connection to muskrats began in the 1780’s, when French Catholics from Detroit settled in Monroe County. Historical records describe many residents consuming meat from a variety of sources, including abundant muskrats living along the riverbanks. However, since Lenten rules prohibited the eating of meat, Fr. Gabriel Richard, granted a special dispensation to the region’s Catholics allowing them to consume muskrat. Thus, muskrat dinners became a common occurrence both in the Downriver area and Monroe County (stock photo). St. Charles church in Newport has the longest running muskrat dinner in the region, which has taken place for the past 53 years on the Friday before Super Bowl Sunday. Returning to the car, I drive north and park next to the Filmore Rd. bridge to watch the Pine Creek flow south along the edge of the massive Vanderploeg Holstein farm where 3000 cows, crowded into pens, are milked daily. Given the amount of animal waste produced there, I’m wondering how much of it makes its way into the creek. Exploring the banks, I notice several patches of large green leaves. These are the basal leaves of Burdock that grow during the first year of this biennial plant’s life cycle. In the second year, these plants put out tall, erect stems that display pink to purplish flowers at the top of a spiny ball of hooked bracts, or burs that eventually dry out and turn brown.

 

Gone from the fields

The luster of gold

Sunshine of summer

Has now turned cold

Gone are Redwings

That ruled the marsh

Winds of November

Blow wild and harsh

Gone is the green

Of leaves and vines

Tales of nature

Mid-autumn signs

 

D. DeGraaf

October 31

With morning temperatures in the lower 60’s under mostly sunny skies and a southerly breeze, I look south from the Johnson Rd. bridge at an unusually straight section of the Pine Creek channel, most likely reshaped by humans to facilitate drainage of farmland. Likewise, the lack of a natural vegetation buffer along the banks, means runoff from this farmland (likely containing herbicide and pesticide residue) washes directly into the creek. Moving down from the bridge, I spot seeds of Milkweed and Clematis (Old Man’s Beard) as well as the red berries of Bittersweet Nightshade. Although not as toxic as Deadly Nightshade (stock photo), these berries are somewhat poisonous and have caused loss of livestock, pet poisoning and, more rarely, sickness and death in children. While exploring the creek, north of the bridge, I pause to watch its water flow gently past, carrying and depositing Cottonwood leaves. After driving north to the Buchannan Rd. bridge, I work my way along a high bank and come upon a patch of recently disturbed dirt called a “buck scrape.” In most cases a buck begins the scraping process by rubbing his forehead and spreading is scent on an overhanging branch and in some cases licking and chewing it.  Once done, he will paw the leaves and other debris from the ground under the branch, then urinate on it, leaving liberal amounts of scent behind to signal his dominance over other bucks. Moving down the bank, I notice a small tree trunk with scrape marks called a “buck rub. These abrasions are caused by a buck rubbing his forehead and antlers against it to remove the velvet from newly grown antlers. Likewise, this effort leaves a scent that communicates a challenge to other bucks while also attracting potential mates. Glancing skyward, I see and hear a perching male Redwing Blackbird-a sight and sound expected in early spring when he claims his breeding territory. However, most likely, this bird is part of a larger feeding flock that is migrating south from his summer breeding grounds in northern Michigan or Canada to winter grounds in southern US or Mexico. Looking across the creek, I can barely make out a clump of dead grass mixed with the fur and bones of an unknown mammal, clinging to a woody snag. Working my way back to the car, I can’t help but notice another one of many suspicious drainpipes sticking out of the bank. Near the car, I’m reminded of the season while observing leaves fall gently as the morning sun shines through a dense stand of deciduous trees. 

 

Autumn breathes a sigh

October breathes its last

Green has gone in hiding

Colors fading fast

Swallows long gone

Blue Jays stayed

Gone the flowered fields

Gone the forest shade

No more warming sun

Or calls of the wild

No more long days

Or breezes mild

 

D. DeGraaf

October 24

For my 7th encounter with Pine Creek, I start by observing its water flowing slowly south under the Hayes Rd. bridge. Under sunny skies, with noontime temperatures in the upper 50’s and a stiff southwest breeze, I make my way off the road toward the creek bank where I’m surprised to see a half dozen Cloudless Sulfur Butterflies fluttering about and landing on the grassy ground. These butterflies exhibit migration and overwintering behavior like monarchs, but they do not travel as far or in as great of numbers. Soon they will leave their breeding sites here and travel south to Florida and other southern states. There, they stay until the end of winter when they again return here to the same breeding sites. One of the greatest threats to these and other migrating butterflies is the destruction and loss of habitat. The caterpillars (stock photo) are often considered elusive pests, because they turn green when eating green leaves and turn yellow when eating yellow flowers. From the bank, I watch yellow blossoms of Black Mustard sway in the breeze. While this plant mostly blossoms in spring, some do blossom now. Moving my way along the bank next to cropland, I spot the never-before-seen, cattail-like seedhead of a grain called Pearl Millet which is used by farmers for poultry, cattle and swine feed. Back near the road, I come upon a well-decomposed roadkill of some unknown mammal, about the size of a Raccoon, Opossum or Woodchuck. While moving the carcass, I notice part of the hairless, scaly remains of an Opossum’s tail. An average adult has a long tail used as an adaptive tool when grasping something (prehensile). This amazing marsupial uses its tail as a fifth limb when climbing on different surfaces. Many people are not aware that they produce a scent at the base of their tail. When a scent is created, it can be easily identified by other Opossums to identify territorial boundaries. In some cases, an Opossum may wag its tail to signal other others that there is danger lurking around, like predators such as large dogs, coyotes and raccoons. Moving my way upstream next to Ennis Rd, I pause to watch a wading Great Blue Heron searching for aquatic prey such as small fish, frogs and snakes. These large, graceful birds will soon migrate south for the winter, some going to the Caribbean, Central America, or northern South America. They travel by day or night, alone or in flocks. Finally, along the bank, I once again spot a drainpipe. Since it drains from a nearby cattle feedlot, it’s pretty good evidence that animal waste is making its way into the creek. 

 

Showy leaf

Autumn day

Won’t last

Won’t stay

Red to yellow

Fades to gray

Brown to black

Moldy decay

Disintegrates

Without delay

Joins the soil

Nature’s way

 

D. DeGraaf

October 17

The noontime temperatures are in the mid 50’s, under sunny skies as I stand on the Grant Rd. bridge watching Pine Creek water flow slowly toward its confluence with the Maple River, some 7 miles to the south. Exploring the bank below, I come upon a 16-inch, well-decomposed carcass of a Common Carp. This species was introduced to North America as a sport and food fish during the middle of the 19th century. In the US, carp was farmed by private interests as well as by state and federal fish-and-game authorities. The fish spread quickly and by the 20th century it became an invasive nuisance species competing with native species for food and living space. Also, it uprooted aquatic vegetation, which increased the cloudiness (turbidity) of rivers and lakes. Nearby, I spot a ½-inch Boxelder Bug resting on an Aspen leaf. At this time of year these insects become gregarious and congregate on the south side of rocks, trees and buildings where the sun hits. After large masses gather, they migrate to nearby buildings or homes to overwinter. In the spring they emerge from hibernation when the Boxelder tree buds open. They first feed on fallen boxelder seeds and later move to the female boxelder trees or maple trees where they eat newly developing leaves. Boxelder bugs are not known to bite, but their piercing-sucking mouthparts can occasionally puncture skin, causing a slight irritation and producing a red spot like a mosquito bite. Also, near the ground, I come upon a ¼-inch Winter Cranefly fluttering about. Up ahead, I watch a ¼ inch winged Carpenter Ant crawl rapidly up a dead tree trunk as it passes several pea-size holes made by Carpenter Bees (stock photo). On my way back to the car, I almost step on a 1-inch Garden Slug moving slowly over the ground. Near the car, I spot a Wild Cucumber fruit. While related to the familiar, domestic vegetable, the prickly “cucumbers” is not edible. Instead of fleshy tissue under the skin, it has two seed chambers containing lacy netting. The netting holds four large seeds (stock photo) in place until the fruit ripens and the seeds drop to the ground to begin a new vine. Californian Indians of old would mash the root of this plant and add it to river water to stun fish which would float to the surface for easy retrieval. Next, I drive a short distance to the Luce Rd bridge where I stop and observe the creek as it flows westward. Finally, I pause to look at a stand of trees filled with hundreds of chirping Starlings while others perch on a nearby electrical transmission tower.

 

Summer leaves

Captured the sun

Green and lush

Everyone

Fall foliage

October days

Yellows and reds

Browns and grays

No matter the pigment

No matter the shade

Forest has no favorites

Every color displayed

 

D. DeGraaf

October 10

It’s a chilly 39 degrees under sunny skies as I walk east on a railroad track from the Gratiot County village of Perrinton (population of 400) toward another encounter with Pine Creek. From 1888 to 1956, the track was used daily to run passenger and freight trains from Muskegon to Ashley and back. Presently, a rare freight train uses this track to haul grain between elevators in Ashley and Middleton. Up ahead beside the tracks, I spot leaves changing into their autumn colors including, Sugar Maple and Sycamore Maple while in the distance, a Whitetail deer looks my way. Arriving at my destination, I descend a steep slope and look up to admire the sturdy trestle that spans the creek. After gazing downstream, I explore the bank where blossoms of Black Mustard and Pennsylvania Smartweed catch my eye. Moving upstream, I pause to take in the sights and sounds of this peaceful landscape. Next, I come upon a drain tile that empties into the creek from nearby cropland and wonder if any pollutants make their way into this watercourse. Moving back toward the tracks, I notice a huge glacial erratic boulder. Unlike the one I saw last week that weighed a 1000+ pounds, this one is at least twice as large. About 10,000 years ago during the last ice age, massive flowing glaciers eroded bedrock from Canada and dragged large fragments, such as this one, south to Michigan where they were deposited when the glacier stalled or melted back. Back on the tracks and proceeding west, I pick up the duet of a Blue Jay and Chipmunk. Further along, I see the tiny white blossoms of Heath Aster and the bright red berries of Maple Leaf Viburnum. Finally, I reach the car, parked on the north side of Perrinton. Founded in 1886, this tiny village owes its existence largely to the fact that a railroad track was built and required a station (stock photo) here. When building a station became a certainty, Ansel Phinney, one of the founders of the village of Ashley, proceeded to purchase land and plat a village. The projected village was named “Perrin” in honor of a prominent firm of lawyers from St Johns. Later the name was changed to “Perrinton” because there was already a post office named “Perrin.” Quoting Gratiot County historical records, “Perrinton is in excellent farming country. As a trading post, Perrinton is up to standards with dealers and stocked to satisfy all demands of a discriminating public. The village is fairly supplied with religious societies. It is a peaceful, law-abiding town where the churches are doing their full duty and are amply sufficient in numbers and influence.”

 

Coat of many colors

Nature can’t defer

Green lost its hold

Others begin to stir

Shades of orange

Find the maple leaf

Yellow starts to show

Joins aspen motif

Red’s wait is over

Responding to its cue

Many yet to cover

Early autumn debut

 

D. DeGraaf

October 3

About a ½ mile upstream from my last Pine Creek encounter, I’m using a map to hike cautiously through private property toward the flowing watercourse. With temperatures in the low 50’s, the morning sun at my back and a stiff wind in my face, I look up at an azure blue sky to see the leaves of a towering Cottonwood tree sway in the wind. As the trail leads me into a clearing, I spot blossoms of Panicle Aster and a Milkweed plant with a seed pod opening to reveal its brown seeds attached to white, silky strands, called floss. Alayna Rasile, an environmentally conscious textile artist has a small apparel line and a Milkweed-based design studio called May West that makes outerwear using milkweed floss as a goose down alternative. Just ahead, I pause to look at and listen to a perching male Eastern Chipmunk. The “chip-chip” sound is an alarm call to other members of the colony that a predator (or curious human) is nearby. Only male chipmunks have vocal sacs for making sounds. Moving toward the dark shade of a dense woods, I hear the call of an Eastern Wood Pewee. A long-distance migrant, this small bird (stock photo) is one of the last to leave for its wintering grounds in wooded and shrubby habitats of Central America and the Andes region of northern South America. Entering the woods, I’m pleasantly surprised to witness an amazing riparian landscape of old growth Beech and Maple trees, sloping terrain, a wide floodplain and a gently flowing Pine Creek. At the water’s edge, I watch a narrow tributary converge with the shallow Pine Creek as it flows south over piles of rocks along a lush bank where I come upon a small Shagbark Hickory tree. Turning around and heading back toward the car, I pass by a moss-covered, 1000+pound, glacial erratic boulder that was transported here thousands of years ago during the last ice age. Back into the clearing, I spot a Cockspur Hawthorn tree with its long thorns and one remaining berry (haw). Hawthorn fruit is extremely high in pectin and therefore particularly useful for making jams and jellies. Near the car, I see the walnut-like compound leaves of a Tree of Heaven. This rapidly growing deciduous tree has become a widespread invasive species across North America. Known by other names including stinking sumac, Chinese sumac and stink tree, the plant releases a strong, offensive smell from its flowers. It was brought from China to the United States in the late 1700’s as a horticultural specimen and shade tree. 

 

October forest 

Brushed with green

Artist is ready

To change the scene

Her canvas is set

Her easels unfold

Orange and brown

Oak leaves behold

Dabs of yellow

Splashes of red

Maple leaves

More colors ahead

 

D. DeGraaf

September 26

On this last day of astronomical summer, I’m hiking with wife, Caroline, dog, Riley and friends at Hall’s Lake Natural Area in western Isabella County. Combining three of Chippewa Watershed Conservancy preserves, this 170-acre property is located along the eastern shore of 68-acre Hall’s Lake, near the village of Remus. The temperatures are in the mid 70’s under partly sunny skies with a refreshing breeze as we follow an earthen trail through a dense woodland where the damp, leaf litter reveals dozens of large, yellow-orange Fly Agaric mushrooms. This mushroom is both poisonous and psychoactive to humans. Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, hallucinations, involuntary movements, delirium and seizures. In northern climates, reindeer go to great lengths to seek out this hallucinogenic mushroom. Eating the fungi makes them behave drunkenly, run about aimlessly and make strange noises. Herders in Europe and Asia have long collected reindeer urine as a safer way of taking this hallucinogen. The common name, Fly Agaric is a reference to the using this mushroom as an insecticide. In some European countries caps are crumbled up and placed in saucers of milk to attract house flies. As flies drink the spiked milk, they become drowsy, collapse and die. Other fungi I notice nearby include a cluster of Honey Mushrooms that are best eaten after cooking and Coral Mushrooms that can be eaten raw, so I sample a small piece. As the trail approaches the lake, amphibians catch my eye including a 1-inch American Toad and a 3-inch Leopard Frog. Further ahead, I come upon an ornate, grape-size Oak apple gall that had fallen to the ground from an overhead tree (stock photo). This gall contains the larva of a wasp (stock photo) that feeds on inner tissue before pupating into an adult and breaking out. Arriving at the west trailhead, I look over at Hall’s Lake shoreline, see this wonderful preserve and reflect on the large amount of time, effort and financial resources it took by property owners in partnership with the Conservancy to make it a reality. Turning around and heading back to the car, I pause to observe a small white sphere moving over the leaf litter. Upon closer look, I see it’s a 1-inch, female Wolf Spider towing a silk sac full of 100 or so eggs. Once hatched, these tiny babies raise their abdomen and shoot out a small string of silk. When done correctly, this silk catches in the breeze and carries the babies off. Scientists think they do this to avoid competition with other siblings. 

 

Orb of the earth

Star of the day

Your path is sure

You do not stray

Solstice to solstice

Halfway there

Summer has set

Chill in the air

Sustainer of life

Warming sphere

Sun of autumn

Glad you’re here

 

D. DeGraaf

September 19

This morning, for my 3^rd encounter with Pine Creek, I’m on the Luce Rd. bridge, watching this watercourse flow slowly southwest toward Rainbow Lake, about a mile downstream. The skies are partly sunny with temperatures in the mid 50’s as I explore the bank, noticing a few Yellow Toadflax (Butter-and-Eggs) blossoms and a couple of Common Teasel plants, one still in bloom and one seeding out. The distinctive seed heads are popular in floral arrangements. Originally from Europe and northern Africa, this plant was first introduced to North America in the 1700's and has since spread from coast to coast. Working my way upstream, I first look down to the grassy ground where tiny leaves of a Virginia Creeper vine have turned bright red and then look up to see a Black Walnut tree displaying some green husks. After pausing to observe the placid creek surface, I explore the earthen trail while noticing some acorns of Bur Oak with their shaggy, bur-like coverings. Moving up the high bank, I spot blossoms of Bluestem Goldenrod and patches of Crown-tipped Coral mushrooms. These mushrooms can be eaten raw but are most often cooked as they can cause an upset stomach in some consumers. Descending a steep bank to the water’s edge, I see that the creek surface is completely covered with Duckweed which does block sunlight and inhibits algae growth. Algae produce oxygen and a sudden loss of algae means that fish can become stressed and die off. Walking along the floodplain, I spot white blossoms of Turtlehead. Native to North America, this plant is an important host for certain butterflies whose larvae feed on the leaves. It also attracts pollinators such a bees and hummingbirds. Working my way back toward the car, I’m not surprised to see a crawling Wooly Bear Caterpillar. This larva of an Isabella Tiger Moth (stock photo) will feed through the fall before going into a semi hibernation state through the winter.  Next spring it will pupate, form a cocoon and emerge as an adult moth. According to folklore, the wider the Woolly Bear's black bands, the longer, colder, snowier, and more severe the winter will be. Similarly, the wider the middle brown band, the milder the upcoming winter will be. However, the truth is the caterpillar's coloring is based on how long it has been feeding, its age, and species. The better the growing season, the wider the black bands on the ends and narrower brown band in its middle.  Also, the coloring indicates the age of the caterpillar.

 

Takes leaves of green

Gives us those of red

Takes a fading meadow

Gives us yellow instead

Takes a redwing’s song

Gives us a cricket’s call

Takes away summer

Gives us another fall

Seasonal transitions

Nature gives and takes

After months of sleep

Lady Autumn awakes

 

D. DeGraaf

September 12

Under overcast skies and temperatures in the mid 60’s, I’m about a mile upstream from my last encounter with Pine Creek, standing on the south end of impounded Rainbow Lake, watching water flow through the dam’s spillway to form the creek as it flows south toward Maple Rapids. In the early 1960’s, Pine Creek was dammed to form the 300-acre Rainbow Lake. During the great flood of 1986, the dam was breached and the lake was drained (stock photo). In 1989, the dam was rebuilt and the lake restored. Following a path on a high bank of the creek, I notice some blossoms of Queen Anne’s Lace remain open while others have folded up and seeded out. After opening one of these cup-like “nests”, I’m not surprised to see a live, colorful, ½ inch, Carrot Seed Moth Caterpillar. The invasive moth from this caterpillar (stock photo) was first noticed in North America in 2002. Some researchers suggest that the moth may have hitchhiked on a trans-Atlantic vessel that ended up at a Great Lakes port. So far, this insect has had minimal impact on the ecosystem. Up ahead, I spot the conspicuous white rump patch of a Northern Flicker as it flies away and perches in a nearby tree where it repeats its loud, single-note call. Scanning the sky, I watch an Osprey circle overhead and land at the top of a nearby cell-phone tower. Ospreys, also called fish hawks, are excellent anglers. Over several studies, these birds of prey caught fish on at least 1 in every 4 dives, with success rates sometimes as high as 70 percent. The average time they spent hunting before making a catch was about 12 minutes. Walking back toward the car, I observe a Great Blue Heron standing on a dock. Back in the car, I head north about halfway up the lake and stop at a small park to explore the shoreline where I spot pale green berries of Poison Ivy and red berries of Maple-leaf Viburnum. In a few weeks, the toxic Poison Ivy berries will turn white and the toxic leaves red.  Also, in a few weeks, the Viburnum berries will ripen to a dark blue color. While many types of Viburnum berries are edible and tasty, those of the Maple-Leaf variety are edible but not tasty. Nearby, I come upon a few stems of Common Teasel, topped with spiny seed pods and Hickory leaves displaying a condition called leaf spot, caused by a fungal pathogen. Moving down to the water’s edge, a yellow blossom of Nodding beggarticks catches my eye. Looking across the lake, I observe a wooded section of shoreline that remains undeveloped while most of it is occupied by high-end housing.

 

Late in summer

Nature’s décor

Sun shares less

Asters share more

Nests are empty

Redwings gone

Vigilant, the doe

Bolder, the fawn

Marsh still alive

Dragonflies hover

Blue Herons wade

More to discover

 

D. DeGraaf