June 27

The mid-morning is sunny with temperatures pushing 80 degrees as I find myself 4 miles upstream from my last encounter with the Maple River, watching its water rush over the dam in the village of Elsie. The village is named after Elsie Amelia Tillotson, born in 1853 to Jane and Franklin Tillotson who was a farmer, a wool dealer and the town’s first postmaster. The village is home to Green Meadows dairy farm consisting of 7,000 acres of land and 9,500 head of cattle, making it one of the largest herds of registered Holstein dairy cattle in North America. From the bank, I spot a Gray Catbird, several clumps of “cotton” shed from an overhead Cottonwood tree and a mixed patch of Buffalo and Brome grasses swaying in a refreshing westerly breeze. Scanning the marshy mill pond behind the dam, sounds of Redwing Blackbirds and Green Frogs catch my attention. Up ahead, I spot blue blossoms of Chicory, pink blossoms of Crown Vetch and white blossoms of Privet. Up ahead, resting in the lush foliage, I observe a Silver Spotted Skipper Butterfly and a Yellow-sided Skimmer Dragonfly. Female Skimmers have a pair of flanges beneath their eighth abdominal segment that are used to scoop and hold a few drops of water when laying eggs, hence the name, “skimmer “. Moving closer to the shore of the millpond, I observe a few yellow blossoms of Creeping Jenny, a single Morning Glory blossom and a juvenile Ground Hog eating fresh clover. Also called a Woodchuck, this large rodent is a member of the squirrel family that most likely was born a few months ago and recently left its mother to venture out on its own. Although groundhogs dig deep and extensive burrow systems, they are also good swimmers and can climb tall shrubs and sizable trees. They are most active in the morning and evening, eating grasses and other green plants, as well as some fruit, bark and buds of trees. They feed heavily in summer and early fall, accumulating huge fat reserves to prepare for winter hibernation. It then curls into what appears to be a lifeless ball, its body temperature drops nearly to the ambient temperature of the burrow and its heart rate decreases from 75 to 4 beats per minute. Groundhogs were once the objects of sport hunting and are considered quite edible. Other sights along the way include, Goat’s Beard blossoms that have seeded out, clusters of Chicken-of-the-woods fungi on a decaying tree trunk and a crescent moon high against an azure blue sky. After noticing a basking Painted turtle and taking one last look at the river channel, I head back to the car. 

 

Bid June farewell

Hiking early day

Summer’s invitation

Sights along the way

Morning sunrise

Nature’s mystique

On the verdant bank

Green frogs speak

Out in the meadow

Whitetails reside

Maple River flows

Gently by my side

 

D. DeGraaf

June 20

It’s a warm, muggy morning on the last day of spring as I watch the Maple River flow through the small village of Bannister, eight miles east of my last encounter. In the 1880’s, the residents considered naming the village ‘‘Maple Bend’’, because of its proximity to the big bend in Maple River. However, after some debate it was named “Bannister’’ in honor of A. M. Bannister who owned the surrounding land. The village was located on the “gurgling Maple’’ so called sarcastically in the early days, because there was not a spot in its entire course in Gratiot County where it had life or speed enough to produce a single gurgle. So, for power purposes it was a failure. Exploring the lush riverbank north of Wilson Rd., I spot several Ebony Jewel-wing Damselflies as well as a small Delaware Skipper Butterfly perched on blossoms of Dame’s Rocket. At my feet, scattered on the damp vegetation were white globs of foam made by nymphs of Froghoppers, called Spittlebugs (stock photo). These tiny insects pump bubbles into fluid that is secreted as a foamy substance during feeding. This frothy mass protects them from predators and desiccation. Up ahead, after seeing a large Mussel shell near shore, I pause to take in the sights and sounds of the flowing river. Nearby, I come upon a Motherwort plant beginning to blossom, the spiky seedheads of Morning Star Sedge and a perching Crane Fly, well-hidden in the dense underbrush. Turning around, I make my way back across Wilson Rd to explore the south bank where I come upon blossoms of the invasive Crown Vetch and the tangled vines of Catchweed Bedstraw. This plant grows low to the ground or will readily grow up and over other plants. It has short hairs on the stems, leaves and fruits that are like tiny hooks that catch on shoes, clothing and skin. It is known by many names around the world including cleavers, stickywilly, and “velcro plant.” It is native to North America and can be found throughout Michigan, particularly in moist, shady areas. The name itself, bedstraw is from the old days when it was used as stuffing in mattresses because the clinging nature of the prickles minimized matting and compaction of the mattress-filling and, when dried, it gave off a nice fresh scent that the ladies liked to lay their heads on. Looking around, my eyes are drawn to two colorful dragonflies perching nearby, a White-tail Skimmer and a Gray Petal-tail. Other perching insects seen include a small Two-striped Grasshopper and a Cluster Fly. This sluggish fly often invades homes in fall and turn into wintertime pests. They are particularly noticeable on warm winter days when they become active and find their way into living quarters.

 

Summer to fall

Maples turned gold

November blew cold

Fall to winter

Nights were long

Ice was strong

Winter to spring

Deer were lean

Growing green

Welcome summer

Another year

Glad you’re here

 

D. DeGraaf

June 13

With partly sunny skies, temperatures in the low 60’s and a stiff north wind, I’m 5 miles upstream from my last encounter with the Maple River, hiking east from US 127 on a grass-covered, man-made berm in the State Game with vast wetlands on my left and the gently flowing river on my right. Overhead, dozens of Barn Swallows swoop and dive for insects on the water. This swallow species (stock photo) is the most abundant and widely distributed one in the world.  Barn Swallow parents sometimes get help from other birds to feed their young. These “helpers at the nest” are usually older siblings from previous clutches, but unrelated juveniles may help as well. In the 1800’s, the millinery (hat-making) trade endangered their population leading to the founding of the first Audubon Society. Against the background of loud traffic noise, I spot a swimming muskrat and a perching male Redwing Blackbird, noisily defending its breeding territory. Not surprisingly, I come upon an active redwing nest, low in the cattails with 2 eggs. Continuing to trudge through tall, wet grass, I stir up hundreds of tiny fluttering damselflies, including a few that perch: a Citrine forktail and a male and female pair of Eastern Forktails. Looking around, I see deer scat at my feet, a patch of Stinging Nettle and Reed Canary Grass. Descending the berm to the river’s edge, I follow the muddy shore where I spot a lovely blossom of Wild Iris, some Canada Goose scat and a raccoon/mussel feasting area. Turning around, I climb back onto the berm where I spot a ½ inch Delaware Skipper Butterfly. The skipper caterpillar is bluish-green (stock photo). Nearby I see a ¼ inch Soldier Fly. These flies are harmless to humans since they have no functioning mouth parts and therefore cannot bite, nor do they have a stinging mechanism. Once they reach adulthood, they do not eat, but rely on the nutrients they gathered as larvae (stock photo). Also, they do not transfer diseases or parasites like mosquitos or ticks do. In the larva stage, they devour the larvae of other fly species, including nuisance flies. The larvae eat almost any organic waste, making them perfect for dealing with discarded foods or agricultural wastes. Nearing the car, I walk past blossoms of Dame’s Rocket and Birdfoot Trefoil. Finally, a Barn Swallow nest attached to the bottoms of the highway bridge catches my eye.

Spring to summer

Fledglings to fly

Facing the sun

Garter snakes lie 

Verdant meadow

Milkweeds green

Floating logs

Turtles seen

Canopy shades

The forest deep

Reverence for life

Covenant I keep

 

D. DeGraaf

June 6

Here I am, once again, in the Maple River State Game Area, about 4 miles northeast of my last encounter with the Maple River. The early morning is sunny and warm (mid-70’s) with a stiff south wind as I gaze at the flowing water while listening to a chorus of birdsongs. Nearby, a basking Painted Turtle catches my eye. Soon my attention is drawn to a resting Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly. This species is so named because they often fly close to the surface waters of rivers and lakes. Like all adult dragonflies, they eat smaller flying insects such as mosquitoes and flies but will also take down damselflies and moths. It is said that a single adult can eat over one hundred mosquitos per day. Exploring the muddy shoreline, I spot a ¼ Scorpion Fly surrounded by caterpillar-like Aspen Catkins. Despite its name, a Scorpion Fly is neither venomous nor does it bite or sting humans. Males use their curled, scorpion-like tail for reproduction, and their cone-like long mouthparts for feeding, (stock photo). Continuing to explore the mud flats, I come upon a stash of 4-inch empty Mussel shells, most likely left by a feeding raccoon. Next, I spot a large, coiled spiral shell in the mud, most likely from an invasive Chinese Mystery Snail. They are called “mystery” snails because females give birth to young, fully developed snails that suddenly and “mysteriously” appear. Native to Asia, they were imported by the aquarium trade and accidently released in the wild. They can clog water-intake pipes, transmit diseases and parasites to fish and other wildlife and compete with native snails for food and habitat. Up ahead, I pause to watch a ¼-inch Spotted Lady Beetle crawl over a log searching for food which could be pollen grains, aphids or mites. After checking out someone’s primitive shelter, I turn around and head back where I catch the tail end of a Grater Snake retreating into the underbrush. Approaching the car, I spot a 1-inch, needle-thin Stream Bluet Damselfly. After spending much of their life under water in the larval stage as a naiad (stock photo) feeding on vegetation, they molt, crawl out of the water, molt again to form wings and fly off. As carnivorous adults, they feed on small flying insects including, mosquitoes, moths and flies. Near the car, blossoms I spot include Buttercup, Wild Strawberry and Daisy Fleabane. Like other fleabane wildflowers, this one’s common name comes from the superstition that these plants could be used to rid a dwelling of fleas. In fact, they attract insects rather than repelling them. It’s an excellent host for a variety of butterflies and moths and all sorts of beetles and bugs that sip its nectar and munch its leaves.

Fluttering and flashing air

Wings of sapphire blue

Camera chase is on

Rapidly through the woods

Will it perch? Will it pose?

What a photo it could be?

Then, it’s gone!

Replaced by surrounding

Birdsongs and blossoms

Camera turned off 

Senses turned on

All around, nature reveals

 

D. DeGraaf