April 22

With morning temperatures in the upper 40’s and a brisk west wind under clear, blue skies, I’m standing on a highway bridge of M-20, west of Mt. Pleasant, as the Chippewa River flows south through the 18-acre, Hubschur Preserve, a recent acquisition of the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy. Hiking south along the riverbank, I notice an Autumn Olive shrub beginning to leaf out and a tangle of thorny, leafless Prickly Ash trees. Continuing south, I pause to take in the peaceful, springtime riparian landscape. From here, the Chippewa River flows due south through Audubon woods, loops north though Deerfield Park, meanders southeast before curving northeast through Meridian Park and continuing past Chipp-a-waters, Millpond, Nelson and Island Parks in the city of Mt. Pleasant (stock photo). Away from the water in the muddy flood plain, I come upon young leaves of Skunk Cabbage and shoots of Wild Iris. Nearby, I spot a 3-inch, caterpillar-like, male flower that fell from a Tag Alder tree. Each tree produces both male and female flowers, called catkins. Unlike the male flower, the female flower is small, red and cone-like (stock photo). After, barely sighting a perching Black-capped Chickadee in the underbrush, I look down to see a 3-inch River Mussel shell. As botanists look at tree rings to measure the age of a tree and learn about the climate and conditions of a forest over time, biologists can determine the age of freshwater mussels by counting the rings etched into shells and make observations about long-term stream health. On higher ground beyond the flood plain, I first, observe the lovely white blossoms of a Serviceberry tree and then stop to pick a dried seed head of Bergamot, crush it and smell its sweet aroma. Up ahead, I observe a couple of small holes in a tree trunk, one in the center of a knot, most likely made by Carpenter Bees (stock photo) Turning around and heading back toward the car, I notice the beautiful flowers from a Red Maple tree while listening to the trilling sound of a male Field Sparrow (stock photo). Female Field Sparrows arriving on the breeding grounds may experience a rude welcome from males seeking a mate. An unmated male will often fly at and strike a female on his territory, sometimes driving her to the ground. Despite such behavior, soon thereafter, the male is seen following his mate closely as she searches for a nest site. Almost back to the car, I come upon the skull of a spike-horn deer. The term “spike” is used for any male deer at least a year old that has two hardened antlers that do not branch or fork. 

From dark of winter

To light of spring

Redwing Blackbirds

Begin to sing

Warming sun

Replaces the cold

Meadow turns green

Finches turn gold

Welcome the rain

To melt the snow

From muddy earth

Ephemerals show

D. DeGraaf