May 27

The morning temperatures are in the mid 70’s, under sunny skies as Caroline and I hike with our friends, Jeff and Maria Reynolds on a nature trail in Giant City State Park, near their home in Carbondale, ILL,500 miles SW of Alma.  Soon, I come upon a resting Harvestman. One of 60 species of North American Daddy-long-legs, this one is known for its uncanny ability to detach a limb to evade predators, a self-defense tactic accompanied by a twitching motion to distract the threat while it escapes. Its diet is diverse, consisting of small invertebrates, decaying vegetation, and fungi. Up ahead, I spot white blossoms of Indian Physic and purple blossoms of Limestone Wild Petunia. Each Petunia flower only lasts for a day, but the plant has a very long flowering period, starting in early spring and going strong through the fall.  It is named because the plant is primarily found in areas of the state underlain by limestone. Next, I follow the trail between giant walls made of sandstone. This sandstone was formed over millions of years as sandbars and dunes in a prehistoric river delta of sediments were compacted and cemented together. After that, earthquakes uplifted, cracked, and crumpled the earth in this area to form hills, bluffs and the giant cracks or fissures in the rock. Subsequently, erosion by wind and water etched the bluffs by removing softer minerals, forming pocket-like depressions, called honeycombs. Adding to the slow weathering of the bluff walls are the mosses and lichens that cover rock surfaces, including this Orange Wall Lichen. Around the bend, I spot a small Black Bee fly. Bee flies are a family of true flies and are not bees at all. Lacking the ability to sting or to bite, their bee mimicry helps them avoid many would-be predators. Near the path, I observe a patch of May Apple plants with one displaying a one-inch, green “apple”. All other parts of the plant (e.g., rhizomes, leaves, stems, and unripe fruit) are considered toxic to humans. After ripening the edible fruit is soft, yellowish and tastes like a mix of pineapple and Starburst candy. Wildlife that have been observed eating the fruit, include raccoons, deer, and squirrels. Continuing down the trail, birdsongs come from all directions. One originates from a Red-eyed Vireo (stock photo) another from a Carolina Wren (stock photo). Nearing the car, I look down in a stony creek bed to see a Question Mark Butterfly with partially open wings. These butterflies are quite unusual because the undersides of these wings are camouflaged and resemble dead leaves (stock photo) allowing them to hide from predators. 

Dome of autumn

Yellow and red

Oaks and maples

Begin to shed

Bare branches

Backdrop of blue

Winter clouds

Showing through

Canopy closes

Springtime scene

Forest ceiling
Fills with green

 

D. DeGraaf

May 20

For my 3^rd encounter with Honeyoye Creek, I’m about ¼ mile east of Madison Lake, standing on Rich Rd. as its water flows slowly eastward through a culvert into a large, open marsh.. With the early morning temperatures in the mid 50’s, under partly sunny skies, I explore the ground nearby where I notice a plant leaf displaying a small mass of frothy bubbles that looks like spit. This white foam blob is produced by the nymph of a spittlebug, a small insect related to an aphid (stock photo). Fluids secreted by its epidermal glands is forced out of the abdomen under pressure and as it is mixed with air, forms bubbles. The foam serves a number of purposes, protecting the nymph from predators as well as providing insulation from temperature extremes and a low humidity. A few feet away, the tiny yellow blossoms of Wintercress catch my eye. The young leaves of this plant are indeed edible in the early spring but they later become quite bitter (lending to another of its common names – bittercress). Following a trail northeast along the expansive marsh, I listen to birdsongs and watch a Cottontail rabbit hop along far ahead of me. Further ahead, I observe lovely female flower of a Shagbark Hickory tree. Male flowers cluster as catkins at the tips of twigs (stock photo). Both male and female flowers form on the same tree, meaning it is capable of self-pollination. Nearby, I spot a Wild Grape vine with clusters of tiny, green buds ready to flower. All wild species of grapes are dioecious, which means that male and female flowers (stock photo) are located on separate vines. Male vines will not produce grapes. At the far end of the marsh, I resume tracking Honeyoye Creek as it flows eastward through a dense, scenic woodland. Along the watercourse, I come upon a 3-inch freshwater Mussel shell and a few Pheasant Back mushrooms. These mushrooms can be eaten fresh or dried. They can be added to stir-fries, soups and stews, dried in an oven, ground or powdered to flavor other dishes or made into Pheasant Back mushroom jerky. They taste best when sauteed or roasted. After following the six ft.-wide, meandering creek about a ¼ mile, I pause to see its water rush downslope and continue eastward. Turning around, I follow a different path toward the car where I first spot new fronds of both Sensitive and Lady ferns followed by white blossoms from a Hawthorn tree and pink blossoms from a Honeysuckle bush.. Near the car, I’m pleased to conclude my hike listening to the melodious song of a male Baltimore Oriole.

 

From white of winter

To the season of birth

Nature’s artistry

Decorates the earth

Mosses and sedges

Shades of every green

Color the muddy floor

Waken the forest scene

Petals of yellow

Among decaying leaves

Blossoms of pink

Beneath Maple trees

 

D. DeGraaf 

May 13

With early morning temperatures in the low 50’s, under mostly cloudy skies, I leave my car on the edge of Madison Rd., hike about ¼ mile north past cropland and across a wet flood plain before reaching the bank of Honeyoye Creek where I’m greeted by sounds of its flowing water as well as a Northern Cardinal. On the far bank, I spot two, eight-inch wide Pheasant Back mushrooms displaying their distinct feathery pattern. Another way to identify this fungus is by its un-mushroom like odor, smelling more like a watermelon rind or a freshly sliced cucumber. Following the creek downstream, I listen to the mimicking songs of a Gray Catbird. Beside its cat-like meow sound, this bird has a large repertoire of songs that can last up to 10 minutes. Up ahead, I spot a patch of Cursed Crowfoot with its small yellow blossoms. This species is more toxic than most buttercups. During earlier times, beggars reportedly smeared the juices of the foliage on their faces and arms to create blisters that would solicit sympathy and money from passers-by. In the lush grass on the ground, I notice a vegetative form of Horsetail as well as a Jack-in-the-Pulpit. The hooded inflorescence of this plant resembles a pulpit (a spathe) while a “Jack” (a spadix) standing in the center as if delivering a sermon (stock photo). Continuing east toward Madison Lake, I come upon a patch of Marsh Marigold. While parts of the plant are used medicinally, handling the plant can cause skin irritation and uncooked parts are toxic to human consumption due to irritant yellow oil called protoanemonin. Finally, I pause to watch the creek water empty into 12-acre, Madison Lake. While most lakes in Gratiot County are either excavated, gravel pits filled with ground water or impoundments behind a dammed river, Madison Lake is one of only a couple formed by glaciers that covered this land during the most recent ice age, about 18,000 years ago. Huge masses of ice carved out depressions and scrubbed the land as they moved slowly along. When the glaciers melted, water filled them, forming lakes like this. Nearby, I notice a few snags which are standing dead or dying trees, also known as wildlife trees. These can be caused by disease, lightning, fire, animal damage, too much shade, drought, root competition and old age. Snags provide important habitats for wildlife, including shelter, nests, and perches. Turning around and heading back toward the car, my ears perk up to a trio of birdsongs, including a Redwing Blackbird, a crow and a new spring arrival, a Common Yellowthroat (stock photo).

Signs of the season

Timid and bold

Out of the mud

Marsh Marigold

Peepers on pond

Killdeers on high

Lighting on litter

Cabbage Butterfly

Creepers climb

Bluebells ring

Nature’s glory

Expressing spring

 

D. DeGraaf

May 6

The early morning sky is sunny with temperatures in the low 50’s as I stand on the edge of Gratiot County’s Jefferson Rd. and watch the water of Honeyoye Creek begin its eight mile journey south and east. For the next several weeks, I plan to follow this tributary as it passes through Madison Lake and makes its way to the Pine River, just west of Alma. Gazing south, I notice its narrow channel is shielded from surrounding cropland by a mere 10 ft. buffer strip, Buffer strips are areas of permanent vegetation between agricultural fields and water courses that help slow runoff and improve water quality. They can also: provide habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects, reduce riverbank erosion, help hold soil in place, and reduce the amount of harmful phosphorus that reaches lakes. Down in the water, I spot a patch of blossoming Wild Mustard. Later on, the seeds of this plant can ground up and mixed with vinegar to make a white table mustard. Commercial varieties of this plant are grown as oilseed crops in North Dakota, Montana, and South Dakota. The yellow color of the table mustard most of us prefer is achieved by adding lots of Turmeric. Proceeding southward, I notice the creek banks are steeper and the buffer strips are plenty wide at around 100 feet. At my feet, I spot a Bumblebee crawling slowly through the grass. One possibility is that this cold-blooded insect is waiting for the sun to warm it up before flying away. Another possibility is it is weak because of a shortage of its main food source, nectar producing blossoms. Continuing south along the creek edge, I pass a section in a more natural surrounding where I observe a perching Song Sparrow and try in vain to video record a few dipping and diving Tree Swallows (stock photo). On the far bank, I barely make out a few yellow blossoms of Buttercup and a few fuzzy seed heads of Pennsylvania Sedge. Further ahead, I come upon a Black Current bush with its yellow trumpet flowers, often pollinated by Honeybees and Bumble bees. Black currant fruit (stock photo) has been used by humans for centuries. Both Native Americans and newly-settled Europeans used the fruit to make jams and jellies. Turning around to make my way back to the car, I pause to notice both a perching male and female Redwing Blackbird. Nest building is happening now as the female gathers plant materials such as cattail stalks and weaves them into a basket-like nest just above the water level (stock photo). Meanwhile, the male will stand guard above the nesting area.

Gone, winter white

From the forest ground

Below a closing canopy

Floor of barren brown

Behold, vernal sun

Warms the litter scene

Mosses and sedges

Introduce the green

Finally, spring colors

Long overdue

Finally, Mother Nature

Sprinkles violets blue

 

D. DeGraaf