September 23

The early morning temperatures are in the mid 50’s while the sun shines bright in a cloudless sky as I hike on private land, a few miles north of Sumner, MI. Overhead, I see some Red Maple leaves are changing colors with the season, while at my feet, I notice a resting, 1-inch Meadow Grasshopper. Entering an open field ahead, in the distance, I spot an Eastern Phoebe perching on a plant stalk. Continuing to explore the area, I first come upon yellow blossoms of Gray Goldenrod and then a circular web where a small spider, called a Spotted Orbweaver hangs upside down in the center, waiting for prey. The web is made of non-sticky silk lines that nearly intersect in the middle and sticky concentric silk lines that extend to the center. This spider species eats flying insects that get caught in its web, such as beetles, moths, butterflies, grasshoppers, and damselflies. When an insect is trapped, the spider rushes to bite and paralyze it, then wraps it in silk. Nearby, I come upon a never-before-seen plant, called Carolina Horsenettle with sharp prickles on its stem and a few nearly-ripe olive-size berries. This invasive, noxious weed spread northward to Michigan from southeastern US. All parts of the plant are poisonous to humans and livestock, if consumed. Also, the sharp prickly stems can cause mechanical mouth and esophageal injury to foraging livestock. Entering a nearly-dry wetland, I first notice blue blossoms of Swamp Aster and then watch a Turkey Vulture descend and perch high in a leafless tree. From a distance, I determine it’s a female, since she does not have a red head. As a defense mechanism, these birds may vomit on another bird, animal, or human that gets too close. Considering what they eat, this can be a powerful weapon. When it’s hot outside, they will defecate on their feet to cool off. Their stomach acid is extremely acidic, so they can digest just about anything. This also allows them to eat carcasses tainted with anthrax, tuberculosis and rabies without getting sick. By taking care of the carrion, vultures provide an essential service for the health of our ecosystems. Without them, carcasses would accumulate and diseases would spread from rotting flesh. Heading back toward the car, I pass a small pond, a fawn carcass and then pause to observe some fall-blooming white flowers of Old Field Aster, also referred to as Hairy Aster or Frost Aster.

From trail afoot

To sky afar

Our daily light

Our neighbor star

Season to season

Summer’s curtain call

Magnifico Sol

Welcome to fall

Earthly orbit

Never to end

Another year

Back again

 

D. DeGraaf