January 11

Saturday, Remi and I hiked the familiar trails of Forest Hill Nature Area. The early morning weather was rainy, foggy with a temperature of 37 degrees and no wind. I stood at the crest of the hill and noticed the landscape to the west was not as white since an overnight rain had washed some of the snow away. Proceeding down the hill past Mallard Marsh, I spotted deer tracks of a large buck with its splayed hooves and dewclaws. I trudged through Bobolink Meadow and entered North Woods where I saw some Raccoon tracks in the snow. Suddenly, I heard a loud cat-like scream and looked up to see two Raccoons sitting in the crotch of a large Beech tree. Continuing west through the woods, I came upon a freshly dug hole made by a hungry squirrel. I left the woods and circled around Succession Field where I watched a Black Squirrel scamper up a tree and sit still on a branch. Also, there were several piles of rabbit and deer scat next to the trail. I turned east and followed the trail through a stand of Birch before turning into South Woods. Near the edge of Swanson Swamp, I could see pieces of bark, shed from a dying Ash tree had littered the snow. Further along, I noticed a cluster of five needles on the snow that had fallen from a scraggly White Pine tree, the only conifer in the woods. While listening to a noisy crow, I exited the woods, turned east and then south where I paused at Artist Overlook to look over Sora Swale. Following the south trail, I turned south at Frog Fen toward Brady Cemetery where I paused to watch a Red-tailed Hawk emerge from the top of one of the tall White Pine trees in the cemetery and fly north toward Reflection Hill. I entered the cemetery where I could see one of the pine trees had lost several branches from the recent ice storm. I climbed up the hill and gazed west at our neighbor’s crop field. Leaving the cemetery, I headed north through Native Grassland and paused at Grebe Pond. I continued toward the barn where I spotted some Pheasant tracks on the trail. Also, I observed a couple of Starlings on the power lines to the east. At the barn, I turned west and walked past the Observation Platform to the edge of Grebe Pond where the surface was covered with standing water from the overnight rain. Next, I saw a fat Tree Sparrow perched on a nearby tree. Behind the Classroom Building, the bird feeders were busy with Juncos, House and Gold finches, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, Chickadees and Downy Woodpeckers. Finally, we came to the car and took off for home.

Great bird of prey

Wingspan so wide

You ride the wind

You soar and glide

You perch alone

In a tree so tall

How do you spot?

A mouse so small

You fly away

If I get too near

Red tailed hawk

It’s you I revere

D. DeGraaf

January 5

Sunday, Remi and I stayed close to home and hiked in a wooded area behind our neighbor’s house on Luce Road, northwest of Alma city limits.. The early afternoon weather was snowy with a temperature of 23 degrees and a stiff north wind. I left the car and followed a path west through deep snow. Next to the trail, I noticed a few wild grapes still on the vine that had not been eaten by birds due to an over abundance of food sources this fall. I continued west where I found shelter from the wind in a stand of Red Pine and Aspen. Turning north, I hiked along the edge of a clearing used in the summer as a landing strip for my neighbor’s small airplane. On my right, I saw a Cedar tree whose bottom branches had been pruned by browsing deer. Further along, I was not surprised to see a White Oak tree that still had leaves on it. However, I was surprised to see an Apple tree still had apples on it. I turned around and headed south with the wind at my back where I spotted a few red Rose hips still on the vine and the dead seed head of Common Mullein. I continued south and came to a stand of tall Norway spruce where I found shelter on a path that cut through the trees. The trail was narrow as I pushed aside branches drooping from the heavy snow. I turned around and retraced my steps back to a clearing where I heard a few crows and noticed a solitary White Pine tree. Further along, my hike was interrupted by a large Aspen tree that had fallen over the trail. Heading east back to the car, I was intrigued by the snow covering the bracket fungi on a tree trunk. Finally, we made it back to the car for a short ride home.

In the dawn of winter

Snow lays down to rest

Covers the icy pond

Defines the vacant nest

Cleans the forest floor

Coats needles of pine

Hides the bleak field

Hugs twigs and vine

Millions of fragile flakes

Frozen crystals of worth

Whiten the landscape

Blanket mother earth

D. DeGraaf

December 28

Saturday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. The early morning weather was sunny with spotty ice fog, a temperature of 23 degrees and no wind. With a foot of snow on the ground, I put on my snowshoes and proceeded west down the hill to a lifeless Mallard Marsh. I continued slowly through Bobolink Meadow with the dog following behind hopping along in the footprints made by the snowshoes. Near the entrance to North Woods, I noticed an interesting pattern in the snow made by pieces of ice that had fallen from the trees. Entering the woods, I followed the trail where I saw a freshly dug hole in the snow made by a hungry squirrel looking for a cache of nuts. An occasional dead Oak and Beech leaf on the snow reminded me of the previous season when the trees were full of colorful leaves. Exiting the woods, I followed some fresh deer tracks on the trail around Succession Field. Next, I paused to watch a Downy Woodpecker feeding in a leafless Oak tree. Entering South Woods, I watched the sun peak through the trees as I proceeded along the edge of Swanson Swamp. I exited the woods and followed the trail past Artist Overlook around Sora Swale. On the trail east toward Frog Fen, I spotted some mouse tracks as well as feather patterns made by a pheasant. I turned south and came to Brady Cemetery where I saw a few Turkey tracks on the road. Turning north, I continued through Native Grassland to Grebe Pond where I could see only one muskrat lodge compared to maybe a half dozen that were there last winter. I continued toward the barn and was reminded that this was my last Saturday saunter of the year. Arriving at the car, I was grateful to have completed another year of hiking adventures.

Winter day unfolds

Sun at my back

Mother nature beckons

I’ll follow her track

Before I commence

I pause at the crest

A white landscape

Is seen to the west

I descend the hill

Past a marsh below

I continue my hike

On a blanket of snow

D. DeGraaf

December 21

Saturday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. Today, being the winter solstice, I paused to face the sun as it was shrouded by clouds and recognize that it had reached the end of its descent into the southern hemisphere. The mid-day weather was foggy, misty with a temperature of 28 degrees and a light wind out of the northeast. Standing at the crest of the hill facing west, I was surrounded by a landscape of ice-coated vegetation from the freezing mist. I proceeded down the hill to Mallard Marsh noisily breaking through a thick crust of ice on top of about five inches of snow. Continuing through Bobolink Meadow, I spotted the first of many dark specks on the trail that turned out to be alive. This one was a Soldier Beetle larva that was slowly crawling over the snow. Also, I noticed a patch of fresh blood and entrails where a rabbit had been eaten by a predator. Near the entrance to North Woods, I leaned over to see a Winter Crane Fly resting on the snow. I turned south and headed toward Willow Wallow where I saw another speck on the snow that turned out to be Snow Scorpion Fly or Snow Flea. Turning west at the pond, I entered Succession Field where I spotted a newly dug entrance to a snow tunnel made by a rabbit. Also, I found a tiny Pirate Spider on the ground. Looking south across the field, I marveled at the silhouettes of ice-covered Birch trees on the edge of South Woods. I circled around the field where ice formed jewel-like clusters on Dogwood branches. Also, I saw a Heleomyzid Fly on the snow. Next, I came to Artist Overlook where I paused to observe Sora Swale. Continuing along south trail, I was again surprised to see an ant and some kind of caterpillar crawling on the snow. I turned north at Frog Fen and climbed to the top of Reflection Hill where I gazed down on Grebe Pond. I descended the hill and arrived at the Classroom Building to check out the bird feeders. Among the usual visitors was a colorful Purple Finch. Up in a tree next to the feeders sat a Mourning Dove waiting for me to go away so it could fly down to eat. Finally, I walked gingerly on the icy parking lot to the car and headed home.

Late in December

I now remember

Sun shines low

Bouncing off snow

Shadows are long

Wind blows strong

Trees undressed

Nature at rest

No time to fritter

Solstice of winter

D. DeGraaf

December 15

Saturday was a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. The early morning weather was cloudy with a temperature of 18 degrees and a stiff northeasterly wind blowing moderate snow flurries. I stood at the crest of the hill and gazed at a wintery landscape as the blustery wind whipped the snow. Descending the hill to Mallard Marsh, I scared up four deer from the swale north of the trail. I continued though Bobolink Meadow past the entrance to North Woods and turned south toward Willow Wallow. I came to the pond where I noticed a tunnel entrance into the cattails made by a Cottontail Rabbit. I turned west and proceeded around a barren, wind-swept Succession Field. Hiking along the far west path, I turned east past the entrance to South Woods and paused at Artist Overlook to view Sora Swale. I continued on the trail, turned east and headed toward Frog Fen. Next, I turned north and climbed up Reflection Hill where I felt the full affect of the wind and snow. I looked down on a desolate Grebe Pond and descended the hill toward the Classroom where I spotted a dozen Mourning Doves fluttering in the trees next to the pond. Arriving at the Classroom, the bird feeders were very busy with a variety of visitors. On one house feeder was a mixture of Goldfinches and Snow Buntings. On another were a Goldfinch and Cardinal. On one tube feeder were two Goldfinches. On another was a Chickadee. On the ground under a feeder were a mixture of Sparrows, Buntings and Juncos. Finally, we made to the car to find shelter and head for home.

The outer edge of autumn

Reveals a layer of snow

Creatures hunker down

Meadow ceases to grow

Farewell sun of summer

Cold winds from the north

Sweep the ice-covered pond

Reeds sway back and forth

Gone are the flowers of May

Gone are the birds of June

Nature takes a break

Winter has come too soon

D. DeGraaf

December 7

Saturday would have been a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. However, today we hiked part of the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail starting from Riverdale. The early morning weather was partly sunny with a temperature of 16 degrees and a steady breeze from the west. We left the car and headed west against a frigid headwind where light snow flurries dusted the paved path. I followed the trail through a grove of young Aspens where I noticed a buck rub on one of the trees. Temporarily turning around, I watched the rising sun peak through the clouds. Continuing due west, I spotted a fresh carcass of a buck just off the trail that was partially eaten by scavengers. Based on its proximity to a nearby road, I surmised it was a road-kill. Further along, on one side of the path, I saw a mud-lined robin’s nest in a leafless Autumn Olive shrub and on the other side I saw a Staghorn Sumac with a solitary fruit cluster that forms reddish drupes called bobs. I walked another hundred yards and came to a small, partially frozen creek that ran under the trail. Continuing west through a grove of scraggly Box Elder trees, I noticed a few decayed Walnut husks on the trail and looked around to find the source tree. Walking along, I gazed to the north at a lone Red Pine and then stopped to observe a young sprout of Autumn Olive-one of the few deciduous plants that still had green leaves. After about a mile, I turned around and was relieved to have the wind at my back. Heading east, I noticed several young Eastern Red Cedar trees showed no evidence of deer browsing that I’ve seen elsewhere. Apparently, there were enough other food sources in the area to keep deer from trimming off the lower branches. Approaching the car, I was surprised to see a few Yucca plants along the trail. Finally, we got back to the car, turned on the heater and headed home.

It whispers to me in the wind

Beckons with calls of the wild

It displays a profound beauty

Makes me curious as a child

It surrounds me with life

With death and life anew

It shows a certain balance

Harmony thru and thru

It teaches me lasting truths

Joins me to the cosmic whole

Food for my body and mind

Nourishment for my soul

D. DeGraaf

December 1

Saturday would have been a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. However, we waited until Sunday when deer-hunting season was over to return to the Nature Area. The midday weather was cloudy with a temperature of 36 degrees and a steady breeze out of the north. Before descending the hill, I gazed west at a typical brown, beige and black landscape of late autumn. I proceeded down to Mallard Marsh where I spooked up a nice buck as it took off and headed west across Bobolink Meadow. Continuing through the meadow, I came to the entrance of North Woods where it was easy to spot a squirrel’s nest high in a leafless tree. I entered the woods and turned west where I saw a couple of more Ash trees ravaged by the effects of the Emerald Ash borer. Next, I paused at the boardwalk where I was surprised to see no new fallen trees from the windstorm of a few weeks ago. Exiting the woods, I circled Succession Field where then green and red colors of a wild rosebush got me in the Christmas spirit. Also, I noticed some dead oak leaves left on a tree and a few patches of snow on the trail after most of it melted earlier in the week. I entered South Woods and walked along the edge of snow-covered Swanson Swamp where I was amazed to watch a small, beige moth fluttering over the leaf litter. Also, I paused in the quiet woods to hear the faint drumming of a woodpecker only to look up and see a Downy Woodpecker pecking away on a tree trunk. Near the exit to the woods, I spotted a few decomposing mushrooms on the ground. I turned east and then south where I stopped at Artist Overlook to look down on ice-covered Sora Swale. Continuing on the south trail, I watched a half dozen Juncos flying from tree to tree. I arrived at Frog Fen and turned south toward Brady Cemetery. When I got to the cemetery I noticed a large tree had blown down during the recent windstorm. I turned north into Native Grassland and paused at a lifeless Grebe Pond. I continued north toward the barn looking in vain for any signs of bird life. Finally, we came to the car to warm up and head for home.

Wildlife throughout the year

For example, consider the deer

I see this creature around a lot

Sometimes alone, sometimes not

It leaps high across the field

It will not stop. Will not yield

It races fast from tree to tree

Seldom it stops to look at me

A doe in winter is often in view

Feeding on cedar and acorns too

Its tracks are seen in fallen snows

It moves around, comes and goes

A buck in autumn is quite a sight

A fawn in spring is shear delight

I’m glad we have a place here

For the graceful whitetail deer

D. DeGraaf