March 20

Thursday, Remi stayed home while I hiked at Deerfield Nature Park, a 600-acre Isabella County park located 6 miles west of Mt. Pleasant on Remus Rd. The early afternoon weather was partly sunny with a temperature of 36 degrees and a steady north wind that I was sheltered from by the dense tree stands in the park. Since today is the Vernal Equinox, I exited the car and paused to look at the sun to recognize its position in space as it crossed the celestial equator to begin spring in the northern hemisphere. In the peace and quiet of being alone in the park, I headed west along the edge of the Chippewa River on the snow-covered Lewis Pontiac Trail through a mixed forest of hardwoods and Red Pine. The river was open and the current strong as I watched a nesting pair of Canada Geese swim along the edge. Approaching a newly constructed bridge, I noticed a dozen Cedar Waxwings fluttering and feeding on the ground. As I crossed the bridge, I paused in the middle to listen as ice-cold water rushed into the river from a tributary on the north side. On the other side I followed the River Loop trail east through a woods of oak, maple and occasionally, birch. Looking around, I began to notice the snow cover was receding to reveal patches of last autumn’s leaf litter. Soon, I came to a vista overlooking one of the many scenic streambeds in the park. I turned around and began retracing my steps toward the car where I was pleased to see a male and female Goldeneye swimming far out in the river. These ducks are most likely a nesting pair stopping to rest on their spring migration journey to Canada or Alaska. Next, I came to the swinging bridge which I recalled using several years ago and was now closed for the season. Just off the trail I spotted a patch of equisetum or horsetail. Finally, it was not hard finding the car for my trip home.

Spirit of spring

I know you’ll bring

A time of rebirth

For Mother Earth

I hope you revive

What’s already alive

Bring a shower

To grow the flower

Bring life anew

I’m counting on you

D. DeGraaf

March 14

Friday, Remi and I hiked at Forest Hill Nature Area. The early morning weather was mostly sunny with a temperature of 32 degrees and a stiff wind out of the South.  At the crest of the hill, I gazed west at a landscape still in winter’s grasp. I descended the hill past Mallard Marsh where I heard a pheasant and soon noticed its fresh tracks on the hard, crusty snow. Following the trail through Bobolink Meadow, I recalled earlier in the week leading a group of Alma College biology students on a hike to demonstrate some of our wildlife conservation efforts. Entering North Woods, I headed west where I spotted lots of Raccoon tracks. At the boardwalk I could see that snow was beginning to melt and expose the ice on the large vernal pond. Exiting the woods, I turned west and circled Succession field before entering South Woods where I noticed some fresh Pileated Woodpecker holes in a dying Ash tree. I exited the woods and turned east where I spotted some fresh wild turkey tracks. Making my way to Artist Overlook, I stopped to view Sora Swale and heard my first male Redwing Blackbird of the season calling from Willow Wallow. Following the south trail, I turned south toward Brady Cemetery and scared up a herd of 16 deer next to Frog Fen. Most of them hightailed it toward the cemetery while one ran east where it stopped and stared at me. Arriving at the road by the entrance to the cemetery, I noticed a variety of tracks including my first Red Squirrel tracks. I turned north, continued through Native Grassland and paused at an ice-covered Grebe Pond. Following the edge of the pond, I finally got my first glimpse of a male Redwing Blackbird perching in a nearby tree. Despite the prolonged winter, my records show that male redwings first appeared about this same time last year. I passed the barn and came to the Classroom building to check out the bird feeders when I saw a rotund Woodchuck heading toward me. After it saw us and left the scene, my attention turned back to the feeders that were occupied by some Gold Finches and a Downy Woodpecker. Finally, we got to the car for our trip home.

When will nature wake from its long sleep?

When will green replace snow so deep?

Looking for a muskrat to break the ice?

Listening for a goose to call once or twice?

Soon the sun will thaw frozen ground?

Soon swooping swallows will be found?

Finally redwings returned to the marsh?

Finally the wind has stopped being harsh

Waiting and waiting for spring to show

Loosen your grip winter! Time to let go!

D. DeGraaf

March 5

Wednesday, Remi and I hiked through Reed Park, a 100-acre, Gratiot County park located 12 miles southeast of Alma near the village of North Star. The early morning weather was partly sunny with a temperature of 10 degrees and a mild north wind. We left the car and headed south across a footbridge over a frozen pond where I followed a path through a semi-wooded setting that was used by disc golfers in the summer. Along the way, I looked up to see a couple of Blue Jays flying and looked down to notice a patch of snow stained red by berries that had fallen from a nearby shrub. As I circled back, the trail led me through a dense grove of diseased Ash and scraggly Box Elder. Before retracing my steps back across the footbridge, I couldn’t help but notice a huge spinning wind turbine, a now familiar sight on the county landscape. After crossing the footbridge, I headed north and found the entrance to the Beech-Maple trail. As I followed the circular trail, I paused to look at some man-made carvings in one of the Beech trunks and wondered what was Dale’s story. Was he alive or dead? Was he young or old? Was he a local or out-of-townie? Resuming my walk, I wasn’t surprised to see lots of young Beech trees that still held their leaves. Heading back to the car, I walked under a Red Oak that was still shedding its leaves. Finally, we arrived back at the car for our trip home.

A hike in the dawn of March

Old man winter won’t let go

Mother Nature still fast asleep

Trail covered deep in snow

Walking through a silent forest

Naked maples in a sea of white

Few squirrel tracks to my left

Some deer tracks to my right

Turning into a stiff north wind

Hands are cold. Cheeks numb

Not yet sounds of singing birds

Not yet clues of spring to come

D. DeGraaf

February 28

Friday, Remi and I hiked the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail starting from Luce Rd. in Alma. The mid morning weather was sunny with a slight breeze out of the southeast and a temperature of zero degrees after reaching -17 degrees earlier this morning. I left the warmth of the car and headed west where I noticed some fresh rabbit tracks on the trail. My pace was slow as I broke through crusted snow while Remi was able to walk on top. Up ahead on my left, I spotted a half dozen Cedar Waxwings fluttering from tree to tree while occasionally pausing to warm themselves by the morning sun. On my right, the red color of a male Cardinal was easy to see against the snowy white background. Further along, I noticed a Fox Squirrel racing through the snow and scampering up a tall tree only to disappear among the higher branches. I continued through a corridor of leafless trees where I could hear in the distance the song of a Nuthatch on my left and a drumming woodpecker on my right. Approaching the 1-mile, Winans crossroad, I stepped over a heavily used deer trail. I turned around near a clearing and headed east where I heard a few noisy Blue Jays. Continuing east, I noticed a stand of Aspen trees while feeling the chill of wind in my face. Occasional depressions in the snow contained reminders of autumn such as these recently fallen Beech leaves. The morning sun felt good as it created long shadows of tree trunks across the path. Strong winds lately had formed lovely drifts along the bank. Finally, we made it back to the car for rest, warmth and trip home.

In the season of snow

When leaves disappear

You dart over branches

You display no fear

You scamper so fast

From tree to tree

You chatter above

You fascinate me

Creature of nature

In light of winter days

Squirrel of the woods

I admire your ways

D. DeGraaf

February 20

Thursday, Remi and I hiked at Forest Hill Nature Area where I wore snowshoes again to navigate through the deep snow. The early morning weather was overcast with a temperature of 30 degrees and a slight breeze out of the north. At the crest of the hill, I gazed west at a landscape that remained buried in deep snow after another record-setting week. Passing Mallard Marsh, I trudged through Bobolink Meadow where I spotted the shell of a Milkweed pod still attached to the stalk and dreamed of spring. I turned into North Woods and headed west where the snow was deep enough to nearly cover an 18-inch marker post next to the trail. Near the boardwalk, I noticed where some hungry critter had dug up the honeycomb of a Bald-faced hornet’s nest that had fallen from a nearby tree earlier in the season. I exited the woods and began to circle Succession Field where I began to see evidence that the prolonged winter and deep snow was forcing deer to feed on less desirable food such as Willow and Dogwood bark. Continuing on the far west trail, I broke the strap on one of my snowshoes rendering it useless thus forcing me to carry my poles in one hand, my snowshoes in another while shuffling through deep snow. At the entrance to South woods, I abandoned my snowshoes and followed the trail south to the edge of desolate Swanson Swamp where I noticed some rarely-seen green excrement of the Cottontail Rabbit, since they quickly eat it . I turned around and retraced my steps when I spotted a Raccoon curled up and sleeping in the crotch of the large Oak tree near the entrance. Exiting the woods, I grabbed my snowshoes and poles and headed east past the picnic tables that were barely visible under the deep snow. At Artist Overlook, I looked down on snow-covered Sora Swale and continued south where I noticed purple spots on the snow where deer had been feeding on wild grapes that had fallen earlier from a vine in a tree above. Following the south trail, I arrived at Frog Fen, turned north and began to climb Reflection Hill when three deer ran up the hill in front of me, stopped and stared before heading west. At the top of the hill, I looked down at Grebe Pond and proceeded down the hill to the north where the snow had been flattened yesterday by school children sledding. Heading toward the classroom, I once again could see where bark had been stripped off willow trees by hungry deer. Finally, we arrived at the classroom where I filled the bird feeders before hopping in the car for our trip home.

Daybreak in February

Ends the longer night

Nature opens her eyes

In dawn’s early light

Gone, birds of summer

Butterflies, out of sight

North wind prevails

Gone, bees in flight

A frigid morning hike

For me is shear delight

D. DeGraaf

February 10

Monday, Remi and I hiked the Sumner Parcel trail that was recently established on 20 acres of land on the north side of Hubscher Park, a Gratiot County park located 6 miles southwest of Alma. The noontime weather was partly sunny with a temperature of 10 degrees and a slight southwesterly breeze. I headed northeast on the 1 mile loop that was covered with fresh snow and showed no tracks of recent hikers. Turning due north, I paused to hear a distant crow. The trail turned east and meandered along the edge of a woods where I spotted a small Red Cedar tree whose lower branches had been eaten by deer. This was a surprise since they usually avoid eating the prickly needles unless there is no other food available. I turned north and followed the path along a forest edge where several White Oak trees still retained their brown leaves. On my right was a single Jack Pine tree whose lower branches had been eaten by deer. As with the Red Cedar, this is not their preferred food and indicated they were very hungry and unable to find other sources. A bright noonday sun and a snow white clearing provided a perfect setting for several tree shadows. The trail turned south where a large White Pine came into view while I followed some fresh deer tracks. Looking up, I saw some tall, leafless Cottonwood trees against a background of rare blue sky. Passing a Wood Duck box, I came to a service road that wound along the edge of an ice-covered gravel pit that is used by the park in the summer for fishing and swimming Finally, I followed the road west back to the car for our trip home.

Tracks in snow

Let me know

You walked last night

Across fields of white

Your hooves reveal

You found a meal

Nocturnal creature

Favorite of nature

Deer of the forest

It’s time to rest

D. DeGraaf

February 6

Thursday, Remi and I hiked at Forest Hill Nature Area where the sky was mostly cloudy and the snow was deep. After putting on my snowshoes, I started on the north trail where I spotted a Cooper’s hawk flying north from Mallard Marsh. According to my new, hand-held weather monitor, the early morning temperature was 10 degrees and the wind varied between 3-6 mph out of the southwest. Today, given the harshness of the winter, I decided to envision what things were like last summer. Pausing at the crest of the hill, I glanced west at the white landscape while recalling how different it looked then. At Mallard Marsh, I noticed the ice-covered surface and again imagined what it looked like last summer. I trudged through a silent Bobolink Meadow where some of the snow drifts were two feet high. Entering North Woods, I crossed a fresh deer trail and arrived at the boardwalk where I thought about the vernal pond that was there last summer. Exiting the woods, I turned west and followed the trail around Succession Field while remembering this same trail last September. Turning east, I hiked through the stand of white birch and also imagined what this path was like back then. Turning into South Woods, I came to the edge of Swanson Swamp and recalled standing at this same spot last summer. Also, I spotted a fresh hole in an Ash tree made by a Pileated Woodpecker. I exited the woods, passed Artist Overlook and followed the south trail around to the east side of Sora Swale where I remembered this vista from last summer. Further along, I came across a patch of grass that had been cleared of snow by a deer pawing for anything green. Turning at Frog Fen, I came to the entrance to Brady Cemetery and recalled this very sight last summer. I turned north into Native Grassland where I saw a deer running east to west toward Frog Fen. Then, I came to frozen Grebe Pond where I thought about what this scene was like back in July. I continued north toward the barn where I remembered this view in the warmth and lushness of summer. Finally, I came to the car to warm up and head home thinking of spring.

Drifting snow grips the meadow

Old man winter has come to stay

Silence sweeps the forest edge

All the robins have gone away

North wind brings arctic air

Ice conceals a verdant pond

Muskrats hide in their mounds

A crow calls from far beyond

In the middle of a cedar swamp

Sheltered from the bitter chill

Steam rising from its nostrils

A Whitetail deer stands still

D. DeGraaf