December 2

From the new Madison Rd. trailhead, I begin my early morning hike on the Campground Trail at Lumberjack Park. A chilly north wind, overcast skies and a temperature of 34 degrees surround me as I make my way north along the bank of the Pine River where the wooded landscape is blanketed with a thick layer of leaf litter. Immediately, my attention is drawn to evidence of recent Beaver activity including gnawed stumps and downed trees. The only part of the tree they eat for nutrition is the inner layer of the bark, called the cambium layer. Beavers are the lumberjacks of the rodent world. They use their tree-chopping skills (stock photo)to gather wood for constructing lodges and dams, and in the process, eat or gather some for food or storage (stock photo). They prefer softwoods including aspen, cottonwood, willow and dogwood, but will also gnaw on hardwoods to sharpen their continuously growing teeth. A beaver is specially equipped to rapidly chop down trees and branches. His dark orange incisors (stock photo) are softer and wear down more quickly on the back than the front, resulting in beveled teeth that are ideal for slicing through wood and stripping away bark. Continuing on the Campground Trail, I notice a scattering of Christmas Ferns poking through the leaf litter as well as a recently toppled tree due to Pileated Woodpecker activity. Next, I pause at the edge of the swollen river to take in the riparian sights and sounds. Continuing west, I reach Lumberjack Rd., cross the bridge and turn east onto the Riverview Trail where I stop to notice leaves of a Beech tree swaying with the wind. Continuing along the high riverbank, I pause again to observe the water flowing west to east. Just ahead, I’m surprised to see more beaver activity. Turning northeast through a corridor of tall pines I spot a buck rub and a decayed log covered with fresh Oyster fungi. Moving along, I join up with the Mud Creek Trail, veer to the southeast and come to the bridge over Mud Creek. Crossing the bridge, I make my way along the creek, cross the boardwalk and finally circle the Sugar Maple Trail back to the car just in time to see a few patches of blue sky through the open canopy.

Season to hunt

Season to kill

Seeking quarry

Seeking a thrill

Lethal weapon

Bullets release

Finding their mark

Ending the peace

Preserving life

Is not the plan

Trophy buck

Pleasure of man

D. DeGraaf

November 25

The mid morning sky is mostly cloudy and cold with a temperature in the mid 30’s as I make my way around the 5-acre Hiawatha Hills Preserve, west of Mt. Pleasant. Hiking into a leafless wooded landscape, nestled in a residential area on the south bank of the Chippewa River, I’m surrounded by mature maples, oaks and beech mixed in with some patches of snow and ice. A closer view of some of the snow reveals tracks of squirrel and deer. Approaching the river, I spot a Muscle-wood tree still holding its dead leaves along with a cedar snag with an interesting vertical pattern of holes made by Pileated Woodpeckers. At the river’s edge, I pause to watch the water gently flowing through a scenic autumn corridor. Moving along the bank, some bright red fruit catches my eye including a cluster of Jack-in-the-Pulpit berries and a few Barberry berries. Just ahead on the muddy ground, I find some deer scat as well as some Sycamore and Basswood leaves. Nearby, I see a few examples of vegetation still showing chlorophyll including: Woodland Sedges, Periwinkle as well a scattering of Mulberry leaves. Unlike most deciduous tree leaves, these leaves, while still green, often drop in unison, triggered by the first hard frost. Fortunately, recent snowmelt is providing me with some intriguing observations of tiny life forms. First, I spot an array of decomposers living in the crevasses of a decaying log including: moss, lichens and rarely seen but colorful fungi called Purple Jelly Drops. Next, I come across some BB-size decomposers living on a decaying log- the fruiting bodies of Wolf’s Milk slime mold (Toothpaste Slime). Immature forms are pink and excrete a pink toothpaste-like substance when squeezed. When not fruiting, this mold consists of microscopic, amoeba-like organisms engulfing bacteria, spores, protozoa and non-living organic matter. Thirdly, my attention is drawn to some half-inch, delicate Mottlegill Mushrooms. Commonly called the mower's mushroom, this fungus is widely distributed and often found on lawns. Working my way back to the car, I pause to take one last look at the property at the same time being grateful it’s been set-aside as a protected nature area where humans and wildlife can coexist.

Not too far from the hunter’s gun

Run, river run

By light of the moon, light of the sun

Run, river run

Your journey’s not over, only half done

Run, river run

Ice floes have not yet begun

Run, river run

Protecting your water is priority one

Run, Chippewa, run

D. DeGraaf

November 18

Even though there is 5 weeks left before winter begins, already the air is frigid and the ground covered with 5 inches of snow as I begin hiking south into the 200-acre, Alma College Ecological Station, east of Vestaburg. The landscape looks quite different from when I hiked here in the summer of 2015. Turning east, I take in both the scene and solitude of the forest where towering Red Oak trees have surrendered some of their leaves to the path below while others continue to fill the canopy above. Along the way, a rare sighting of Chlorophyll is noted in the leaves of a thorny Greenbrier vine. Further ahead, fresh evidence of a Pileated Woodpecker shredding tree bark in search of insects catches my eye. Turning south, I descend a moderate slope onto a boardwalk, the same one I was on back in 2015. This walkway accesses a unique wetland called a peat bog. The soft, spongy ground under my feet is composed largely of Sphagnum moss. When decayed and compacted this plant is known as peat and is often used for fuel or a soil additive. At the end of the boardwalk, I pause to scan a 20-acre lake from the same vantage point I used back in 2015. This open water feature is also part of the bog ecosystem as it continues to shrink as the moss mat grows out over the edges. Gazing off to the west, I observe a stand of yellow Tamarack trees often seen in peat bogs. Unlike most conifers, the needles of these trees change from green to yellow and soon will fall to earth. On the nearby shore, I see a red colored fruit often associated with bogs, cranberries. This wild fruit has been growing in Great Lakes bogs for thousands of years. During much of that time, Indigenous peoples harvested them for food and medicine. Also, their antioxidant and vitamin C content were helpful in the winter months. Wild cranberries were one of the foods offered to early American colonists by the Wampanoag Tribe, making it part of the Thanksgiving holiday menu as we know it today. Turning around, I begin to retrace my steps while stopping to look and listen to a small creek draining from the bog. Finally, I get back to the car and skid my way back home.

November winds rise

Air temperatures fall

Leafless shrubs short

Naked Aspens tall

Lacey flowers close

Canopy opens wide

Chickadees are seen

Frogs and toads hide

Maple leaves descend

Oak’s cling and hang

Earth ever in balance

Nature’s Yin and Yang

D. DeGraaf

November 11

Under partly cloudy skies and a temperature in the mid 20’s, Larry Keeler, a Lumberjack Park associate, is taking me on a nature hike through part of his 120-acre hunting property, located in eastern Montcalm County. Following a leaf-littered trail through a dense hardwood forest, we pause to notice a recent deer scrape next to a small White Oak tree. After rubbing and licking the overhanging branches, a buck will scrape the ground below and urinate there to mark his scent and claim his territory. Just ahead we watch a sure sign of the season as leaves drop from colorful Beech trees in the understory. Exploring the leaf litter, I find some Club moss, a 1-inch diameter Milk cap Mushroom and a 1-inch diameter brown ball. This sphere, caused by an egg laid by a Cynips wasp, is called an Oak Cherry Gall and contains the grub of the wasp. In late winter the grub will change into a tiny adult wasp (stock photo) and fly off. Continuing our peaceful saunter through his woods, I notice the canopy overhead is wide open in places where maple and aspen have already dropped their leaves compared to the canopy where oaks still hold on to theirs. Veering onto a another trail, we come upon the fresh carcass of a doe. Not seeing any signs of disease or flesh wounds, we cannot determine a cause of death. Just ahead, we pause on the bank of the North Branch of the Pine River as the gentle current transports fallen leaves. Starting about 4 miles northwest of here in Isabella County, this branch of the Pine flows another mile to the southeast where it empties into the main branch, just west of Lumberjack Rd in Gratiot County. After Larry leads me through a Red Pine plantation that he planted many years ago, we stop by one of several flooded vernal ponds where I notice a thin layer of ice covering the surface. Nearby, we pause as snowflakes begin to fall. While circling back toward the truck, I point out to Larry the dainty yellow blossoms emerging from the bare branches of a Witch Hazel tree. After passing his deer blind, we find our way back to his pickup truck and head out.

Predator of night

Dark becomes day

The hunt was hard

Your hunger obey

Picked up a scent

Options to weigh

The kill was quick

Devoured your prey

Found your den

Moon on high

Coyote of the wild

Your time to lie

D. DeGraaf

November 4

Amid mostly cloudy skies and a temperature just above freezing, I’m hiking a wide, groomed trail into Forest Hill Nature Area. Having walked this 90- acre property thousands of times during my 23 years of developing and managing it, I’m glad to see it remains protected land where humans and wildlife interact. Right away, I notice the blossoms of Goldenrod that only a short time ago colored this meadow yellow, have seeded out to a fluffy beige. Not surprisingly, the soft, muddy trail displays several deer tracks as well as a few patches of snow left over from a recent dusting. Turning north, I pass Raspberry leaves that have turned a burgundy red before rounding the corner and pausing to look and listen as a formation of noisy geese fly high overhead. Entering South Woods, I make my way to a favorite spot- the edge of Swanson Swamp where I spent many hours observing wildlife and enjoying the natural quietude. From here, I continue north through the woods where I discover some wrinkled crust orange fungi growing on a decaying birch tree trunk as well as ogee tunnels of ash borer larvae under a decaying ash tree. Leaving the woods, I’m puzzled by a lone Maple tree whose leaves have yet to change color and drop. Making my way west through a corridor of white birch, I then turn north past oaks still holding their leaves before entering North Woods where the once dense canopy is almost leafless. Following the meandering trail eastward past the swollen vernal pond, I notice that many of the small Beech trees retain their leaves, many still green. Out of the woods, I head south to Willow Wallow where a few noisy Mallards take to flight. High and afar, I can barely make out the silhouette of a solitary Starling perched on a leafless branch. Turning east, I circle the top of Reflection Hill and pause to take notice of a tree of ripe crab apples as well as to gaze down on Grebe Pond and the Raske Barn beyond. Continuing east, I come to the edge of the pond where a newly built muskrat lodge catches my eye. Following the trail around the edge of the pond to the north, I spot a few toxic Nightshade berries. Heading south through the native grassland, I am pleased to see a new shelter constructed at the geology station. Ending the hike at my car, I pause to glance south at historic Brady Cemetery and reminisce about the many times I gave tours to school groups.

The stripped and shapely
Maple grieves
The ghosts of her
Departed leaves.

The ground is hard,
As hard as stone.
The year is old,
The birds are flown.

And yet the world,
In its distress,
Displays a certain
Loveliness

John Updike

October 28

The morning temperature is in the mid 40’s, sun is shining and the wind is blustery as I make my way into the Maple River State Game Area, two miles northeast of the village of Maple Rapids. Almost 10,000 acres, this state land surrounds the Maple River as it flows through Gratiot, Clinton and Ionia Counties, including the expansive wetlands wildlife refuge transected by US 127. I’m hiking due south on a 50-ft wide easement covering a pipeline that’s pumping oil from Alma south under the Maple River to Lansing and beyond (red line on map). Out of sight and out of mind to most of the public, the pipeline under my feet brings back memories of the oil spill that occurred in 2010 when a pipeline like this burst and flowed into Talmadge Creek, a tributary of the Kalamazoo River resulting in one of the largest inland oil spills in U.S. history (stock photo), upending the lives of those living near the river and devastating the ecosystem. Glancing skyward, I pause to watch the wind rustle the leaves of thinning birch trees. Along the edge of the easement, I spot the bright red hips of Multiflora Rose and a Mullein rosette. Mullein is known for the softness of its leaves, which are known locally as "bunny ears" or "flannel leaf." The leaves' softness is created by a dense pattern of short hairs that cover both the upper and lower surfaces. Approaching the main channel of the Maple River, I come up short, as the flats are flooded due to above average fall rainfall. This river is a 75 mile-long tributary of the Grand River (stock photo) that originates from the Maple Swamp drain southeast of Owosso. Unlike the Chippewa and Pine Rivers that flow eastward, this river flows west. After passing the village of Ovid it flows northwest past Elsie and then turns southwest into the State Game Area, past Maple Rapids before emptying into the Grand River at the village of Muir, 12 miles north of Portland. Exploring the edge of one section of the flats, I notice the leaf litter consists mostly of Silver maple and hickory while another section, a variety of oaks and yet another section, beech and maple with a few tiny lavender flowers of Heal-All sprinkled in. Turning west, I follow a groomed muddy trail used by lots of deer. Turning around, I retrace my steps back toward the car where I see a couple of dipterans warming themselves on a log, including a Green Bottle fly and a Housefly. Finally, I’m back in the car for my 22-mile trip back to Alma.

Leaves of fall or flowers of spring

Bird’s feather or butterfly’s wing

Skin of a snake or hide of a deer

Snow that’s fresh or sky that’s clear

Grass in a field or soil on the ground

Seeds that fly or fruit that’s round

Lichens on trunks or needles of pine

Dark clouds or bright sunshine

Mother Nature’s shades and hues

Favorite colors, hard to choose

D. DeGraaf

October 21

I’m following the White Pine trail into a remote section of the Gratiot-Saginaw State Game Area, 15 miles southeast of Ithaca. The mid-morning weather is mostly cloudy, misty and breezy as I make my way south through a dense forest of broadleaves with a few conifers mixed in. The leaf litter reveals the presence of maple, oak, aspen and pine. Nearby, I pick a 1-inch Spiny Puffball mushroom, take a bite and enjoy the mild “mushroomy” flavor. Just ahead, I pick a waxy green leaf of Wintergreen, crush it between my fingers and inhale the pleasant aroma. Stepping briefly off the trail, I pause at a vernal pond to admire Mother Nature’s beautiful autumn artwork. Back on the trail. I spot some sulfur shelf fungi as well as a patch of fresh Haircap moss. Entering a clearing as the trail forks, I veer easterly where, on the leaf litter, a mixed patch of Club and Pincushion moss catch my eye. Soon, I come upon a small creek where I take time to look and listen to this scenic fall landscape. Nearby fungi include Birch Polypore and Oyster mushrooms. Continuing southeast, I come to the edge of a 20-acre lake lined with colorful deciduous trees and almost totally covered with green vegetation. Closer examination indicates its Floating Pondweed. While exploring the shoreline, I come upon a cattail flower seeding out and lots of spiny seedpods of Buttonbush. Turning around, I retrace my steps past the creek where I notice maple leaves falling onto the colorful path. Along the trail’s edge, I see leaves of Sassafras and Witch Hazel changing color. Approaching the car, I come upon a partially eaten mushroom. Not knowing what was feeding on it, my guess it either was a deer, squirrel or rabbit. While these creatures know better than to eat toxic mushrooms, not so for Box turtles. They’ve been known to safely eat deadly species of Amanita (stock photo), which has killed people eating the turtles. Finally, I find the car and head for home.

Autumn onward
Forest rids her green
Reds and yellows show
Wafting leaves are seen
Barren is the meadow
Frost ices the ground
Swallows head south
Wooly bears around
Plants cease to grow
Mother Nature’s way
Comes the colder night
Comes the shorter day 

D. DeGraaf