August 29

My early morning hike in Traverse City’s 62-acre, Pelizzari Natural Area starts under partly sunny skies, temperatures in the upper 50’s and a gentle westerly breeze. Following a two-track through a large meadow, I notice the deep red fruit of young female Staghorn Sumac trees. This plant gets its common name from the coarse branches covered with fine hairs that resemble deer antlers in velvet. The bristly red hairs covering the fruit are filled with tart ascorbic acid that are easily rendered into a sumac-ade drink. On either side of the trail, I recognize blossoms of two invasive species: Hoary Alyssum and Spotted Knapweed. Nearby, on the branch of a small Red Oak tree, I observe a woody growth called a Gouty Oak Gall. Mated females of a tiny, non-stinging wasp (stock photo) deposit eggs on young oak twigs that induce the tree to produce this growth that enlarges over time. This growth, called a gall, provides protection, food, and shelter for the developing larvae. When the larvae reach adulthood, they emerge from the gall to start the cycle again. Though not aesthetically pleasing, most galls cause little damage to the tree. Continuing east into a dense deciduous forest. I spot my first White Aster blossoms of the year, an early sign of the season to come. Up ahead, I come upon freshly-chipped wood created by a feeding Pileated Woodpecker and the stripped trunk of a pine tree created by a feeding porcupine. Other sightings include unripe fruit of Maple-Leaf Viburnum and ripe fruit of White Baneberry. Hiking the hilly terrain toward the rising sun, my attention is drawn to the call of a Red-Eyed Vireo. After pausing to scan a large glade, I turn around, re-enter the dense forest and make my way through a mature pine plantation. Further ahead, the trail reveals decaying leaf litter of Oak, Aspen, Beech and Pine. Back through the large meadow, I pause as a breeze sways a small Aspen tree whose leaves are starting to change into their autumn colors. Nearing the car, I can barely see a ½ inch Green Lacewing perched on a stem. A common sight in this habitat, this insect is a beneficial predator, best known for feeding on aphids but will also control mites and other soft-bodied insects such as caterpillars, leafhoppers, mealybugs and whiteflies The larva is brown and white (stock photo) and may grow up to a ½ inch. Called an aphidlion, it is a voracious feeder, attacking aphids with large, curved, hollow mandibles. While rare, lacewing larvae do bite humans resulting in nothing more than a small skin irritation. 

 

Waning days of August

Nature waxing still

Goldenrod jewels

Crown the grassy hill

Gems of purple aster

Sparkling as well

Tapestry of green

Coloring the dell

Draping the pine

Creeper leaves red

Summer falls behind

Autumn dead ahead

 

D. DeGraaf

August 22

Under sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 50’s, I begin my morning hike at the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy’s Millpond Nature Area. Recently established, this 17-acre preserve is located along the Chippewa River in the city of Mt. Pleasant, adjoining Chipp-A-Waters Park. The property was purchased with the assistance of a grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation. In addition to the purchase, the grant will fund five years of site restoration including the removal of invasive species and the reintroduction of native plants. With no trails to follow, I make my way along the riverbank where I spot a female Mallard floating downstream. On the muddy shore, I can barely make out a ½-inch American toadlet. What’s surprising about these toadlets is that they are so tiny compared to adult toads. For example, there is no such thing as mini-bullfrogs. Tadpoles of “true toads” metamorphose at a very small size, often all at once, and then disperse. Where tadpoles are plentiful, dozens or even hundreds of these tiny toadlets are seen hopping around. Nearby, I recognize tracks of raccoon and deer while just of shore, water striders are seen skating next to a partially submerged tree trunk. Turning inland, I come upon some Dryad saddle fungi growing on a decayed log. These fungi grow fresh edible caps first thing in spring and then again now as temperatures cool down. Hiking gingerly through a dense woodland of maple, cottonwood, boxelder and ash (both alive and dead), I spot a 1-inch perching Crane Fly and a scattering of Virginia Knotweed. Up ahead, a pile of deer scat (summer version) is seen. This softer, moist scat means the deer was hydrated compared to dry winter scat (stock photo) when drinking water is scare. Within one of several glades, I notice a few tall stems of Stinging Nettle displaying their hanging bead-like flowers. However, most of the area is blanketed with the shorter False Nettle displaying their dense tube-like flowers. Unlike, Stinging Nettle, False Nettle does not have prickly leaves emitting acid that when touched, causes skin irritation. Nearing the car, I notice some leaves of a cherry tree have tiny spindles growing on their surface. Called spindle galls, they do not seriously harm the tree; instead, they’re homes of tiny garden mites (stock photo). In the spring, these mites emerge from their hiding places under bark and bud scales to begin feeding on the newly opened leaves. Usually, the most serious effect is that infected leaves are tricked into encapsulating the mite, thus forming the very noticeable gall. 

 

Season of summer

Leaves its mark

Cicadas whine

Dawn to dark

Thistle seeds

Fuzzy white

Finches of gold

Sing in flight

Meadow green

Won’t surrender

Mother Nature

In all her splendor

 

D. DeGraaf 

August 15

The midday sky is overcast with temperatures in the upper 70’s and a light westerly breeze, as I begin exploring Chippewa Watershed Conservancy’s 1-acre nature preserve on the shore of tiny Lake Steven in Montcalm County. A strip of open field next to the road display pink blossoms of Joe-Pye-weed and white blossoms of Boneset. Native Americans used Boneset to treat many ailments. Many say the fused, opposite leaves led to the notion that this plant could help heal and strengthen bones. Others say that pioneers called these plants “boneset” because they used them to treat fevers that made one’s bones ache. Nearby, I come across a Yellow-collared Scape moth resting on a leaf. This moth is unusual in that it is one of few that fly during daylight. Because it is vulnerable to visual predators, it must have special protections to survive. The black with a yellow “collar” is suggestive of warning coloration. Some authors suggest the moths are mimicking dangerous wasps or other insects. Still exploring the field, I spot a Pearl Crescent butterfly on a Sow Thistle blossom. On another Sow Thistle blossom, I notice a Hoverfly while on a Chicory blossom, I notice another one. Often mistaken for a bee or wasp, Hoverflies are common predators of aphids and other small, slow-moving insects. The larvae are tiny legless maggots that range in color from creamy-white to green or brown. (stock photo). Moving toward the lake shore, I pass through a small, dense woods with surprisingly a large variety of broadleaf trees including birch, maple, oak, cherry, mulberry, ash, hickory and willow. Even a few evergreens are seen including pine and cedar. Pausing at the shoreline of what really is an outflow channel of the lake, I see the surface water is choked with a thick blanket of Lily pads. Upon closer look, I spot a lovely white water lily blossom. This blossom is either day 2 or 3 of a 3-day life of this flower. On the first day, the petals are not fully open and thus form a cup-like structure (stock photo) filled with a fluid containing sugars. Beetles and bees enter the flower and often fall into the fluid, which washes off pollen onto the stigma and fertilizes the flower. On the second and third days, no fluid is produced, and the flowers open wide. Insects that land on the flower on these days get covered with pollen and transport it to flowers that are just opening and hence receptive to pollination. On the fourth day, the whole structure is pulled underwater, where the seeds mature in a seed pod (stock photo). Finally, I turn around and find my way back toward the car.

Far from motors 

That race on roads

Door opens to 

Noises of nature

Song of a Sora

Chorus of crickets

Fugue of frogs

Cardinal calls

Redwings respond

Chipmunks chime in

Music of the marsh

 

D. DeGraaf

August 8

It’s sunny with a refreshing breeze and temperatures in the mid 60’s as I begin my morning hike in the 15-acre, Stearns Preserve, located in Gratiot County’s village of Riverdale. My first stop is the bank of the Pine River where I spot blossoms of Purple Loosestrife and Joe-Pye-Weed. Glancing downstream, I watch morning sun beams reflect off the flowing water while nearby, a ½-inch Pearl Crescent Butterfly catches my eye. Exploring the floodplain, I notice patches of Carolina Cranesbill displaying many flower buds as well as stunning Cardinal Flower blossoms. Nearby, I pass by blossoms of Fringed Loosestrife and then pause to watch a ½-inch Grove Snail feeding on a Milkweed leaf. Proceeding onto the Meijer bike trail, I come upon a ½-inch Scorpion Fly and a 1-inch Wood Satyr Butterfly with torn wings, likely caused by a bird or bat attack. Moving back to the riverbank, I first spot a pair of perching Ebony Jewel Wing Damselflies and then pause to watch a swarm of tiny Whirligigs swimming offshore. On my way back to the bike trail, I come upon a batch of fresh, edible Oyster Mushrooms. These fungi have a subtle seafood flavor and a faint, earthy taste. Cooked oyster mushrooms bring a soft, meaty texture to soups, stir-frys, and salad recipes. Back on the bike trail, I proceed under some leaning Boxelder trees before noticing an American Elm tree with dying yellow and brown leaves, symptoms of Dutch Elm disease. In the early 1900’s, Dutch scientists discovered the fungal pathogen that eventually killed millions of Elm trees in western Europe. The first North American Dutch elm disease epidemic began when the pathogen was introduced in the 1920’s by furniture makers who used imported European elm logs to make veneer for cabinets and tables. The disease spread up and down the U.S. east coast and west across the continent, reaching the west coast in 1973. Over 40 million American Elm trees have been killed by this disease that currently is still very destructive. The fungus kills an Elm tree by destroying its vascular tissue. The Elm Bark Beetle (stock photo) spreads the disease by carrying spores from one tree to the next. Turning around toward the car, I observe a 2-inch Eastern Comma Butterfly. This species is one of two look-a-like butterflies named after punctuation marks. This one has what looks like a sideways comma on the underside of the hindwings (stock photo). The other, called the Question Mark Butterfly has what looks like a question mark turned on its side on the underside of the hindwings (stock photo)

 

Hiking the bank

You by my side

Shaping the earth

Glide river, glide

Natural beauty 

For me you show

Rapids and ripples

Flow river, flow

Glistening waters

Reflect the sun

Sustainer of life

Run river, run

 

D. DeGraaf

August 1

The early morning sky is sunny with temperatures in the mid 60’s as I enter another privately-owned, conservation easement east of Alma. As a volunteer for the Chippewa Watershed conservancy, I’m hiking a grass trail on this 38-acre parcel to check whether the owner is continuing to manage this land for optimum wildlife habitat. Soon, I gaze skyward as a dozen or so chirping Barn Swallows flying overhead. While faintly hearing a few Sandhill Cranes taking off in the distance, I notice a spike buck Whitetail deer staring at me from the meadow. Up ahead, I watch the short flight of a large grasshopper with flashy wings before it lands. Upon closer inspection, it turns out to be the short-horned variety. Veering off the trail, I spot a Blue-eyed Darner dragonfly perching on the seedhead of grass. Darners mate in flight. The male places a sperm packet on his abdomen and, once joined in flight, a female will pick it off him and use it to fertilize her eggs, which she has attached to vegetation near water. Females then place fertilized eggs in warm, slow moving waters like ponds, swamps, creeks and small streams. Once hatched, the naiads (stock photo) live in the water, feeding on small aquatic insects, tadpoles and even small fish. Approaching a small pond, I get a close look at a Snowy Egret wading in the shallows. In the early 20th century, this bird was hunted extensively for their long breeding plumes that fashionable ladies wore on their hats. This trade ended in 1910 in North America and the population recovered. Because we are in the northern most section of their summer range, Egrets are rarely seen around here. In addition, most of them migrate in the fall to their breeding grounds along the Gulf Coast. Suddenly, the Egret takes off along with a noisy Great Blue Heron and Green Heron. Exploring the pond perimeter, I observe a large patch of Canadian Thistle flowers that have seeded out and a Honeybee feeding on a Purple Loosestrife blossom. Other pink blossoms that catch my eye include Swamp Thistle and Vervain. At my feet, I see a Broadleaf Plantain plant including its leaves and seed stalks. This plant can be eaten entirely, but the young leaves are the tastiest and are used like spinach in salads and sandwiches. Older leaves are edible as well, but they tend to be more bitter and stringy. Plantain leaves work wonders on mosquito bites, bee stings, and minor cuts and scrapes. The simplest way to use them is to crush up a leaf and rub it on the bite or scrape. Turning back toward the car, I look afar to see the head of a Woodchuck sticking out of the tall grass. At my last stop before the car, I scan a small pond as a noisy Killdeer flies by.

 

Middle of summer

August to greet

Rose hips red

Mulberries sweet

Goldenrod yellow

Chicory blue

Purple Coneflowers

Still in view

Monarch larvae

Consume the green

Redwing Blackbirds

Leave the scene

D. DeGraaf

July 25

The early-morning temperature is 73 degrees under sunny skies with a westerly breeze as I enter a privately-owned, 24-acre conservation easement just east of Alma. Years ago, the owner contracted with the state to maintain this land for wildlife habitat. As a volunteer for the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy, I hike the property annually and report on the owner’s level of compliance. Following a perimeter path, I spot 2 types of newly-formed Goldenrod galls, nut and flower. Since much of the land is open grassland mixed with a few shallow, marshy ponds providing good dragonfly habitat, I’m not surprised to see several of them flying and alighting. First, I spot a Widow Skimmer in the underbrush. Up ahead, a Meadowhawk catches my eye. This dragonfly will eat almost any soft-bodied flying insect including mosquitoes, flies, small moths, mayflies, and termites. Nearby, I see a Saddlebags Skimmer whose nymph is green with bits of browning coloring (stock photo). Following the mown trail, I come upon a Banded Pennant. The “pennants” are among the few dragonflies whose wings are marked a bit like butterflies. They perch according to their name – like flags at the tip of twigs or stems. They even sway and pivot in the summer breezes.  Moving off the trail to get a closer look, I notice a patch of Purple Prairie Clover and a patch of Black-eyed Susans. Also, I come upon a Milkweed plant displaying a young 1-inch seedpod. Since it’s edible at this stage, I break it off and enjoy its mild flavor. After trudging through a stand of 6-ft tall Reed Canary Grass, I approach a small Cottonwood tree where a Yellowthroat is singing loud and clear. Further ahead, I observe a Clouded Sulfur Butterfly in the dense grass. Its caterpillar is smooth and green with light stripes on the sides (stock photo). Soon, I spot a Little Wood Satyr Butterfly resting on a decayed log. Its caterpillar is greenish brown, with lighter lengthwise stripes and numerous tubercles (stock photo). Turning back toward the car as the wind picks up, I look down to see some swaying Bottlebrush grass and look up to see swaying Cottonwood leaves. Scanning the meadow, I spot a single blossom of Purple Coneflower and a single blossom of Sow Thistle. A variety of sedges, each with their characteristic seedheads catch my eye, including Fox, Nut and Crested. Back on the long driveway to the car, I pause to listen to a Killdeer flying overhead. These birds can be seen flying or walking, but since they lack a hind toe, they do not have the ability to perch.

 

Time to slow down

Summer speeds along

Smell a milkweed flower

Hear a cicada’s song

Time to leave the trail

Ease the hiking pace

Alighting swallowtail

Lovely Queen Anne’s Lace

Time to be seated

Lo, a mourning dove

Taste a wild berry

Eye the clouds above

 

D. DeGraaf

July 18

Two months ago, I was in the village of Muir to begin my quest to explore the Maple River from mouth to source by watching it flow into the Grand River. Traveling upstream, I saw it flow through Maple Rapids, under US 127 next to the massive marsh of the State Game Area, over the dam in the village of Elsie, under the bridge in the village of Ovid and through the fields of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties. This early morning, I’m just south of the town of Corunna where it’s sunny and breezy with temperatures in the mid 60’s as I watch the murky Maple River carry sediment that washed in from heavy overnight rain. Near the bank, I spot blossoms of Soapwort (Bouncing Bet) as well as Catnip, being fed on by a Bumble Bee. As far back as the 1600’s, Europeans used Catnip as a mild sedative, brewing tea with its leaves, making juice from them and even smoking or chewing them. In the 1960’s, catnip was occasionally used as a substitute for marijuana, with some users claiming it caused hallucinations and euphoria when smoked. However, in most cases this was not true. Also in the 1960’s, scientists discovered that catnip's active chemical acts as a mosquito repellant - more powerful than DEET. After driving to another nearby access point, I find the river to be nothing more than a drainage ditch next to a farm field. Looking around, I am pleased to see my first Monarch Butterfly of the year. Overall, eastern Monarchs have declined by around 85% since the mid-1990’s due to habitat destruction and climate change. However, the number of butterflies in Mexico’s forests this past winter was 35% greater than the previous year. This increase marks a sign of recovery—albeit a fragile one—and gives some reason for hope for the future of this iconic species. Tracing the overgrown ditch up stream, I could not see the river water but could hear resident Green Frogs. Working my way back to the car, I come upon a Northern Pearly-eye Butterfly and a Widow Skimmer Dragonfly. Unlike other dragonfly species where males guard egg-laying females, Widow Skimmer males leave the female by herself, 'widowing' her as she lays her eggs just under the surface of the water. Near the car, I notice blossoms of Swamp Milkweed and Bladder Campion. Driving a few miles east, I make my final stop to observe the source of the Maple River which is merely a man-made ditch called the Maple Swamp Drain. After following the river some 70 miles from end to beginning while accessing it 9 times, I bid farewell to this unique watercourse.

 

From muddy banks

Watched you grow

Living waters

River flow

Birdsongs and bees

Fawn and doe

Reeds and trees

River show

Life and death

Taker and giver

Riparian wonder

Maple River

 

D. DeGraaf