January 30

The mid-morning sky is sunny with temperatures in the upper 60’s and an easterly breeze as Caroline & I begin hiking in Torrance California’s Madrona Marsh Preserve. Following an earthen path around the rain-swollen wetlands, I spot a swimming American Coot and a swimming family of Northern Shovelers. Proceeding along a busy road, I pause to observe a resting Red-rock Skimmer dragonfly and a Monarch butterfly, feeding on a willow blossom. Up ahead, I come upon a never-before-seen Leucitic blackbird, perched in the underbrush. White feathers on this bird’s head is the result of a genetic condition called leucism that prevents pigments (Melanin) from reaching some of a bird's feathers while the skin and eyes keep their normal pigment and color. Leucism can lead to limitations of flight. Melanin is a component in the makeup of feathers, and without it, feathers are weak and brittle and often fray easily. Continuing around a large pond, I notice a mating pair of swimming American Wigeons while high above, a perching Cooper’s Hawk scans the water for prey. Nearby, a sight and sound expected in Mid-Michigan in a couple of months-a vocal male Redwing Blackbird perched on a cattail. Overhead, I spot a pair of never-before-seen Cassin’s Kingbirds. In 1826, naturalist William Swainson was the first to describe this bird to science, from a specimen collected in Mexico. Twenty-four years later, George Lawrence gave the bird its current English name, in honor of his friend John Cassin, a prominent Philadelphia ornithologist. An assertive bird of open country, the gray and lemon-yellow species hunts flying insects from high perches. The bird’s scientific name translates to “vociferous tyrant,” and it fits this loud, aggressive songbird well. Males may attack large hawks that pass too close to the nest or battle rival kingbirds that enter the nesting territory. Continuing counter-clockwise around the marshy land, a perching Black Phoebe and a perching hummingbird catch my eye. Because of poor lighting, I could not tell if the hummingbird was an Allen’s or Anna’s variety. Blossoms that catch my eye include white Milk Vetch and yellow Telegraph Weed. Next, I walk under a Blue Gum Eucalyptus tree with its colorful flowers and seed pods. On the ground, I come upon some mole-like mounds of soil created by a Valley Pocket Gopher (stock photo). Pausing at a bird-feeder near the car, I see several Lesser Goldfinches fluttering about.  

Litter on concrete

Oasis of green

Acres of asphalt

Wetlands between

Megalopolis

Wildlife retreat

Amid the havoc

Waterfowl meet

Human encroachment

Habitat repair

Endangered species

Humans that care

 

D. DeGraaf

January 23

Under sunny skies and chilly morning temperatures in the low 50’s, Caroline, Riley and I start hiking an earthen trail in the 50-acre, George F. Canyon Nature Preserve, one of a dozen parcels on the Palos Verdes Peninsula operated by the local land conservancy.  Soon, I spot white flowers of Wild Cucumber vines and green catkin flowers of an Arroyo Willow tree. Just ahead, I pause and listen to the unusual call of a Peacock. The original Peacock colony on the Peninsula was established in the 1920’s when 16 birds from an aviary on Catalina Island were given as a gift to a local resident. More colonies were introduced in the mid 1960’s. Meant to be contained as yard pets, many birds escaped and established wild colonies that exist to the present.  Continuing west, I’m not surprised to hear the soothing sound of running water, since the hillsides are still draining after a week of steady rain. Likewise, I’m not surprised to hear distant sirens as I observe a Red-tailed hawk soaring high in the azure blue sky. Up the trail, after noticing the red fruit of a Toyon tree, I come across a 1-inch, Scallop shell lying on the ground. Realizing these mollusks live exclusively in salt water and we are miles from the ocean, I conclude it was moved and dropped here by a fellow human being.  Just ahead, I pause to read a sign that describes in detail this unique ecosystem. Turning around to retrace my steps, I spot a Honeybee, with a yellow sac attached, feeding on blossoms of Lemonade Berry. Resembling tiny saddlebags (stock photo), these bright spots of cargo are pollen baskets or corbiculae. Each time a bee visits a flower, pollen sticks to its antennae, legs, faces, and bodies. A bee's legs have an array of combs and brushes. As she becomes laden with pollen, a female bee uses those tools as grooming devices, running them through her body and hair to pull away the pollen. As she brushes herself, she draws the pollen toward her hind legs into those little pockets. As a bee gathers a batch of pollen, she pushes it into the bottom of the basket, pressing it tightly into what's already there. A full basket can carry as many as a million grains of pollen. She mixes a little nectar with the pollen to make it sticky and to help it hold together. Approaching the car, greenery to catch my eye include, a patch of Nasturtium and a slope-side patch of rye grass, planted for erosion control. Near the car, I come upon a 1-inch, edible Sweetbread mushroom that smells like cucumber. 

Once there were acres

For creatures to roam

For trees and shrubs

To make their home

Once there were acres 

Of water and sky

For fish to swim

For flocks to fly

Now there are acres

Where humans thrive

Pushing boundaries

Can nature survive?

 

D. DeGraaf

January 16

The morning temperature is 60 degrees, under partly sunny skies as Caroline, Riley and I walk an earthen path on Pt. Vincente, a favorite place on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, 10 miles west of our Lomita, CA. rental. Hiking south, I take in coastal sounds and sights, including ocean waves, palm trees and distant Catalina Island. Nearby, I spot a single Black Phoebe while far ahead, I see several Brandt’s cormorants perched on a steep rock face. Blossoms that catch my eye, include Sea Lavender and Baja Fairy Duster. After glancing skyward to see a Gibbous moon, I look down and notice some webs made overnight by ½- inch Grass Spiders (Funnel Weavers) (stock photo). This spider waits patiently within the funnel portion of its web until an insect gets tangled in the upper, sheet-like area, then it scurries out to bite and paralyze it. Once the insect is immobilized, the spider pulls its prey down into the funnel where she can feed at leisure – It’s the female that makes the funnel web. Next, I come to an overlook where fellow whale watchers are tracking and counting migrating Gray whales. While the white board shows none had yet been seen, I find out later that 9 whales were counted, including 2 calves. Continuing down the path past an often-seen sign, I observe a Dessert Cottontail rabbit and a never-before-seen Orange-crowned warbler whose namesake orange crown patch is rarely seen but may become visible when the bird raises its head feathers in excitement or agitation (stock photo). Looking away from the ocean, I spot a foraging, White-crowned sparrow and a couple of perching Common Ravens. Nearby, I see a familiar creature, an Eastern Fox Squirrel resting on a tree trunk. These squirrels were brought from the eastern United States in the early 1900’s and have been increasing their range and population ever since, both on their own and from humans deliberately spreading them through the state. Heading back to the car, I notice a European Starling perched near the top of a Palm tree. Scanning the tree, I see clusters of dates hanging from some branches. Date Palm trees are one of the oldest known crops, cultivated in western Asia and northern Africa more than 5,000 years ago for their sugary fruit—and still commercially grown in Iraq, North Africa, and the United States. This tree has long been considered the tree of life in desert cultures and is associated with fertility. Finally at the car, I take one last look at the Pacific coastline before heading home.

 

Overwhelming ocean 

Cliff-side perch

Binoculars poised

Morning search

Steamy blows

Whales of gray

Soaring high

Birds of prey

Sea lions swim

Dolphins dive

Senses alert

Nature’s alive!

 

D. DeGraaf

January 9

Caroline, Riley and I are hiking a paved path in southern California’s Harbor Park under partly sunny skies, morning temperatures in the mid 50’s and a stiff west wind. Soon, I notice a Prickly Pear Cactus displaying some red ripe “prickly pears” that can be eaten raw, right off the plant. Depending on the level of ripeness, they can range from slightly sweet to syrupy sweet. Curving around the south shore of an over-flowing Machado Lake, I spot a wading Great Blue Heron and a perching, juvenile, Black-crowned Night Heron. The oldest Night Heron on record was a female who was at least 21 years, 5 months old when she was found in California in 2012. She was banded there in 1992. Nearby, a few standing Snowy Egrets catch my eye. During breeding season these birds grow curving plumes that once fetched astronomical prices in the fashion industry, endangering the species. By the early 20^th century, conservationists rallied to protect them so they are once again a common sight in shallow coastal wetlands. Just ahead, I notice a much larger Great Egret. This bird hunts in classic heron fashion, standing immobile or wading through wetlands to capture fish with a deadly jab of its yellow bill. Like the Snowy Egret, Great Egrets were hunted nearly to extinction for their plumes in the late nineteenth century, sparking conservation movements and some of the first laws to protect birds. Scanning the surrounding wetlands, I see lots of Canada Geese along with a few Mallards swimming and feeding. Turning around, I retrace my steps and then follow a path along the west side of the lake where I spot the red berries of a Toyon tree. These berries provide food for birds and mammals; however, they are poisonous to humans unless properly prepared. Nearby, I come upon the red berries of a California Pepper Tree. Humans do consume these berries; however, they are usually roasted or dried first. Continuing around the lakeshore, I come upon piles of fronds blown off the park’s tall King Palm Trees, after last night’s storm. The fronds turn into small, wiry strands as they break down and can take up to 50 years to decompose. Green-waste facilities cannot handle them because the strands get tangled in shredding equipment, causing damage to machinery. Finally, I take one last look out on the lake spotting a few California Gulls milling around and a few resting Brandt’s Cormorants with their heads tucked into their bodies.

Nature in winter

No path of snow

Another realm

For me to know

No leafless forest

Ponds with ice

Ocean breezes

More than suffice

No stark landscapes

Whitetail deer

Snakes that rattle

Lurking near

 

D. DeGraaf

December 26

Under mostly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 20’s, I head west on the paved Meijer bike trail through a snow-covered landscape, just west of Vestaburg. On the path, I recognize tracks of a Cottontail rabbit and a Fox squirrel while off to my right in the underbrush, I catch a quick glimpse of a perching Dark-eyed Junco. Further along, I’m surrounded by Tag Alder shrubs, displaying their reddish male catkins and dark female cones. Nearby, I come upon a willow shrub displaying 1-inch Pinecone Galls. These galls are produced by the Willow Pinecone Gall Midge to house, nourish, and protect a single fly larva (maggot) located deep within the gall (stock photo). Galls are formed when females use their sharp ovipositors to insert an egg into an apical bud. The females also introduce chemicals into the wound that turn plant genes on and off in the bud tissue at just the right time to direct gall formation.  It is highly directed growth specific to the gall-maker. In this case, the improbable-looking willow pinecone galls are formed; they never develop into any other type of gall. Proceeding west, I enter the northern section of the 3000-acre Vestaburg State Game Area (stock Photo) where I notice some red fruit of a type of Viburnum called High Bush Cranberry. These berries will soften and sweeten over winter to provide food for Cedar Waxwings and other winter birds. Other fruit that catch my eye are clusters of shriveled-up Wild Grape. Next, I come by a dense patch of Phragmites (Common Reed) with their feathery flower-heads swaying in the breeze. The sight of a few cattails within the patch reminds me how this invasive species can takeover wetlands leaving less habitat available for other native species such as cattails to live and thrive. Phragmites form thick stands up to 12 feet high that easily shade out native species. They also clog waterways and negatively impact the expansion of desirable wetland habitats. Soon, I pause to watch the water of Wolf Creek flow slowly northward under the trail. From here it veers slightly west for about 2 miles under M-46 near Cedar Lake and then turns northeast for about 3 miles where it empties into the Pine River about 2 miles due north of Bass Lake (stock photo). Turning around, I face east and retrace my steps where I spot some Crust fungi on a branch and a colorful Northern Cinnabar Polypore mushroom on a decaying log. Near the car, I scan a woodlot where several of the tree trunks display blotches of mosses and lichens.

 

Robe of colors drops

Mighty oak stands bare

Creature scampers up

Toward his leafy lair

Hightailing skyward

Filling his cache

Over furrowed bark

Along branches gray

Perched in a crotch

Mate lingers near

Through barren twigs

Snow clouds appear

 

D. DeGraaf

December 19

I’m a short distance east of the village of Vestaburg, hiking in the 200-acre Alma College Ecological Station where the morning temperatures are in the low 30’s and skies are overcast. Soon, I come upon a lifeless, football-size, Bald-faced Hornet’s nest hanging from the branch of an American Beech tree. Last spring, a single queen hornet found this spot and began chewing up rotting wood to mix with her saliva to create a papery cellulose material for nest construction. She then, laid eggs in newly built brood cells (stock photo). After hatching, these offspring assumed the duties of nest building, food collection, feeding, and guarding the nest. By the end of summer, this nest may have contained over 300 offspring that had built a nest as large as this one. As summer turned to fall, the queen gave birth to the next generation of queens who then left the nest, finding their overwintering spot and beginning the process over again. Hornets in this nest all died during the first frost. However, the nest continues to provide food for birds who will tear it apart over the winter consuming dead insects. After passing through a dense, leafless woodland where some Turkey-tail fungi are seen, I make my way down grade onto a leaf-covered dock across a wetland covered with a thick layers of Sphagnum moss. Carefully, stepping off the dock, I’m not surprised that my boot sinks down into a spongy, squishy layer of this moss. Although, it’s possible to walk on this stuff, there is a risk of getting stuck up to your knees. Following the dock to the edge of the moss layer, I scan the open water of an ice-covered, 30-acre lake whose water is moderately acidic. This ecosystem, referred to as a peat bog is rarely seen in this area. Along the shore, I spot a patch of dormant Pitcher plants, an insectivorous species typically found in peat bogs. These plants consume insects by luring them into their colorful, hollow leaves that resemble hooded vessels. These vessel-shaped "pitchers" are filled with digestive enzymes that transform the insects into nourishment for the plants. As winter approaches, these leaves will wither and die. Come next spring, new leaves or pitchers will sprout from rhizomes in the soil.  Continuing to explore the lakeshore, I spot a few, edible bog cranberries still on a bush, so I pick and eat one. Nearby, I see the bare branches of a Tamarac tree, one of only a few conifer trees that is not evergreen, shedding its needles in the fall and growing new ones in the spring.  Leaving the bog and heading back toward the car, I notice fresh scat, most likely from a fox and a large, 1/2-ton glacial erratic boulder covered with moss.

 

Late December

I remember

End of the year

Solstice near

Sun shines low

Reflecting snow

Shadows long

Winds strong

Trees undressed

Nature at rest

 

D. DeGraaf

December 12

A noticeable south wind and temperatures in the upper 20’s greet me on this partly sunny morning as I begin my hike at Forest Hill Nature Area, a few miles north of Alma.  After ascending Reflection Hill, first I notice a field of Wild Carrot plants with their seed heads swaying with the wind and then I turn eastward to look down on Grebe Pond. Nearby, I come upon a tree filled with ripe, 1-inch crabapples. So, I pick one to eat and enjoy its tart flavor. After passing by a few fluffy seed heads of Phragmites waving in the breeze, I come to the edge of Grebe Pond where I spot 2 juvenile Muskrats on the end of the dock eating corn, put there by a caring human. Following the trail west toward North Woods, I spot a pair of male House Finches perched high overhead. Native to the Southwest, these birds are now well established throughout the US. In 1940, New York pet shop owners, who had been selling the finches illegally, released them into the wild to avoid prosecution. Over the next 50 years they spread eastward across the continent, meeting their western kin on the Great Plains. During the winter, groups of these non-migratory birds can be seen on feeders, foraging on the ground or perching in tall trees. Making my way through North Woods, I’m surprised to see the large vernal pond is empty with only the base of nearby tree trunks marking where the water was when full. Up ahead, I come face-to-face with a dead Ash tree displaying the meandering channels where Ash Borer larvae girdled and killed the tree. While walking through White Birch row on my way to South Woods, I notice the leaf litter consists mostly of birch mixed with a few oak, maple and beech. Moving quickly through South Woods, I see a Witch Hazel tree displaying flower buds. This plant is exceptional by flowering in the dead of winter. Soon these buds will open to reveal a fragrant yellow flower (stock photo). Leaving South Woods, I pass by Sora Swale where a Muskrat lodge is easily seen. Turning east and making my way toward the car, I notice the recently-melted snow reveals a 1-inch-wide tunnel excavated by a tiny mouse-like Meadow Vole (stock photo). These tunnels provide voles protection from the wind and cold and keep them hidden from predators. Nearing the car, I pass a clump of pinkish Switchgrass and a clump of Indian Grass, swaying in the breeze. 

Outer edge of autumn

Now and then snow

Creatures hunker down

No tall grasses show

Warm sun moves south

Cold winds from the north

Sweep the icy pond

Reeds sway back and forth

Gone, flowers of May

Gone, birds of June

Nature takes a break

Winter’s coming soon

 

D. DeGraaf