Most of December 2014

 

Catching up with 2014, here are some highlights from my December.  Marie and I started off the month with a visit to Park Township in Ottawa County, Michigan.  This 20 square mile township is packed with over 21 parks!

This time we walked at Stu Visser Trails, previously known as Pine Creek Trail, we have been here several times in the past.  It's quite a neat park with Pine Creek running through it.  This park has 37 acres between Ottawa Beach Road and Lakewood Blvd..  We found picnic tables, nature trails, boardwalks, wetland observation decks, and a small pond connecting with Pine Creek.

We also stopped at Wendt Park.  Wendt Park has 20 acres, and is on James Street near Lilac Avenue, here you will find parking, picnic shelters, basketball court, softball field, Tot Lot, tennis courts, sand volleyball, soccer field, and a nature trail.  The first time we came here, several years ago, there were many garden plants around an old homestead lot.  Most of that is gone but there are cactus, Tulip trees, and a Beauty Bush still here.

 

We found Osage Orange at Wendt.   Despite the name "Osage orange" it is not closely related to the orange.  The fruit is about 3 to 6 inches in diameter.  Fun to discover. 

We made a brief stop at Hemlock Crossing, an Ottawa County Park, in Port Sheldon Township, just north of Park Township.  This is a great park with a Nature Education Center, and all sorts of fun activities.  "Hemlock Crossing offers 239 acres of woods and wetlands along the Pigeon River. Over six miles of trails meander through bottomland and upland forest, old pine plantations and along the river. Trails connect to Pine Bend County Park on the west end of this property. A pedestrian bridge and numerous overlooks offer scenic views. While you’re there, be sure to visit the Nature Education Center."

The next week of December we revisited Van Raalte Farm in the city of Holland Michigan.  "This city park contains a nineteenth century farmhouse and outbuildings set on a hilltop overlooking pasture and woodlands that include a valley and a branch of the Black River. Parking is located off both 16th and 24th Streets and Country Club Road, providing access to nature trails, picnic shelter, play structures, as well as winter sledding and cross-country skiing."

Here we saw one of the few wildflowers, you might find blooming in Michigan in the winter.  A dandelion.  Pretty little thing.

Mid December I flew to Texas to visit, Finley Rose, our new granddaughter.  Not many photos from Texas other than a few hundred of Finley.  She is as sweet as she looks!

                                      Finley Rose McCarthy  -  3 weeks old


Marie and I were able to get out again, here in Michigan, on December 22.  We headed east to Bradford Dickinson White Nature Preserve, located near Lowell, Michigan in Kent County.  This preserve is owned by the Land Conservancy of West Michigan.  We were here once before - over seven years ago.

             Farm field somewhere in Kent County, Michigan

We walked through the whole preserve and back again, probably a 1 1/2 mile walk.  It was a good walk and the sun even popped out a bit.
After this we drove around a few roads to Grand River Riverfront Lowell Township Park.  "The jewel of Lowell Charter Township, our 80 acre Grand River Riverfront Park (including two islands) is on the south shore of the Grand River off Grand River Drive between Lowell and Ada. We have a canoe launch, two softball fields, a lacrosse field, 8 soccer fields and a playground with equipment designed for ages 4 to 12. We have a mile-long paved nature/walking path, a scenic overlook and fishing pier on the Grand River, one large picnic shelter with restroom facilities and one smaller one without.  The park is open to the public every day from 8 AM to dusk, except for days that snow or water make driving in the park unsafe.  Restrooms are closed from late October until late March."

 We walked the whole park, admired the Grand River, tried to identify a tree, and looked at dried wildflowers along the way.  The day was gray now but still good for walking.

                             Fox Squirrel

Next we went to Cascade Township, a park named Peace.  "Cascade Peace Park is approximately 198 acres in size.  This property consists of floodplain and meadow areas with extensive old growth forest.  No improvements are on the property and it is intended that any changes to the property will only allow for passive recreational uses." 

Reading the sign, we saw that you might find a Yellow-billed Cuckoo here!  Marie was a birder long ago and she has actually seen a Yellow-billed Cuckoo!  One thing we did find at this park was hills.  Hills, hills, and more hills.  We walked for a hour and a half, then headed for the car.  This is a beautiful place with so many trees.

After Christmas Mike and I were able to get out for some walks in the sunshine.  First to Crockery Creek Natural Area, an Ottawa County property.  " The 331-acre natural area includes frontage on both the Grand River and Crockery Creek.  About two miles of hiking and cross-country ski trails meander along the creek, mature wooded ridges, floodplain forest, open hardwoods, wet meadows and buttonbush swamps. These diverse communities provide habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna including bald eagles, sandhill cranes, red-headed woodpeckers and river otters. In addition to resident wildlife, the area provides staging areas for many migratory birds.  The existing farm house and barn are from a Centennial Farm and are currently closed to the public."

      Crockery Creek Natural Area in Ottawa County, Michigan

 I always enjoy seeing this oak tree when we visit here.  And below is a field at Crockery Creek Natural Area with an unbelievably blue sky.

 We also made a few trips to Riverside Park in Ottawa County.  We did see a Bald Eagle fly over but we were looking into the sun so I missed a photo of the eagle.

              Max Lake at Riverside Park.    

But wait Marie and I also got another day outside before the year 2014 was done! 
Gas prices are down, the roads are clear, so Marie chose Seidman Park in Kent County for our destination.  We have been to this park once before but it has been a few years.  We were on the road before 8 a.m. and went through Robinson Township to go east into Kent County.  The sun rise was colorful but only for a few minutes, so I snapped this photo on the way.

No - that color is not enhanced, it was that brilliant.  That is an elm tree in the center of the picture.  When driving this road we usually comment on its form.  The sign not so much.

This is as we were traveling along I-96 near Coopersville.  It took exactly one hour to drive to Seidman Park from Grand Haven and it was a cool 24 degrees.  

Sorry but I can NOT delete the text below.  Please disregard it.


The trail leads north through bottom land to a bridge over Honey Creek.  Actually the are several bridges and boardwalks here.

I found liverwort in a few places, Marie identified a walnut tree.  We had fun walking and exploring, going off trail to follow a creek, or to check out a pond.  We were out there for over 3 1/2 hours.

So after our walk at Seidman Park we had to decide where else to go.  Do we want to walk more?  We just walked for over 3 hours, almost 4 hours really.  But here we are on the east side of Grand Rapids and we still have time for another park.  So we checked out Dave Brown's Michigan County Atlas, it is a great book and has many parks and preserves for each county.

We were close to Knapp Valley Forest in Kent County.  We had also been here before briefly, but it was right there and we were right there, okay let's go!

                                     Knapp Valley Forest

I'm not sure how many acres this place has but it is all woods with ravines.  Very nice for walking.  And even though we were fairly close to traffic and city noise, it was amazingly quiet in the Knapp Valley Forest.  We walked for less than an hour.  Back in the car and Marie drove me home.  That was our last outing of 2014.  But don't worry.  We have been out again in 2015 and plan to keep it up as long as we are able to. 

November 2014 - Van Buren County and Barry County Adventures

This post will include places I visited November 2014.  I really wanted to do a post with pictures of colorful wildflowers, maybe the next post.  This post doesn't have pretty wildflowers (or does it?) because in Michigan the wildflowers are not blooming in November.  Actually we had record snowfall in November, then December was mild with little snow.  

 

So back to November.  Marie and I made the trip (80 miles one way) to Hamilton Township Coastal Plain Marsh in Van Buren County, owned by the Michigan Nature Association. 

 Hamilton Coastal Plain Marsh November 3, 2014  and below the same place October 1, 2012.  In the picture below the bright red trees are Tupelo.  What a difference a month (and two years) can make.

  "A Coastal plain marsh is a grass-, spike-rush-, and rush-dominated wetland community that contains numerous plant disjuncts from the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains. The community occurs in depressions on sand deposits associated with postglacial lakes and outwash channels in western Lower Michigan, northern Indiana, northern and central Wisconsin, and the southeastern Georgian Bay region of Ontario."

So some plants that are generally found near the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains are growing here in Michigan, which of course, is not even near the Atlantic or Gulf coasts.  A few of these plants are "bald-rush, tall beak-rush, tooth-cup, false pimpernel, seed box, many-fruited loosestrife, and meadow beauty. Most exciting of all, the warty panic grass, thought to be extinct in Michigan, was found here in 1988 when drought conditions exposed the marsh bottom".  That is quoted from the MNA site.  I have never been excited by warty panic grass.

This was November so nothing was blooming except for a few asters, but we did find the dry seed pods from Meadow Beauty.  Below is a blooming Meadow Beauty from August 2014 in Ottawa County.

 

Also in November we see fewer insects than in the warm months but I did catch this dragonfly resting on a leaf.  We had a great walk around the marsh, which was very dry.  Then through the upland woods where the trail leads you between some great trees.

We also visited Van Buren State Park, which is about 32 miles north and west of Hamilton Township Coastal Plain Marsh.

Van Buren State Park is situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, and has one mile of sandy beach and high dune formations.  It is located three miles south of South Haven, and has 220 camp sites.

Just north of Van Buren State Park is North Point Conservation Area, owned by Van Buren County. It has 17 acres and 330 feet of scenic Lake Michigan beach, forested critical dunes, and wetlands.  "North Point Park is also commonly known as the "Old Boy Scout Camp," as this area has been used and maintained by Boy Scouts from Southwest Michigan for many generations. Many Boy Scouts have had Eagle Scout Projects focusing on various facets of the site. Such projects have included the planting of hundreds of indigenous trees, maintaining trails and installing erosion control measures."

North Point Conservation Area is often referred to as the "old Boy Scout Camp," because the property has been utilized and maintained by Boy Scouts in Southwest Michigan for generations. Several Boy Scouts have completed Eagle Scout Projects on the site - projects have included planting hundreds of trees, maintaining trails and installing erosion control measures. - See more at: http://www.vbco.org/north_point.asp#sthash.gSlHc9d1.dpuf

North Point Conservation Area is often referred to as the "old Boy Scout Camp," because the property has been utilized and maintained by Boy Scouts in Southwest Michigan for generations. Several Boy Scouts have completed Eagle Scout Projects on the site - projects have included planting hundreds of trees, maintaining trails and installing erosion control measures. - See more at: http://www.vbco.org/north_point.asp#sthash.gSlHc9d1.dpuf

North Point Conservation Area has approximately 17 acres with 330 feet of beautiful Lake Michigan beach, forested critical dunes, and wetlands. - See more at: http://www.vbco.org/north_point.asp#sthash.K4FgChSX.dpuf

North Point Conservation Area has approximately 17 acres with 330 feet of beautiful Lake Michigan beach, forested critical dunes, and wetlands. - See more at: http://www.vbco.org/north_point.asp#sthash.K4FgChSX.dpuf

After North Point, we drove the 60 miles back to my house, then Marie still has another 33 miles to her house.  We traveled over 170 miles plus another 66 for Marie!  We do get around!

owned by Van Buren County and boasts approximately 17 acres on Lake Michigan. - See more at: http://www.vbco.org/north_point.asp#sthash.K4FgChSX.dpuf

North Point Conservation Area

North Point Conservation Area is owned by Van Buren County and boasts approximately 17 acres on Lake Michigan. - See more at: http://www.vbco.org/north_point.asp#sthash.K4FgChSX.dpuf

North Point Conservation Area is owned by Van Buren County and boasts approximately 17 acres on Lake Michigan. - See more at: http://www.vbco.org/north_point.asp#sthash.K4FgChSX.dpuf

North Point Conservation Area is owned by Van Buren County and boasts approximately 17 acres on Lake Michigan. - See more at: http://www.vbco.org/north_point.asp#sthash.K4FgChSX.dpuf

The next week November 11, 2014 - Marie and I made a trip (about 80 miles one way from Grand Haven) to the Ronald H. Warner Sanctuary (Michigan Audubon) which is approximately five miles southwest of Hastings on Erway Road. "Located in an area of glacial moraines, this sanctuary contains rounded ridges, seasonally flooded ponds, a stream, and lake. Most of the 108 acres is wooded and contains old-growth beech, oak and tulip trees. Large evergreens provide additional woodland habitat. The sanctuary is botanically quite diverse and includes a number of threatened and endangered plants. The sanctuary is adjacent to the Barry State Game Area Global Important Bird Area and is home to Cerulean Warblers."

Ronald H. Warner Sanctuary - the golden trees are larch. Although a conifer, the larch is a  deciduous tree and loses its needles in the autumn.

We found lots of liverwort around the base of the trees in the wettest areas.

Bridge over Glass Creek at Ronald H. Warner Sanctuary near Hastings in Barry County Michigan.  Marie keeps track of how long we visit each place, remember she takes notes.  Sometimes we will be out for an hour or sometimes it can be 6 hours.  I do remember it started to rain as we were heading back to the car.
On the way home we stopped at Patmos Library, a small, rural public library located in southeast Ottawa County, in the township and village of Jamestown, Michigan.  We both enjoy libraries, and had never been to this one before.  Patmos had a good selection of tree and wildflower books.  

For the rest of November we had to cancel our outings due to heavy snowfall and icy  roads.  That doesn't happen often but if schools are closing due to the weather, we usually stay off the roads too.

Next time I'll try to catch up to this year.