Plants Amaze Me: hudsonville Nature Center

Showing posts with label hudsonville Nature Center. Show all posts

Friday, April 24, 2026

Hudsonville Nature Center and more Ottawa County places - April 2026

April 12, 2026

Marie took me to Hudsonville Nature Center for a Spring wildflower walk with Craig Elston as our guide. I’m not usually one for group walks but I did go and it was great. Craig is a knowledgeable and easy-going guide. I enjoyed his talks about the different plants and I learned things.

Above is a picture of Twinleaf, Jeffersonia. This is what we came to see. It was only in bud and a bit off the trail. Since I didn’t want to make a spectacle of myself, I zoomed in with my phone and this is the only picture I got of Twinleaf. Oh well maybe next year we will see it bloom! I really enjoyed this day.

At Stearns Creek Park we saw a Box Turtle. April 13, 2026

Stearns Creek, Ottawa County

Here are a few more things at Stearns Creek on April 16th.

Earthstar fungus

First day this year I saw Shad, Serviceberry blooming.

April 14th Connor Bayou Park has many beautiful hepatica flowers. We go to this park often.

Connor Bayou and the Grand River April 14, 2026

On April 16th, I met my sister, Sugar, at Rycenga Recreation Area in Spring Lake Township. There has been lots of rain and flooding throughout Michigan, so the water was higher than I’ve ever seen it.

Cup Fungus

Ferns starting to unfurl.

Rycenga Park

April 17th, I looked out the kitchen window and saw this Pileated Woodpecker!

April 18th Mike and I walked at Hemlock Crossing in Ottawa County. It was a beautiful day!

April seems to be flying past. So many places to walk, yet so little time. Thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

March 2018 in Michigan

This year March was cold and mostly dry, still we were able to get out for many walks.

March 2nd, it was Hofma Preserve in Grand Haven Township, with my daughter Betsy.

March 3rd, Marie and I went to Hemlock Crossing Nature Center for a hike led by Kristen Hintz, on Tree ID in Winter. It was a great walk, Kristen is very interesting and knows so much about nature. It was a much larger group than expected with a wide age group, but Kristen took it in stride! She involved everyone from young to old in our exploration of trees. Unfortunately, I managed to lose my pictures from that day.

March 4th Mike and I went north to the Manistee River trail, starting at Red Bridge. We walked north for one and a half hours then back the way we came. The trail was icy, so it was slow going. But a beautiful day to hike our favorite trail.

March 10th and 11th we were at Connor Bayou, an Ottawa County park along the Grand River in Robinson Township.

Connor Bayou

The difference of 11 days along the Grand River.

We also drove through Riverside Park a few miles east of Connor Bayou.

Boat Launch at Riverside Park on February 27 2018 Red Circle marks the sign at the launch

Below is the same boat launch on March 10 2018

Debris in the trees from the high water

March 12, Mike and I went for a quick walk at Hofma Preserve. It was a cold and windy day but we got out there.

March 14, Marie and I visited Hiawatha Forest, Ottawa County property. We have been here before, a long time ago. And yes there was snow on the ground.