Trail Camera

Here are some pictures from my Truth Cam.

First the Great Horned Owl who lives in our woods. 

 

 

 

 Fox and opossum, look at the size of the opossum!

 
A skunk and raccoon sharing a snack.

 

Raccoon line up.

Notice the white thing flying in each of these pictures, does any one know what that is?

Maybe could it be a Luna Moth?

 

And of course deer.

 

 

That's all for now.

Hawthorn Natural Pond Area and Farview Nature Park and Horse Trail

2011 11 01 Back to Hawthorn Pond Natural Area, a 40 acre site, south of Adams Street on Black River Court in Holland Township.  It contains a five-acre freshwater pond that is ringed with a path, also has lookout sites, a kayak launch ramp and fishing stations.  
We were here on August 22 of this year, then there were machines working to make this place into a park.  Things are still scarred from the machines but next spring it will look better. 

We walked counterclockwise part way around the pond until we came to a bit of a trail heading over to the Macatawa River.  I have to say I'm not overly impressed by this river, the water is brown and cloudy. 

Of course we came to a deer trail and continued on it along the river, heading south then west towards highway
US 196 also known as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, near exit 52.  Along the way we found some great trees, sycamores, paw paws, maples, oaks.

We walked north toward the pond and went through some very wet woods.  We even found smartweed blooming.

We came across this old car, Marie did some research and found out it is probably a 1955 Pontiac Chieftain.
Here are some maps, first map Hawthorn Pond is at the number 1.

The red line is where we walked, sort of, about 1 mile total.
Next we drove down the road southwest 13.5 miles to Farview Nature Park and Horse Trail (6257 138th Avenue Allegan County Michigan).  We were here last on August 23, 2010.

               Horse trail sign.

                More signage.

Historic Wait-Station for Electric Interurban Railroad.

Entrance to Farview Park

Bench at the pond.

Through the woods...

to the lake, Farview Lake.  The shrub with red berries is Winterberry (or Michigan Holly).  We found Nodding Ladies' Tresses but the petals were brown, far past their prime.

A few wildflowers still blooming!  Queen Anne's Lace, goldenrod,  and Spotted Knapweed  were blooming yet, along with this aster.

At the "top" of the lake we rested in a sunny, sandy spot.  Did some research in the tree books, Marie had a red dragonfly land right on the open book.  Nice.

Walking around the lake, we saw a Common Buckeye butterfly, a pintail duck, a yellow butterfly, Bayberry bushes, Blue Jays, and sunfish.

Top is the first Common Buckeye we saw, then 20 minutes later down the trail, another one.

Back to the car at 2:12, it was 62 degrees beautiful day for this late in the fall.

Grand River Park and Grand River Open Space in Ottawa County Michigan

 Grand River Park- Ottawa County, Michigan
Early in September we had a beautiful day for a walk in the park.

Beautiful day, beautiful wildflowers.

 Moth Mullein  Verbascum blattaria  Figwort family

This is an introduced biennial plant. There are two basic color forms: plants that produce yellow flowers, and those that produce white flowers. The common name refers to the fancied resemblance of the flowers to moths.

       Great Blue Lobelia  Lobelia siphilitica  Bellflower family
  

 Beechdrops  Epifagus virginiana  Broomrape family 
This native parasitic plant contains no chlorophyll and obtains its nutrients from the roots of American Beech tree. Without the presence of this tree, Beechdrops cannot survive.

This  Jack-in-the-Pulpit  Arisaema triphyllum Arum family, had bright red berries that caught my eye.  It is a native perennial plant, the red berries are eaten by some woodland birds, including  the Wood Thrush and the Wild Turkey.

I saw more than one of these Hickory Tussock Moths (or Hickory Tiger Moth) Lophocampa caryae.  Very pretty but don't touch.

We also visited another Ottawa County property.  Grand River Open Space - 10851 Linden Drive Allendale, MI 49544.  Grand River Open Space is an undeveloped 233 acre wetland with 1.25 miles of Grand River waterfront. The property has undergone restoration which included planting 15,000 native tree and shrub seedlings such as swamp white oak, black walnut, hackberry, redbud, black cherry, witch hazel, dogwood and elderberry plus other species native to the floodplain. 
Available at the property,

• Small parking area and information kiosk
• Off-trail hiking and cross-country skiing
• Dogs are allowed on or off leash
• Firearm and archery deer hunting

 Grasshopper on a dried Common Teasel at Grand River Open Space.

Another beautiful day outdoors with my sister Marie.  We are very lucky to be able to go out one day a week to parks and places, seeking wildflowers and other interesting things. 

Happy Trails in Ottawa County, Michigan

So to start off July 2014, my granddaughter Vivienne and I went to a day camp "Happy Trails" at Hemlock Crossing Nature Education Center.  Vivienne is 4 years old so everything is interesting to her, she soaks up information and experiences like a sponge does water.  It was a special treat for just the two of us to spend some time together.

The Ottawa County staff were great fun and worked well with the group of 3 and 4 year old kids. After some instruction and games inside the nature center, we were then armed with hand lens and cardboard binoculars.  Outside we go, finding wildflowers and insects along the trail.

We made our way over to a wetland area and the instructors went about netting up critters from the water beneath the bridge.  They found tadpoles, water beetles, and other wildlife in the pond, which they placed in a container of water.  We got to observe these things close up.

As we looked over the edge of the bridge I pointed out a frog to Vivienne.  She said, "Look Gooma, the frog is camouflaged by a weed".  Well, the reporter from our local newspaper heard the comment and snapped a shot of Vivienne looking over the bridge.  The next day much to my surprise there was Vivienne on the front page of the Grand Haven Tribune! The reporter was Krystle Wagner.  Here is the link to the article,  
http://www.grandhaventribune.com/article/1049761   

      Vivienne looking over the edge of the bridge.

 Grandmother!  Gooma doesn't sound quite so old, but I'm happy to be a grandma. 

 Vivienne showing an early interest in trees at age 9 months.  And below happy to be outside.