The first day of spring known as the Vernal Equinox is less than a month away. That exact moment of arrival is 5:01 a.m. on March 20. I plan to embrace the moment at one of our county parks to capture predawn with my camera, but until then there are plenty of wintery adventures to enjoy. 

Hardly a day goes by without finding an excuse to wander at one of the two largest county parks – Independence Oaks and Addison Oaks. If I want more solitude for a closer look at nature, I’ll head over to Addison Oaks County Park in the early morning before snow bikers arrive to enjoy the hilly trails. Sometimes I am bushwacking off trail on snowshoes, but more often, I follow the designated trails. You should too, especially if you are new to the trail system. 

The signs of spring’s countdown are obvious in the woods behind my house in northern Brandon Township. There’s an old tree trunk that fell a few hundred yards from my house and the tracks of squirrels, rabbits and chipmunks who opted out of hibernation are abundant. Perhaps I need to set a trail camera within the log and spy on the residents.

I often hike alone. However, I’m not a hermit and sometimes I meet up with a hiking companion who doesn’t mind trudging about in all weather condition. However, nature’s creatures usually keep me company. At sunrise, I often have a half dozen or more deer meandering past my porch to where they bed down for the day. They are so accustomed to my presence that I barely get a glance, but I avoid where they lie as to not disturb their routine.

Owls are courting now. Occasionally I hear the distinctive hooting of Barred Owls from nearby my frozen swamp – a sure sign of spring’s swift return. I’m hoping to hear screech owls too, but perhaps they best stay silent since both Great Horned Owls and Barred Owl are their predators. Several winters back, I was lucky to capture this image of a Screech Owl basking in sunlight on a hollow tree limb. 

On each trip to the main section of Independence Oaks, I first stop at Indy-North, just a mile north of the main entrance. On almost all occasions I am the only car in the lot. I wander down to the dock and to keep an eye on the eagle’s nest on the far side of the lake. I’m excited to report that a pair of eagles have been remodeling their lofty nest. By late March, they will be laying their eggs. About five weeks later, hungry little mouths will need to be fed. My eagle nest monitoring friend, Joan Bonin, captured this amazing mating photo.

Squirrel tracks in the snow are everywhere, and those tracks lead to their nesting trees. Some of the dreys, the technical name of squirrel nests, are near the treetops to get more sunlight.

I was hiking at Addison Oaks last week and despite the “no swimming” sign without a doubt fish are swimming under the ice. Painted turtles, which are very common in our small lakes, ”brumate” underwater. Brumation is similar to the hibernation of groundhogs and other warm-blooded creatures. The metabolism of the turtles slows down, which helps them survive until the ice melts. 

Large Icicles are forming on my roof during or current cycle of freezing followed by thaws. They are a reminder that frozen ponds or lakes should never be considered safe. About eight years ago in February, I was trekking across a small lake at Highland Oaks County Park. I was about 10 feet from shore when I broke through and struggled to get to shore. It was a very cold drive home.  

One of my favorite birds that might also be waiting for the arrival of spring is the Red-Bellied Woodpecker. Although they eat insects and tree frogs, they also feast on wild and cultivated fruits. This one is perched on a grapevine in my arbor and is also a frequent visitor at my suet feeder. 

In another month, the melting snow will accelerate and reveal trailside wildflowers but for now, I will enjoy my winter hikes on the Wilder Side of Oakland County.  

Jonathan Schechter is the Nature Education Writer for Oakland County Government and blogs about nature’s way, trails and wildlife on the Wilder Side of Oakland County.

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