I Spy on the Trails - December 2023

Our first snow of the season in early December was a fine, wet 2 inches. But with temps in the mid-30s and 40s, it was gone before we knew it. Temperatures remained stubbornly high in the high 30s and 40s - even reaching the 50s at times - throughout the month. By Christmas week, only 14.8% of MN had any snow cover. Drought is hard.

We only had a few days this month of below freezing (32F) temps -invigorating, not discouraging on the trails. The rest of the month we had temps consistently 20-25 F higher than average. Early fall forecasts for this time predicted a drier, warmer winter with El Nino disrupting the normal weather patterns. 

According to meteorologist Paul Douglas, it is shaping up to be "probably the warmest December on record for most of Minnesota."  Climate change also is a factor, with 2023 now the warmest year on record globally. It gives me great pause. 

On the positive side, these lingering warm days made for some great hiking days in this prolonged shoulder season. As I've mentioned in a November "I Spy" post, with leaves down and undergrowth dying back, many treasures draw our eyes - from ferns and fungi to hidden rocks and geological features. I am constantly stopping on my hikes to explore, examine and admire.

Also on the plus side, the warmer temps have allowed invasives control work and prairie burns to go longer. Buckthorn eradication work was done in Vetsch Park and Stoney Point in La Crescent by the Natural Resources Advisory group and city staff. The Friends of the Blufflands and Prairie Enthusiasts did a number of burns, seeding and invasives removal across the river in the Wisconsin bluffs. Other groups did the same. It's a never-ending battle so extra days to get this work done makes a huge difference.

Below are some pictures of what I spied on this month's hikes. Happy new year and see you on the trails!

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

Month of hikes: Vetsch Park, La Crescent MN; Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge, Pine Creek Trail, Trempealeau, WI; La Crosse Marsh trails, La Crosse WI; Riverside Park, La Crosse WI; Pickwick Quarry, La Moille MN; Beaver Creek Valley State Park, Hole in the Rim Trail, Caledonia MN; Yellow River State Forest, Luster Heights trails, Harper’s Ferry  IA; Riverside Park, La Crosse WI; Hixon Forest Hickory Trail, La Crosse WI;  Snakeroot Rail, Mathy Quarry, La Crosse WI: Beaver Creek Valley State Park, Trout Stream Trail, Caledonia MN; Veteran’s Park, Eagle Bluff access trail, La Crescent, MN 

Images - Marge Loch-Wouters, Nola Larson

First Day Hikes

First Day hikes, always scheduled for New Year's Day, are a great way to shake out the New Year's Eve cobwebs and hit the trails for some brisk hiking.  It's fun to get out to a favorite trail and see the beauty that winter hiking reveals in the stark landscapes. Or you can join a guided hike!

Many state parks sponsor guided hikes/snowshoe events and activities on that day. It's a great way to meet other winter enthusiasts and discover all that winter outdoor play has to offer in the beautiful woods and state parks. 

The American Hiking Society has a great page of information with links to other websites. 

In the Driftless, we have some excellent guided hike options including:

• Perrot State Park. WI               9:30-11:00 am  Guided Hike
• Whitewater State Park, MN    2:00-3:00pm       Guided Hike
• Frontenac State Park, MN      11 am -2:00 pm   Self- Guided Hikes (Hot chocolate and warm fire thanks to their Friends group!))
• Yellow River State Forest, IA   9:00-11:00 am   Guided Hike

Find additional lists of first day hikes at these Driftless state park websites:  MN DNR; WI DNR (search words: First Day Hike); IA DNR

You can find more information at the America's State Parks website. And you can go anywhere for your hikes

Where will your first day hike be? See you on the trails!

Image - Lloyd Lorenz

An Outdoor Group for EVERYONE

Have you ever been outdoors doing your thing - hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, birding, cross country skiing, rock climbing - and had the distinct feeling when you see others there that you are perhaps an "only"? The only woman; the only person of color; the only person with a disability; the only LGBTQIA+ person; the only older; the only younger? 

You can get that feeling too when you are using guiding services, in outdoor recreation stores or becoming involved in lots of outdoor groups or associations.

Being an "only" - or one of a very few - can be a discouraging feeling. It's easy to feel out of place; unsafe or challenged by not feeling like part of the dominant group that is recreating. And if you long to be outdoors more, it can be off-putting. 

That's why I was so excited to learn about the Winona Outdoor Collaborative. Their mission statement says it all: "to promote inclusion and accessibility through community partnerships, environmental stewardship, and educational programming directed at reducing barriers to outdoor recreation."  

When I read this, I just had to touch base with them. Recently I sat down with Alexa Shapiro , the executive director (and Director of Trailblazing), to learn more about their programs and focus. A warm and open person, she has a Masters in Recreational Management, is a Wilderness First Responder and has over 5000 miles of backpacking on her boots, along with a variety of outdoor experiences. I asked her how the Collaborative came about.

Syd and Alexa, cofounders
Image WOC website

Originally started in 2019 as a women-centered collaborative, that first volunteer group created events where women could find - and give - support to each other as well as be part of safe and inclusive outdoor opportunities. By 2020, cofounders Alexa Shapiro and Sydney Bockelman, created the nonprofit Winona Outdoor Collaborative, expanding their focus to include "all marginalized identities in outdoor recreation." 

Image WOC website

The collaborative holds monthly events, meetups and workshops on the outdoors including hiking, backing, paddling and rock climbing. They also have outdoor equipment rentals at a very affordable cost (average cost $4 for 24 hours of rental) and guided experiences in southeastern MN's Driftless region. They hold gear swaps periodically as well (a great way to re-purpose your no longer-needed gear or pick up needed used gear at a great price).

Image WOC website

One of the new exciting projects being worked on is Bigger Hearts Adaptive Cross Country Ski program. Designed for youth from 4-17 years old with cognitive and intellectual disabilities, the goal is to offer these young people a chance to an accessible winter outdoor experience.

Funded by memberships, donations, grants and modest program fees, the group works hard to create a creative and supportive culture that recognizes and celebrates the importance of representation. The Collaborative's focus on inclusion, integrity, collaboration, environmental education and conservation speaks to their values and aspirations. They work hard on equity and inclusion issues and do thoughtful strategic brainstorming to overcome barriers so that representation truly happens..

As someone who has long noted the preponderance of male perspectives in outdoor recreations and groups associated with the outdoors, the inclusive and collaborative focus of the Winona Outdoor Collaborative is a refreshing change. I hope you consider supporting this group with your membership or donation, volunteer time or by taking part in their activities. They are truly open to all!

Be sure to explore their website to learn more.

Naturalist's Corner - Just Ducky

In this month's column, our guest is Janet Malotky, a bird watcher extraordinaire who was part of my 2022 Master Naturalist volunteer cohort. She is also a member of the Frontenac State Park Association. As an avid birder, she enjoys nothing more than getting outside, binoculars in hand, to revel in the amazing natural world around us. In this article, Janet breaks down how ducks are able to stay warm. This article first appeared in the December 2023 Frontenac State Park Association Newsletter. 

Bird Notes: Our December Ducks - and How They Keep Warm

Fall migration stirs a mist of melancholy, for while it’s exciting that our little friends come visiting on their way south, they don’t stay, and they’re trailing winter in their wake. Bird and bird species numbers continue to drop, and they stay low until spring.

A few birds, however, arrive from the north in late fall and stick around for a while to brave the fierce winter weather with us. We see rafts of them in December, bobbing in open water surrounded by ice. They’ll stick around for as long as they can find open water. 

Most of these are mixed flocks of Common Mergansers, one of our largest duck species, and Common Goldeneyes. They breed in Canada and Alaska, then fly south for the winter, mostly to large freshwater rivers and lakes in the United States, like the Mississippi and Lake Pepin. Some, especially Goldeneyes, also winter off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. 

Common Merganser and Common Goldeneye
Image - Steve Dietz

Common Merganser and Common Goldeneye males are mostly white-bodied with some black on their backs. They have dark green iridescent heads that usually appear black, as in the photograph above, taken at Sand Point. The females of both species have warm brown heads and brownish-gray bodies. In addition, female Mergansers have jazzy crests of brown feathers on their heads (best seen on the far right center bird under the flapping male’s wing). In the photo, all the birds with orange-red bills are Common Mergansers. Two Common Goldeneyes can also be identified. The Goldeneye male, center left (facing right), has a round white spot just below and forward from his eye. The female is a few duck-lengths ahead of him, just right of center, also facing right and in profile. Her brown head is the same triangular shape as her mate’s. And of course, both Goldeneyes have golden eyes.

You may wonder how in the world these birds keep from freezing to death. The first part of the answer is that their bodies are thickly covered with down underneath their feathers, which traps an insulating layer of air next to their skin. In addition, they keep their feathers waterproofed by rubbing them with oil from special glands when they preen. Lastly, they (and many other birds and mammals) have a remarkable circulatory adaptation, a “countercurrent heat exchange system” that keeps their core temperature at a more steady state, while still keeping their feet and legs from freezing.

It works like this: The cool venous blood heading back from the feet toward the heart passes very close to the warm arterial blood leaving the heart toward the feet. The cool blood gets warmed up a bit as it passes the warm blood, so by the time it gets back to the heart it doesn’t cool the bird’s core down as much. At the same time, the warm blood heading for the feet gets cooled down a little bit as it passes by the cool blood. This is OK because, since the feet and legs are mostly bones and tendons, they don’t need to stay as warm. Because the feet and legs have very little insulation, there is less heat lost to winter’s chill than there would be if the blood was still warm.

Common Mergansers and Common Goldeneyes are diving ducks. Both species eat fish, aquatic invertebrates (mollusks, snails, insects and their larvae), and aquatic plants. Common Mergansers also eat frogs, small mammals, and birds, which they grip tightly with the serrated edges on their bills. This unusual bill feature has earned Mergansers their nickname: Sawbills.

Bald Eagles can frequently be seen hanging out at the edge of the ice where the ducks are fishing. Although eagles have been observed hunting and eating these birds, this seems to be rare. Mergansers and Goldeneyes are more vulnerable to predation when they are chicks. By the time they arrive in our park, they are fully grown, and their main concern when it comes to eagles is protecting their catch. Eagles are ready to filch a fish at the first opportunity.

And when you’re a duck trying to make it in a cold northern winter, you need all the fish you can catch.

Note: Membership information in the Frontenac State Park Association can be found here. Copies of and subscriptions to their marvelous newsletter can be found here.

 

Yellow River State Forest IA Hike - Luster Heights Unit

South Overlook Luster Heights

In my quest to avoid hiking in MN and WI during the two November weeks of deer gun hunting season, hiking buddies and I headed an hour down the river road to Iowa. There we started exploring the gorgeous Yellow River State Forest near Harper's Ferry along the Great River Road.

The forest lies right along the Mississippi River and features rolling hills and high bluffs. It has a number of units with lots of interesting landforms.  We started our exploration in the Luster Heights unit, a blufftop set of trails that offer easy hiking and great overlooks.

Luster Heights unit trail map

Many of trails are on old logging roads and well mapped. The forest is managed for multiple uses including recreation, logging and forest research. There are many areas of pine plantations. The oak and hickory trees tower over many areas creating a huge canopy that shades the understory.  

From the early 60s until 2017,  a prison camp was established at Luster Heights and inmate labor was used to create/maintain trails, campgrounds, waysides, overlooks and picnic areas. The trails in the Luster Height unit are wide, well marked and traverse some beautiful forestlands. The 3 miles of mostly connecting trails are easy enough for a gentle hike or Amble and great for general hiking, biking and cross country skiing or snowshoeing.

Leaf-covered ravines

We hiked the trails of this oak, hickory and pine plantation forested area over two separate days. The wider trails were easy to follow even with a bushel of oak leaves covering the trails through many parts of the forest. The overlooks give a fabulous view of the Mississippi river, its sloughs and floodplain forests and the Wisconsin bluffs. The views along the trail deep into the woods and ravines are also pretty spectacular. This is a mature forest with towering trees which would make a fantastic shaded hike during hot summer days.

THE HIKE

A rare driftless area in Iowa that hugs the Mississippi River features towering bluffs, deep ravines and lovely rim and forest trails. The hiking at the Luster Heights unit  (770 acres) is easy with very moderate to little elevation. Two overlooks give wide views of the river, floodplain forests, sloughs and bluffs of neighboring WI's driftless area. Many connecting trail give options for shorter or longer hikes on the 3 miles of trails. Trails are well-marked (maps can be downloaded from the Yellow River State Forest website).

Location

The Luster Heights Unit of the Yellow River State Forest is located off the Great River Road (Hwy 364/X52) about 5 miles south of Harper's Ferry, IA. Turn easy on Luster Heights Rd and head up the gravel road about a mile to a small parking lot and trailhead on the left. In winter, the trails are groomed for cross-country skiing.

Get in Gear - It's Winter!

Finally our temps are heading in the right direction for winter play times. I want to share some thoughts on  gear and resources to keep you warm and upright while we snow play during the cold and icy months.

My Five Favorite Pieces of Winter Gear:

MICROSPIKES

My spikes!

Once I started using these babies, I was hooked. It completely changed my winter hiking (more, more, more!) and had me outdoors even more when the snow wasn't deep enough for snowshoeing  - a frequent occurrence as our climate warms.

Spikes in action while bushwhacking

I went with Kahtoola microspikes. They are tough, long lasting, grip your boots and have worked on ice, sugar snow, slopes, hills and slippery leaf hiking bluff adventures. They come in a little sack you can easily drop that in your backpack so you can have them on the trails in any situation. They fit tightly so I recommend going to the next size up when purchasing - you won't regret it when getting the strong rubber up and around your insulated boots. They are worth every penny of their price and will keep you hiking in the worst snow-covered and icy trail conditions.

SNOWSHOES

Insanely easy bindings

While I loved my old wooden and rawhide Iversons, I finally made the switch a few years ago to a smaller, lighter aluminum model featuring heel lifts, crampons and insanely simple yet tough bindings (Atlas Elektras). There are plenty of good brands out there. 

My advice here: really look at the bindings and make sure they are quick enough to get into, tighten and release - it will save you seriously frozen fingers. If you are hiking up any bluffs or climbing while you snowshoe, I highly recommend making sure your snowshoes have heel lifts that can be popped up to support your heel and keep your foot flatter when climbing. Your Achilles tendons and calves will thank you!

BOOTS

You know when you are in inadequate winter boot - your feet are freezing! Keeping tootsies warm is easy when you have waterproof, insulated boots. I found a pair of Merrill hiking boots that are less bulky than my old Sorrels and are mid height. It gives my foot lots more flexibility, while winter hiking, provides ankle support and keeps my feet toasty warm in even below zero temps. Best of all they work great for hiking and snowshoeing!

LAYERS

Typical gear for all winter fun
Image - Lloyd Lorenz

Tops and bottoms, it's all about layers. I always start with a thin Merino wool base layer on top and add additional thin layers as temps plunge. That gives me flexibility and maneuverability without feeling like I'm an over-stuffed doll. If I heat up, I can quickly shed a top layer and I'm good to go.

For bottoms, I swear by Smartwool's Intranet Thermal Bottom. These are warm and flexible yet light. I can wear wind-resistent cross country ski leggings over them while hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. It really helps not to feel I am dragging pounds of clothing on me and helps me when I am climbing and scrambling.  If it's blisteringly cold and windy I will sometimes add a light polypro bottom over the the Smartwool thermals as a third layer and voila - toasty!

GAITERS

I have had my bright blue Outdoor Research gators for decades. They have kept the snow out of my boot tops and socks when skiing and hiking. It makes all the difference in being able to stay out for as long as I want without feeling damp and cold. 

I could go on but I wanted to touch on the five major areas that have changed my approach to winter hiking. If you want more suggestions, I recommend this post from This Big Wild World blog by MN's Susan Gleissner. She delves even further into recommendations on hats, gaiters, jackets and more and has some great tips and recommendations!

What's your favorite winter gear? Let me know in the comments.

Below zero? I don't care.
Image - Kris Lawson

Images - Marge Loch-Wouters, unless noted

The Joy of November on the Trails

When we think of great times to hike, spring, summer and early fall often are the times we most love to be out exploring. The weather, the plant, insect and animal life, the color; the lushness and variety of sights along the trailside make every step along the way a delight.

I find, though, that it is in the late fall - the cold days of November when the autumn leaves are long gone and the air is crisp and often near or below freezing - that I experience some of my greatest joy while hiking. It is a time of quiet, less crowded trails; endless vistas;  and sights hidden by lush growth displayed once more for those who hike the trails.

While it is a cat-and-mouse game to find trails during the various gun deer seasons, being tri-state-al (living in MN near the borders of WI and IA) helps alot. It is worth the effort to find safe hiking spots to enjoy all November has to offer.

Here are a few favorite moments and sights from these last lovely few weeks of hiking and the secrets revealed.

A flock of cedar waxwings flew away from a red cedar we were near. We stayed quiet and they returned to feast on the berries while we stood quietly beneath them on top a bluff. A rare treat.

Water droplets from an overnight rain glisten on an oak leaf on an early morning hike.

Way finding on oak-leaf covered trails we've never been on is challenging but fun. We can discern a faint outline of slightly crushed leaves. The blazes on trees and trusty app keep us on track though.

I also freely admit that shooshing through dry oak leaves as I hike is one of my top favorite parts of late fall hiking.

The surprise of seeing bright green - maidenhair ferns, wood ferns, rock ferns, waterleaf - nestled among the sea of fallen leaves - even after frost - is always a delight. 

Tamarack is the only conifer in MN to shed all its leaves annually. They hang on even longer than the oaks before shedding. The orange-yellow hue stands out as some of the last color left in the forests.

Fungi and lichen still can be found before the frost hugging close to the ground amidst the fallen leaves. After the frost, the shelf fungi hang on in their slow work of breaking down the tree they perch on.

Rock formations hidden from view by lush undergrowth and leaves are suddenly spied. They tell the story of upheaval and long erosion, only revealed in the late fall and winter months.

The last subtle colors of the forest before the winds sweep the leaves away for the winter.

We get almost uninterrupted views of the Mississippi River from the blufftops as we hike along the eastern rim trails. 

The fall migration of tundra and trumpeter swans along with many other waterfowl along the Mississippi flyway is a highlight of November.

I hope you too have been hiking and enjoying the special sights along the trail this November. It's a great month to be hiking!

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters

I Spy on the Trails - Weeks of Nov 12 and Nov 19, 2023

The past two weeks continued the long, slow stretch of fall weather with temps in the 40s and 50s. While rain was predicted here and there, only a bit of mist ever got near us. For the last four days, the temperatures have gotten colder - 20s overnight and mid-30s to mid-40s for daytime temps. So we had our first hard frost finally, far later than usual. Prime hiking weather.

The swan and waterfowl migration has been in full swing. The raucous gathering of tundra and trumpeter swans have been amazing. The Canada geese, ducks and waterfowl (that I still have a difficult time distinguishing) were legion. A friend told us about a new quiet spot to see resting/feeding swans near a small IA creek's delta on the Mississippi - we have had great close-up views of the migratory action. You can see weekly updates to the sightings on the US Fish and Wildlife's website. So head out as soon as you can. The migration through our area is near its end.

A view of the Mississippi from
Yellow River State Forest IA

The gun deer hunting seasons in both MN and WI occurred during this last week. I always keep safety in mind for these this particular hunting season. Often the hunters are using higher power rifles and many are infrequent hunters. While we wear blaze orange and neon yellow on fall hikes and avoid hiking in these states - even in city/state parks that often border private lands during the deer gun season - you can't be too careful.  Luckily, we are near Iowa, so their trails received alot of my attention! It was a joy to explore these great forests within an hour of where I live.

This time of year is one of my favorite hiking times. With undergrowth died back and leaves down, the views and landforms are revealed. Surprising bright patches of waterleaf and ferns pop up among the leaves along the trails. Fungi are everywhere yet. Trail-finding is a fun challenge in the scads of leaves covering trails and the crunch of oak leaves is a delight. The blufftop views of the Mississippi, sloughs, floodplain forests and nearby states on these crisp November days are spectacular.

Bellflower spotted!
Image - Nola Larson

Plants

• Rock fern
• Wood fern
• Maidenhair fern
• Intermediate wood fern
• Water leaf
• Bellflower (spotted by Nola)
• Spikemoss

Wildlife (seen/heard/ detected)

Cedar waxwing on a blufftop red cedar
Image - Kris Lawson

• Cedar waxwing
• Tundra swans
• Trumpeter swans
• Eagles
• Red-tailed hawk
• Goshawk
• Mallards
• Canada geese
• so many ducks (sorry, my ID ability on these paddlers is the worst)
• Red headed woodpecker
• Pileated woodpecker
• Blue Jay
• Chickadee

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

Two weeks of hikes: Vetsch Park, La Crescent MN; Reno Rocks and Reno Spillway, Reno, WI; Fish Farm Mounds, New Albin IA; Forester /White Pine Trails - Yellow River State Forest, New Albin IA; Riverside Park, La Crosse WI; Luster Heights trails - Yellow River State Forest, New Albin IA; Paint Rock/Mississippi trails - Yellow River State Forest, New Albin IA

The sloughs and floodplain forests of the Mississippi River
as seen from IA with WI bluffs in the background

All images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

Lost Creek Trail (MN) Hike

I recently had the opportunity to join a couple of friends to celebrate fall and hike at the Lost Creek Trail near Chatfield MN. An article in the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine earlier this year alerted me to this incredible resource. I knew I wanted to get there.

Bluff Country Hiking Club, which maintains the Lost Creek Trail, sent out a general invite for an October 28 event. Hikers and runners were invited to meet at the newly renovated Jordan Town Hall near the westernmost Nine Bark trailhead. and explore the trail. Cider and donuts were available in the morning as hikers stopped by to admire the new flooring and restored wall lamps and see the soon-to-be installed wood stove. Hikers could also chat with landowners and pick up maps and information. Then we hit the trail!

On the Thorn Apple Hill path
Tim/Susan Gossman property

What makes this hike so special is that the trail was developed by landowners collaborating to make parts of their properties available to hikers at no cost. Opened in 2011, this trail winds through woodlands, wetlands, over streams, up and down hills and valleys and along connecting farm fields and a few road sections. 

The other  trailhead in Chatfield is located at Groen Park where parking is available for the easternmost portion of the trail. The first mile or so of this trailhead is along the shoulder of County Highway 2 until you cross over into the first property and head up. 

Crossing a small streamlet

Our hike started at the western Ninebark trailhead on Ninebark Rd. We did the first half of the trail for an out-and-back 4.5 mile hike. After a brief walk along old farm fields, we entered a lovely rolling forested area. The trail soon dipped down to cross a small stream and then back up again to gain some stellar views of forests and land across and below us. We continued in this valley and to a bridge over Lost Creek in a more open, grassy wetlands area.

A sinkhole in the Bailey Bros. section

We continued up and down through forestland with signs explaining how and why trees were chosen for selective cutting for the health of the forest.  As we passed, signs also indicated an impressive sinkhole in this karst area and limestone cliffs along the trail. We turned around at about the halfway point to retrace our steps.

Lost Creek winding beneath limestone cliffs

Each segment of the trail is carefully managed by the landowners and Bluff Country Hiking Club. It's a real pleasure to hike these trails. The trails are well marked with blazes and signs indicating the direction to each trailhead. Landowners request that hikers only use the dedicated trails. The trail is closed during November for the fall gun deer hunting seasons.

We look forward to doing a thru-hike on this trail . When we do, I'll report out the adventure!

THE HIKE

A long, moderate-to challenging hike with rolling hills, stream and creek crossings and a variety of landscapes to hike through. The trail is the result of nearby landowners collaborating to open their land to make a trail that connects from Chatfield MN to Jordan Township, 6.5 miles away. There are two short segments on roads and a mile hike to/from Chatfield on the shoulder of  Cty Hwy 2. Hikes can begin at either trailhead for an out-and-back or thru-hike.

LOCATION

The eastern trailhead is at Chatfield's Groen Park. The first mile is on the shoulder of Cty Highway 2 until you come to Mind Dr. Carefully cross the highway to the the small footbridge a bit east of your crossing. The western Ninebark trailhead is out of Chatfield on W. 3rd  St SW (past Groen Park) and out Cty Hwy 2 to Ninebark Rd. Turn left and follow it to the trailhead on the left. You can also park along the side of that road.

I Spy on the Trails - Weeks of Oct 29 and November 5, 2023

Our first snow hit Halloween eve and into Halloween Tuesday leaving roads icy and trails packed with sloppy wet snow. But like all early snows, streets, lawns and trails quickly reemerged and temperatures slowly crept up into the 60s. It's odd to have such long stretches of warm weather in November. The final part of this week was still an unseasonably warm high 40s and low 50s.

I was out on the long trails a little less these past two weeks. Instead I was reliving alot of the past 2 years of hiking as I put together last Wednesday's program on hiking trails and seasonal trails and hiking tips. I appreciated the attendees and their sharing at the program.

Wood ferns still around

With the leaves down on most trees and the undergrowth died down, the views on hikes have been spectacular. Rocks, hillocks, and wildlife are more easily visible and lend even the most familiar trails new to my eyes. It's why I love hiking in the cold late fall and winter months. There is still so much to see.

The tundra swan and other waterfowl migration is in full swing along our part of the Mississippi River flyway. Thousands of birds are resting before they continue their migration through to their wintering grounds. Tens of thousands more will be heading through in the next few weeks. The overlooks are crowded with observers and photographers. It's a special time!

Plants/Fungi

The subtle colors of late fall

• Coral-pink merulius fungi
• Mustard yellow polypore
• Ocher bracket 
• Turkeytail
• False turkeytail
• Honey mushroom 
• Wood fern
• Maidenhair fern
• Northern oak fern
• Common bonnet mushroom

Wildlife (seen/heard/detected)

• Whitetail deer
• Blue jay
• Tick
• Tundra swans
• Canada geese
• Trumpeter swan
• Herons
• American coot
• Diving and dabbling ducks
• Bald eagles
• Pelicans

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

Two weeks of hikes: Wildwood Trail, Winona MN; Fish Farm Mounds, New Albin, IA; Riverside Park, La Crosse WI, Reno Spillway and Reno Quarry, Reno MN; Vetsch Park, La Crescent MN; North and South Compass Trails, Hixon Gateway, La Crosse WI; Butterfly Trails, Shelby WI

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters

And.....It's Still Tick Time

Hunters and hikers will tell you. Tick time is still with us. With high temperatures and warm nights, ticks are turning up - and on people  again.  While undergrowth has died back, there are enough long grasses and brush to help remind us that ticks are active in fall in these unusally high warm temps.

The black-legged deer tick is the primary carrier of Lyme's disease. But don't despair. Usually, a tick has to be attached to you 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted. If you remove a tick quickly (usually within the first 24 hours), you reduce your chances of getting Lyme disease.

The good news is that the ticks are almost all adults so you can see them more easily than when they are in their nymph stage. And there are great ways to protect yourself!

Here are a few quick pre- and post-hike prevention tips that can help with peace of mind and no ticks attached to you!

• Wear light colored clothing (easier to find ticks on them).
• Tuck pants into socks. 
• Spray boots and pants legs with a Picaridin or DEET-containing insect repellent.
• Pro tip from WI DNR -after hikes, toss your hiking clothes into the dryer on high for a 10 minute spin (it kills the little beasties)
• Check your body carefully for any tick action post-hike
• Shower/wash hair (usually it takes from 24-36 hours after a tick attaches. A good scrub helps to dislodge them).
• Consider spraying a set of "hiking clothes" with Permethrin. 

I also have a set of Rynoskin tops and bottoms that work well during high tick seasons (they are also effective in preventing mosquitoes from drilling into you). They are easy to use, non-chemical way of giving you protection against your skin.

Don't let ticks stop you from enjoying hikes in these amazing November temperatures. Let's get out there!

Resources from Nov 8 Driftless Trails Presentation

For folks who were able to attend the Nov 8 talk on hiking trails in the Driftless area at Whitewater (MN) State Park, below are resources  - with links in brown to click for websites and blog posts -  I mentioned in the presentation. They are all just a click away. A huge thanks to the Friends of Whitewater State Park for the invite to present! It was a blast!

The Driftless Area. Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey in partnership with Illinois State, Iowa and Minnesota Geological Surveys. A brief, 2 page overview of what actually constitutes the Driftless area  and what is "driftless-style topography". See also this post from the blog.

Hiking Gear mentioned

    Rynoskin
    Premethrin fabric and gear spray
    Tick gaiters
    Head net

    Trace Minerals PowerPak
    Microspikes
    

Tech on the Trail blog post

State Parks - a bit of everything for hikers

• MN State Parks - Great River Bluffs; Whitewater; Beaver Creek Valley Carley Forestville
• WI State Parks - Perrot State Park, Wildcat Mountain

Blufflands Hikes

• Butterfly Trails,  Shelby, WI
• Vetsch Park,  La Crescent MN
• Greens Coulee,  Onalaska WI
• Mississippi Valley Conservancy bluffs, La Crosse WI

Rim Hikes

• Sugar Creek Bluff, Ferryville, WI
• Wildwood Trail, Winona MN
• Magelssen Bluff, Rushford MN

Bluffsides

• Eagles Bluff, La Crescent MN, 422 Red Apple Dr.
• Stinky/Chicanary/Quarry Trails, Upper Hixon, La Crosse WI
• Hickory Trail, Lower Hixon, La Crosse WI
• Oak Trail, Lower Hixon, La Crosse WI

Prairies

• Holland Sand Prairie, Holland WI
• Brice Prairie Visitor's Center, Brice Prairie WI
• Upper Hixon Forest   - ["String of Pearls" map], La Crosse WI

River/Creek Walks

• Wagon Wheel Trail, La Crescent MN
• Lytle's Landing,  Brice Prairie WI
• McGilvray Seven Bridges, New Amsterdam - Friends of McGilvray website

Flat and Fun

• Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge, Trempealeau WI
• Marsh Trails, La Crosse WI  - map
• Goose Island, La Crosse WI
• Root River WMA, Hokah MN

All Around Fun Hikes

• Lost Creek Trail, Chatfield MN
• Norwegian Ridge, Spring Grove MN
• LevisTrow Mounds Recreation Area
• Reno Quarry and Reno Spillway

Finding New Hikes

• Facebook Groups - Women Who Hike MN; Blufflands Hiking
• MN State Parks Hiking Club
• Winona Outdoor Collaborative
• Meet-up

MN Driftless Hiking Backpack Trail

Blog post about MDHT

Slide deck of the 11/8/23 presentation

Naturalist's Corner - Tons of Tundra Swans

Today we dig a little more deeply into the fall migration of tundra swans, a wonder along the Mississippi River!

Just as the trees have dropped their colorful autumn leaves and the dominant color in woods and fields are greys and browns, the tundra swan migration goes into high gear along the Mississippi River flyway near where we live in southeastern MN. Those brilliant white birds are like another party getting started!

This annual tundra swan fall migration hits our area just about the beginning of November and lasts until the end of the month. Shallow pools along the river sloughs are filled with their raucous calls. We see tens of thousands stopping on their migration routes. 

The most numerous species in North America, tundra swans (also called whistling swans) are slightly smaller than mute or trumpeter swans. They are white with a black bill which often has a spot of yellow on it near their eye.

Image courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service

They are dabblers - they upend themselves to eat their favored tubers - up to 6 lbs of "duck potatoes" a day.

I had always thought that the migrations from their summer nesting grounds to their winter grounds in the Chesapeake Bay area in the eastern United States and back again in spring were quick runs. I was surprised that studies tracking swans suggest that the swans spend over 4 month each year in their migration! 

The fall migration from the Arctic circle to Chesapeake Bay area is a journey of over 3000 miles. According to a study tracking a small sample of tundra swans written by Khristi A. Wilkins et al published in Wildfowl (2010) 60: 20–37, each of the 3 or 4 stops the swans make along the way lasts for 2-3 weeks as they rest and refuel before the next stop. The swans don't leave together and all at once, but rather there are staggered flights beginning from early September through early October. 

The green line shows the tundra swan migration path on the map

The swans can often stay in the Upper Mississippi river for a few weeks at a time before heading, in their final lap, to their Chesapeake Bay area wintering grounds. They take a sharp easternly turn and head directly there, with the final swans arriving from November through December. That's why habitats with a good food supply and vast areas where the migrating waterfowl can rest is so critical.

It speaks to the importance of all their resting stops. Healthy natural areas can support the migrations - especially in times of climate change. I will be watching in coming years to see what kind of impacts the warming temperatures might have on this important migration.

Meanwhile, now is the time to join the tundra swans' raucous migration party. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is sponsoring a number of staffed weekend viewings in the next few weeks to help you learn about and identify the swans and other waterfowl and birds migrating through.  Read on:

Swan Migration at Brownsville Overlook    

Saturdays/Sundays  Nov 11/12 and Nov 18/19   10am-2pm

Come enjoy the fall migration! As the seasons turn colder, thousands of swans, ducks and other water birds move through the refuge, finding a place to rest, relax and refuel before moving further south for the winter. A Refuge naturalist will be stationed at the Brownsville Overlook to help visitors identify birds and share information about the refuge and migration. Please note that naturalists’ shifts may be cancelled or end early without warning in inclement or extremely cold weather. The Brownsville Overlook is located about three miles south of Brownsville, Minnesota along Minnesota Highway 26. A portable restroom will be available on-site. We recommend wearing lots of warm layers!  Though peak migration is difficult to predict, the best time to see the tundra swan migration is usually the second or third week in November. The swans will typically stay until the water freezes over – if temperatures stay below freezing at night, the peak of migration will be earlier in November. Warmer weather extends their stay. Recent sightings and estimates of bird numbers are posted weekly on the refuge website.  For more information, please call the La Crosse District Visitor Center at 608-779-2399 (Tues-Fri 9am-3pm) 

The Friends of the Upper Mississippi will join the refuge on Saturday Nov 11 for Waterfowl Observation Day: Come join the Friends of the Upper Mississippi (FUM), Friends of the Refuge –Mississippi River Pools 7 & 8 (FOR78) and the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge to celebrate the fall migration! Spotting scopes and bird identification guides will be available for visitors to enjoy. Refuge staff, and members of FUM and FOR78 will assist with bird ID and related questions. Please dress for chilly weather! Light refreshments will be available while supplies last, during this event only. All donations for refreshments will benefit FUM. Members of FUM and FOR78 will have wildlife-themed items available for purchase. The Brownsville Overlook is one of the best places along the river to view hundreds of tundra swans, ducks, pelicans and bald eagles. The overlook is located about three miles south of Brownsville, MN along MN Highway 26.

You can read more about the tundra swans spring migration and habits in this recent post by Charlotte Lukes.

A huge thank you to Katie Julian of the US Fish and Wildlife Service who shared the research that helped me write this post!