Sunday, June 4, 2023

I Spy on the Trails - Week of May 28, 2023

The temps this past week reached into the high 80s and low 90's. Combined with the lack of rain over the past week and the haze from the continuing Canadian wildfires, hiking has been somewhat uncomfortable.  Water levels are going down although the Mississippi River continues at a slightly higher level and flow rate than usual at this time of year. 

All my week's hikes were in the north central region of WI and most were on Ice Age Trail segments - hardwoood forests, eskers and kettles and plenty of wet boggy areas. And rocks, many many rocks since these trails are along the terminal moraine of the glaciers.. Both mosquitoes and ticks were fierce. The full strawberry moon was a highlight as it waxed through the week. I also got to stand on the 45th parallel, north latitude (halfway between the equator and the north pole), on a hike which was fun!

Wildflowers

Wild sarsaparilla and trillium
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

  • Trillium
  • Wild Sarsaparilla
  • Bunchberry
  • Dryad's saddle
  • Swamp saxifrage
  • Wild geranium
  • Red baneberry
  • Wild blue phlox
  • Two-leaf miterwort
  • Blue cohosh
  • Meadow rue
  • Downy yellow violet
  • Eastern waterleaf
  • Blue-bead lily
  • Canada mayflower
  • Meadow buttercup
  • Water avens
  • Starflower
  • False Solomon's seal
  • Horse tails
  • Ferns (Ostrich, maidenhair, sensitive, interrupted)
  • Pussytoes

Wildlife (Seen, Heard)
Well camouflaged toad
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

  • Common loon
  • Barred owl
  • American Redstart
  • Red-eyed vireo
  • Ovenbird
  • American toad
  • Black-throated green warbler
  • Indigo bunting
  • Common yellowthroat
  • Veery
  • Wood thrush
  • Canada warbler
  • Catbird
  • Least flycatcher
  • Hermit thrush
  • Great crested flycatcher
  • Rose breasted grosbeak
  • Eastern phoebe
  • Eastern wood pewee
  • Mourning warbler
What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

This week's hike's: Erbach Park Trails, Athens (WI), IAT* Dells of the Eau Claire Segment Trail, Aniwa (WI), IAT* Plover River Trail Segment, Aniwa (WI), IAT* Highland Lakes Eastern Segment Trail, Langlade Co. (WI)

*IAT - Ice Age Trail

View of the Eau Claire River
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters



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