Tag: Hidden Lake Gardens

Six Days, Six Parks

by Gregorio Perez, posted in random

Starting on January 12, 2011 I began a “one park a day” adventure.  I didnt premeditate it.  It just sort of happened.  It happened because of two things.  I like to go birding and I love cross country skiing.  Skiing has been one of my favorite things to do in Winter for almost 20 years.  I’m not the kind of person who sits home and complains about boredom.  When I was a kid, me and my brothers went outside to play…no matter how cold it was.  I dont think Winter keeps people from going outside.  Like the Pennsylvania Governor said about the cancellation of a recent NFL game, “I think were becoming a nation of wussies”.  You dont have to be a tough guy to make that statement.  Nah, you just have to know a thing or two about Winter.  Most importantly…respect it.  Dont go outside with a t-shirt and sandals and then tell me winter sucks.  That’s just stupid.  Here’s how I have fun in Winter…

January 12th, 2011:  Got off work, got home, changed into my ski clothes, and headed out to Heritage Park.  Here’s what I wear.  Wool or Synthetic socks, biking tights under REI ski pants or jeans, leg gators if I’m wearing jeans (it keeps the snow out of your boots), polyproplyene undershirt (synethetic material to wick away the sweat), fleece mid layer, windbreaker, fleece hat, fleece gloves.  Avoid cotton clothes in the winter because it does not stay dry and being wet in the cold is bad.  I also carry a backpack which contains; bird guide, binoculars, water, fruit.

January 13th, 2011:  I planned to attend an Audubon lecture in Jackson at the Dahlem Environmental Center.  The DEC has some nice trails so I wanted to hike a few before the meeting.  I wore the same gear (washed overnight of course).  In my backpack I carried an LED headlight, binoculars, bird guide, and a trail map.  Also, I wear gore-tex (waterproof) hiking boots.  To make snow hiking more enjoyable I purchased a set of “microspikes” for my boots.  It’s like putting chains on your car tires.  You can hike without them, but it feels like walking in sludge.  The microspikes gives you better traction…less slipping on ice and snow.  I like that.

January 14th:  I headed out to Ramsdell Park to ski.  Ditto on the clothes.  When I got there and put my skis on something felt wrong.  I had a fatal boot failure.  Not a problem because I brought my hiking boots and microspikes just in case.  My point is that it’s always good to have a plan B.  I did some birding instead.

January 15th:  I planned to go to Hidden Lake Gardens.  Saturday was very cold and very windy.  I had the usual gear on but the wind was wicked.  The hike was short because of it.  The lesson here is know your limits.

January  16th:  I needed to go to REI to get new ski boots.  They hooked me up quick.  Since I was in Ann Arbor I did some exploring.  I visited Gallup Park and Furstenberg Park.  I had heard reports that Pine Siskins were in Furstenberg Park.  I heard them but never saw them.  After that quick birding/photo outing I headed over to Matthaei Botanical Gardens.  I knew they had trails but had never hiked them before.  I headed inside to grab a trail map and took off.  The trails there are super slick and relatively flat…good for beginner skiers…or for people who like to go fast.  MBG is a beautiful place and well worth the drive.

Today, January 17th:  I wanted to do a super long, all day ski at HLG today.  I found some new trails there which are very secluded.  The sun was out when I started but as the day progressed it got cloudier and colder.  After three hours of skiing I had enough.  I explored some new territory on the southeast side, I made it through the hilly Hiker Trail without colliding with any trees and I skied the new unnamed trail on the west side.  The new trail has more ups and downs than the hiker trail.  There are no scary downhills through the trees.  BUT there are two or three hairpin turns that are impossible to take on xcc skis.  Side stepping was needed to get down the hill in those locations.

Tomorrow I’m taking a break.  It’s fly tying night at a friend’s house.  I had a great six days, but I’m looking forward to the rest tomorrow.

Bird Count, Hidden Lake Gardens

by Gregorio Perez, posted in Birds

Results from Birding at Hidden Lake Gardens for three hours (1-4 pm) on January 9th, 2011.

Chickadee, 17; Crow, 5; Blue Jay, 11; Titmouse, 11; Cardinal, 10; Yellow-rumped Warbler, 5; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1; Downey Woodpecker, 8; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; Mourning Dove, 6; Starling, 29; Flicker, 1; White-Throated Sparrow, 8; Hairy Woodpecker, 1; Junco, 4; Goldfinch, 2; Golden Crowned Kinglet, 4; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1; Northern Mockingbird, 1; Bluebird, 6.

We get our fair share of dreary overcast days here in Michigan.  So when the sun comes out I need to get out.  It was a nice leisurely day.  I took my time getting ready, dressed warm, put on my snow gators, charged my camera battery, and donned my snow cleats.  I headed over to HLG.  The gardens were beautifully covered in snow.  A few cross-country skiers were out.  I turned on the “my tracks” app on my phone and put it away.  I found some new trails the last time I was there.  They aren’t on any map.  I prefer the trails less travelled.  But first I stood atop Phlox Hill and admired the view.  I didn’t like the fact that the gardens mowed down the Big Blue-stem for the winter.  I’m sure they had a good reason.  I hope they had a good reason.  I prefer the nature to look natural.  Anyway, I had a lot of trail ahead of me.  I listened for the Pileated.  I heard some loud drumming and headed in that general direction.  But, the drumming stopped.  It didn’t matter.  I found myself in a quiet hidden place off the beaten path.  I took my time and recorded birds.  They were all over; mostly White-throats, Chickadees and Cardinals.  Then I heard something different.  I heard a whistle.  Whistles are mostly for spring so I tuned in.  I saw the bird.  It looked like a female Purple Finch.  But it sounded like a vireo.  I never did get a really good look and it didn’t stick around long.  I didn’t record it.  I’m leaning towards a Purple Finch.  My friend Darrin spotted one near there a few weeks ago.  I could have used his expert eyes and ears today.  I also spotted that Yellow-rumped warbler in the same location.  I was 95% sure it was a YRW but it was far away.  Luckily I ran into a small flock further up the trail.  I phished for them and they came closer…coincidence?  I don’t know.  I’m not a good phisher.  I think it was just my lucky day.  They were clearly YRW’s.  It was slower going as I headed out of the thickets and into the open fields.  A small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets crossed my path and landed 10′ away.  They were feeding in the tall grass.  As I walked closer they flew closer.  I thought I had the perfect photo op.  But they were too close for my lens to focus on them.  They reminded me of that movie “Red October” where Sean Connery turned his submarine into the path of oncoming torpedos to cut the distance so the torpedo’s safety mechanism wouldn’t allow them to explode.  I didn’t know Kinglets were so knowledgeable in zoom lens technology?  Sean Connery would be proud of them.  My last good bird of the day was next to the parking lot.  A Northern Mockingbird was hanging around the gazebo.  It was a good birding day at HLG.  I got some sun, exercise and fresh air.  What more could you ask for?