Wildersmith April 6

This first weekend in April finds the north woods celebrating the full pink maple sugar moon. During the fourth mature lunar experience of 2012, spring is full speed ahead throughout the upper Trail region.

A minor set back to the vernal movement occurred as March bade farewell. The territory had an unexpected return visit from the “old man of the north” as he dropped by with what will probably be his last calling card for the next several months.

At Wildersmith the frosty old devil deposited just shy of three inches while areas in the mid-trail snow zone looked to get considerably more. The drab gray/brown earth was white for about three days, and now we are back to getting on with our green-up of the Gunflint.

Speaking of green-up, the fifth annual Gunflint Green-up is taking on new character for this year. Leadership and organization for the event is coming from the folks at Gunflint Lodge.

If you are interested in the continued recovery from the Ham lake wildfire, find details on the Gunflint Lodge website home page. I’m told that the focus for green-up activities this year will be around the Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center site and the revitalization of the old Gneiss Lake Trail as far as Blueberry Hill.

It’s appropriate that with Easter Sunday at hand, the north woods bunnies are beginning to get in tune with the traditional fashion parade. With the surprise disappearance of winter, most were caught in their lush white coats and nothing to hide behind.

Our trip to Grand Marais last weekend for Palm Sunday services found the Smith’s encountering any number of the hares along the roadways. With multiplication in their DNA, the “wabbit” population is going to have the local lynx and fox seeing more than double in months to come.

They were observed parading about in turned coats of anywhere from dirty white to almost warm weather brown. As fast as they are transitioning, next week should find them well into summer garb.

That Palm Sunday trip to town turned out to be quite reflective. For once, the air currents were still, and trail side open waters were mirror smooth. It was a great occasion to see the lake side forests upside down in a double exposure mode.

Although the total green-up of the forest is still a ways off, the coniferous reflections on the polished liquid surfaces were a sparkling renewed green, indicating that warm time juices are flowing early.

Our spring migration has found several species here and gone from border country. This weeks’ feature has involved hoards of juncos. The lively slate colored critters have been busy sorting through the leftovers from the nearly three hundred pounds of sunflower seeds that winter birds and squirrels have scattered beneath the feeders.

Another avian gang has also been busy sorting through winter remains. For the past two or three weeks, it has not been uncommon to have a dozen or more crows yacking around the yard each morning. Their conversation is often quite annoying, but their ability to clean up and loosen the forest duff for potential new plant re-birth makes them at least half way tolerable.

One more natural treat happened my way after the surprising snow. Regardless of the winter season, early or late, fresh snow always makes for great animal tracking. During the most recent such event, I came upon some not often seen imprints of paws, and what looked like a single sled runner.

At first, I was not tracking, no pun intended, when suddenly, I realized what I was following was that of an otter. Prancing foot prints and a dragging tail, how neat, made me wonder what it was up to, probably some adventuresome prank. I never did get a glimpse of the jovial one, but ahh, the mystique of winter, captured one more time!

Keep on hangin’ on, and savor springing ahead!