Canine Adventures at Fenner: Starring Texas

Meghan Martin, a member of Fenner Conservancy’s Communications Committee, is our guest blogger today. She writes about bringing her dog, Texas, to enjoy our trails!

As a Lansing resident who lives in the city, I get really excited to find new and interesting places to take my dog, Texas (or just “Tex” if he’s not feeling fancy), for walks to “stretch his legs.” While our little yard works for him, it is nothing compared to the sights and sounds we find at Fenner Nature Center. We recently made a trip together to visit Fenner and see our longtime friend, Katie, now that Fenner allows guests to bring their furry family members. As we pulled in, Tex was ready to get out of the car STAT, because it was an especially hot day and he was excited for a new place to roam.

On hot days like this, it is important to remember water for your dog. While the Nature Center has multiple bodies of water there may be, like in this case, low water levels—this gets water-loving dogs like Tex very MESSY. Also, if your dog is roaming in the water, you may miss some of the wildlife that lingers there. Tex and I happened upon a crane while we were there, but it unfortunately flew away before I could get a shot of it with my camera.

This may be a good time to point out that, if you choose to bring your dog to the Nature Center, be sure to put him or her on a leash. Your dog should be on a six-foot leash and be under control at all times (so, as smart as your doggy may be, don’t let him “walk himself”). As was the case with Tex, we found out that he really likes getting up close and personal with wildlife at Fenner—he nearly introduced himself to a wild turkey roaming around the picnic tables next to the Butterfly Garden. I don’t think Tex had ever seen a wild turkey up until that point—it was quite the discovery for him!

I was happy that Katie was able to walk around the trails with us, because she gave us a lot of insight as to what we were looking at—well, Tex was looking at squirrels and sniffing shrubs, but I was interested! I had no idea the history that was in that area; remnants of the Turner farm can be found in the form of old foundations along the trails, and it was neat to hear about the property’s role in the founding of Lansing. We got to talking ghost stories and she showed me the creepy baby doll that somehow ended up in a tree, some fifty feet or so in the air….Maybe we’ll come back around Halloween and take a “haunted dog walk” around that area…

One of the best parts about our visit was seeing the vast size of Fenner. It’s nice to know that the next time we visit we can take an entirely different route through the paths and see completely new aspects of the park. This time we cut it a bit short because it was so hot, but maybe next time we’ll take a long meander through the trails—there were so many options on which trails to take!

After we said our “farewells” to Katie and I packed up my pooch, we left Fenner with hopes to come back soon. I thought of all my friends with dogs that would enjoy what we call a “Doggy Date” there. I can imagine that Tex was thinking about how much he enjoyed our walk there, but I think he was focused on the woodchuck that crossed our path on the way out. Seriously, he almost jumped out of the car. You’ll have to look for him next time, Tex!

Side Note: Please pick up any unwanted “donations” left by your little friend. There are doggy deposit bags and receptacles throughout the park.

When It Rains, Go Outside!

Today’s post comes from Abby King, one of our Animal Care Interns. She writes about her love of rain and the enjoyment she’s had being out in the rain here at Fenner and other places in nature. Try taking her advice to experience a brand new appreciation for rain!

I like rain.

Many people seem to claim that they share this sentiment, and yet, when the skies darken and the air becomes still and heavy, I start to hear more complaints than celebrations. But, I fail to understand why.

Rain seems to keep people inside their homes. However, I find that staying indoors on a rainy day results in a multitude of missed sightings and sensations that only occur when it rains. Many of these can be experienced at Fenner.

In the woods, the leaves show their underbellies in the breezes that come before the rain. The birds change their songs, or become silent all together depending on the severity of the storm. The greens of the trees and grasses become richer, more vibrant, because of the cloud cover. Flowers register as their true colors instead of glaring spots of color in the sun. Rain quiets the gritty dust that works its way into my shoes, and turns it into smooth mud that squishes between my toes if I decide to go barefoot. When the trail slopes and the rain is fast, I see the temporary, tiny rivers that run down and make patterns of the different soil types. Rocks and trees become spotted with water at first, and then darken in color allowing the particles in the stone and the lichens on the bark to stand out. The raindrops also make a peculiar hissing noise when they hit the water of the ponds that I have yet to hear anywhere else.

In the rain, my first inclination is to huddle in my coat or under an umbrella in an attempt to stay dry. I think that this is a common reaction, and rather a shame because the feeling of rain on the skin is unique and an all-too-rare occurrence for most of us. During the next storm, perhaps remove your coat or step out from under the umbrella and embrace the water that saturates your clothing and rolls down your skin. We’ve all been caught in a storm and drenched as we dash for cover, but purposefully allowing the rain to soak you is, I find, a completely different experience.  

I’ll admit that there is nothing wrong with spending a rainy day inside, perhaps baking or catching up on housework or socializing with the family. However, the next time it rains, try something new and go experience the rain outdoors.

A Morning Walk

Today's post comes from Jen Ismirle, one of our summer interns. She writes about a lovely morning walk she recently had at Fenner and escaping the sounds of the city for just a few moments on our trails. 

After volunteering and now interning at Fenner for 6 months, I still had not walked around the trails beyond walking to the storage shed. So, a couple days ago, I decided it was definitely a must for me to explore all of the trails and see what I might find. If you haven’t already taken a look, here is a link to the trail map for Fenner: http://www.mynaturecenter.org/trailmap.

As I was told by naturalists at Fenner, the best time to see animals in the area is in the early morning or at dusk. I chose to go in the early morning to beat the heat, showing up not long after the trails open at 8am (and they are open every day!). I only saw two other people as I walked around the various trails, but I did see quite a few animals.

The first animal I encountered was by the bird feeders next to the Visitor Center – a turkey. Of course I saw many other various birds near the feeders, like chickadees. I also was surrounded by chipmunks at one point – 4 of them all around me, seemingly unbothered by my presence.

 

I had hoped to find some deer as I took some time to check out the observation blind, but what I found was a multitude of squirrels. The squirrels seemed very interested in me as a couple of them chewed on their food while staring at me at the same time as I walked by their trees. One even followed me, running to another branch to watch me as I meandered further.

Walking further along the trails left me feeling almost like I was in another world with the trees towering all around me. The sounds of the city were far away and it felt quite peaceful in the quiet, only interrupted by the rustling of small animals or the calls of birds. I especially loved stopping at the various ponds around Fenner to listen to the green frogs and the bullfrogs making sounds, which you can hear yourself here: http://youtu.be/2_X5Js_T-H4. I even found some turtles basking in the sun. 

 

So if you are looking for an escape from city life, even just for a moment, the trails of Fenner Nature Center will definitely provide this. Although I was accosted by a variety of insects at times (make sure to use bug spray before heading out on the trails!), I still thoroughly enjoyed my morning walk.