Trail Talk – April 2020

Aah, springtime in Southern Oregon with cabin fever driving us into the great outdoors! Henry Gibson told us, “Spring is sprung, The grass is ris, I wonder where the birdies is.” Well, look no further because we are surrounded with bird song of every variety. Just head out the door on a cool morning about an hour before the sun’s first rays creep over the rim of the world, and our ubiquitous robins are in full throat. It certainly makes one forget those cold winter months when our most common resident thrush became quiet.

Our paddle-footed friends have invaded the local ponds and sloughs. A recent trip to Forest Park’s Jackson Creek Wetlands produced 4 mating pairs of mallards playing tag around the old town reservoir. Tipping up to feed on subsurface vegetation, they reminded one of so many Weebles wobbling. (It’s a Playskool toy-look it up!) The hens, playing hard to get, led the drakes on sprints back and forth through the rich soup of floating algae. Aah, to be young and in love!

More sedately, and certainly with a more distinct touch of class, a pair of Canada geese sailed back and forth, dwarfing their more energetic cousins. It is a fine day indeed spent on the bench in the Wildlife Viewing Shelter enjoying the antics of our feathered friends. Songbirds flit throughout the willows and blackberries, carrying nesting materials to invisible homes. Early morning finds the area awash in bird song, but by afternoon, the serenade is over as the important job of constructing suitable egg laying quarters becomes more important.

And higher up in the park, a visit to Maple Grove bench on Jackson Creek Nature Trail (hikers only), may yield an encounter with our resident Great Gray Owls. On a recent mid-morning hike, their quiet voices echoed above the soft gurgle of the creek, one mate on each side of the canyon, calling back and forth. Not to be outdone, Pacific wren sang his little heart out, and somewhere nearby, a warbler chattered. In these gentle days before the summer fills our valleys with stifling heat, all hours of the day seem suitable for birdsong. Once the busy time of rearing hatchlings takes precedent, much of the song becomes muted.

So, please, plan a hike to a new area; explore new ground; find a new favorite bench or viewpoint. Regarding Forest Park, be fully cognizant of where you are. Maps are available at parking areas P1, P1A, and P2. Loop cards are also available for visitors less familiar with the trails and “You Are Here’ kiosks abound. There is a download of the park map available for “smart” devices that will pinpoint your location.

Recently, we had both mountain bikers and equestrians damage large sections of trails by simply being where they weren’t authorized to be. We ask that all patrons follow the park rules posted at the kiosks and printed on the maps. Signage on trails is clear and straightforward. Our woodlands are a treasure and deserve our respect.