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| Henry Creek, just below the bridge. |
Every year on the first of February
I try to celebrate the beginning of Spring with a walk at one of
my favorite natural areas. Today, I am at Beaman Park, in
NW Nashville, enjoying a cool, but beautiful sunny day.
(I wrote this before my accident; I cannot walk anymore. I am maintaining these
(I wrote this before my accident; I cannot walk anymore. I am maintaining these
blog posts by tweaking them, adding new information and, sometimes, new photos,
such as the photo, below, of the Nature Center.)
According to ancient tradition, today (not the Equinox)
is the First Day of Spring. The first day of each season falls on
a cross-quarter day, a day that falls halfway between a solstice and
an equinox. Go to my post called The Natural Calendar
for an explanation.
Begin your walk at the Nature Center. The trail next to where
I'm standing is in front of the NC. This is a short there-and-back trail
that is great for people with strollers or people in wheelchairs, like
me. If you just want to take a short easy walk in the woods, then
this is the trail for you. I enjoy it very much! Bring your binoculars!
The trail I took today begins behind the Nature Center, taking you
down the hill on a meandering natural trail down to bridge that
crosses Henry Creek. Today, we took the trail next to the creek
and returned to the Nature Center.
You can see three parking lots (P) on the map. We parked our car at the bottom-right
lot and walked to the top parking lot, and then walked back. Notice the loop trail and
the long ridge trail that you can also take another time.
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| This trail takes you down to Henry Creek. |
Be sure to observe everything around you as you
walk slowly down through this beautiful forest.
When you get near the creek you'll hear it. When you hear it
look to your right and you'll see a little stream that feeds into
Henry Creek. Walk over to the stream and check out the
biodiversity in and around the stream.
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| This little stream feeds Henry Creek, which you can see at the bottom of the hill. Notice the many moss populations along the stream. |
Moss spore cases;
Tiny red sporophytes
Line the stream.
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| The little red things are moss spore cases (aka sporangia). Mosses do not make flowers nor seeds! They reproduce by releasing spores, which grow into new moss plants. |
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| Enjoy the view (Henry Creek is the larger creek, in the middle of the photo,) then return to the trail and walk across the bridge and turn right. |
On February 1st/2nd, some cultures continue
an ancient tradition, celebrating with a festival
marking the beginning of spring.
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| The sound of a running stream is one of my favorite sounds. |
There's nothing like
The sound of a running stream;
Just sit and listen!
If you take the time to look up in this area into the trees or shrubs
you may be lucky enough to see one of the winter residents...
a Yellow-rumped Warbler.
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| Photo taken from the Cornell website, below. Click here to learn about this species and to hear its call. |
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| A small waterfall in Henry Creek. Take time to listen to the voices of the earth, like this waterfall. |
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| One of the million aquatic snails in the creek. |
This time of the year is the mid-point between
the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox.
Many cultures consider this a time to celebrate
light, fertility, and the stirrings of new life.
Imbolc...spring begins;
More light, more warmth, new life --
New beginnings!
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| Looking downstream...Henry Creek. The trail is on the left, above the small hill (can't see it in this photo). |
Anytime that you walk through the woods around here you will
hear and see a Carolina Wren...always! It produces many different
kinds of calls that you can learn from the Cornell website.
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| Photo taken from the Cornell website, below. Information and "calls" of the Wren. |
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| Looking upstream. See the bridge? |
This time of the year is associated with fertility,
the onset of lambing season; birds are
laying eggs, and plant species are making flowers
hoping to get pollinated to produce new
individuals.
the onset of lambing season; birds are
laying eggs, and plant species are making flowers
hoping to get pollinated to produce new
individuals.
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| Cress is one of the first plants to make flowers in the Spring. There were several cress plants making their first flowers, today. |
Remember that flowers are reproductive organs.
These plants sense the Spring conditions and begin to make
These plants sense the Spring conditions and begin to make
flowers and reproduce.
The next couple of months will be wildflower season,
an attempt to reproduce before the trees' leaf canopy
shades them out.
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A tiny Bluet.
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Birds are migrating, trying to get to their
breeding grounds. Many species don't migrate,
such as this Titmouse. They live and breed
right here.
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| A Tufted Titmouse was trying to attract a mate. |
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| The Creek Trail...walking toward the Creekside Trailhead. |
Great Horned Owls are year-round residents. At this time of the
year their young have already hatched and are in the hollows of
some of the trees around you.
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| Photo taken from the Cornell website, below. Information on the Great Horned Owl. |
This is the time of the year to celebrate the
lenthening days. Candles and fires are lit to
represent the return of the increasing light and
warmth of the sun over the coming months.
lenthening days. Candles and fires are lit to
represent the return of the increasing light and
warmth of the sun over the coming months.
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| A perfect day for a walk in the woods. |
Many animals in this area come out of a long
winter sleep at this time of year,
including groundhogs.
(Of course, their presence above ground has nothing
to do with good or bad weather.)
What does their instinct tell them?
Eat...find a mate...reproduce!
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They're also called Woodchucks. Hopefully, you'll see one.
In our culture, the First Day of Spring Celebrations
has evolved into Groundhog Day.
Some animals, such as the praying mantis, will mate in the fall,
then produce an egg case (ootheca), which protects the
fertilized eggs through the winter until spring.
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| Here is an ootheca of a Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina). |
A great activity you can do with kids is to take an ootheca
into the house in the Spring, and place it in a terrarium.
Soon, the baby mantids will squeeze out of their
chambers and begin walking around in their new world.
I don't like to keep wild animals as pets, so after the kids
have seen the young mantids I release them into the garden.
They will eat many of the garden pests throughout the year.
Try this! You and the kids will love it.
Fungi are reproducing, also!
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| The thread-like mycelia under the bark creates the spore producing shelves of this Shelf Fungus. These will release spores, which will grow into new organisms. |
You may also see Mushrooms. The main part of the fungus is in
the soil or under the tree bark; the part that you see, the mushroom,
is the reproductive structure of that fungus. It, too, will produce
a new generation of mushrooms by releasing spores.
Everything is trying to reproduce at this time of the year!
That's why the ancients celebrated this "springing up" of new life!
The concept of rebirth is also found in Easter traditions, isn't it?
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| A small bridge crossing a stream that feeds into Henry Creek. |
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| The daily increase in the amount of light stimulates the crawdads and salamanders living in the water. Get close to the water and see if you can find them. |
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| It always amazes me how salamanders can live in such cold waters. They are some of my favorite animals! |
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| Soon the creek will be lined with beautiful wildflowers and the water will reveal the offspring of frogs, toads, salamander, snails, and crawdads. |
Soon you will come upon the Creekside Trail parking lot.
Take a break (there's a port-a-potty), enjoy this side of the trail,
and, then, begin your walk back the way you came.
Be sure to stop, look, and listen often on your way back.
From now on, celebrate the First Day of Spring
by taking a walk somewhere like Beaman Park.
Nashville has many parks and greenways that you can visit.
Click here for Info about Nashville's Natural Areas.
Get out and explore!
by taking a walk somewhere like Beaman Park.
Nashville has many parks and greenways that you can visit.
Click here for Info about Nashville's Natural Areas.
Get out and explore!
Click here to read about Spring Rituals and Greek Mythology
