A birding pal prompted a visit to Waterloo State Recreation Area in spring, 2022, in search of a rare Black Spruce kettle bog. I wrote a Daily Bucket about this unusual self-contained ecosystem (and a National Natural Landmark) last year, so I won’t repeat that detail here. The same birding pal suggested that we visit the bog again, and I’m glad I listened to her. Turns out it’s just as magical in fall as in spring.
X marks the spot. Waterloo State Recreation Area is about half way between Ann Arbor and Jackson, just north of I-94.
Sign with a map of the trails at Waterloo’s Discovery Center. The bog trail (lower right) alternated between dirt and boardwalk, with gentle slopes. The trail was well marked and maintained.
This sign at the bog entrance explains how the bog is formed. Closer.
A couple comparison photos, showing the differences in spring and fall.
Bog entrance, June 2022, in spring green glory.
The entrance in September, 2024. Like the title photo, this shows the start of fall colors. The ridge that encloses the kettle pond is the darker green in the background
Parts of the trail to the bog are boardwalk through wetlands. In June, 2022, the wetlands were filled with standing water, stained brown by tannins.
Same spot, September 10, 2024. This shows the impact of the dry weather we’ve had in southeast Michigan the past few weeks.
Fall color was all around, even though the autumnal equinox isn’t for another couple weeks.
These trees grow on the sandy ridge that encloses the bog.
The Eastern Marsh Ferns (Thelypteris palustris) were turning color.
Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vermix) too.
There were lots of these spiderwebs on the tamaracks (Larix laricina). The tamaracks are starting to lose chlorophyl. The needle-like leaves will turn bright yellow and then drop.
Dew nicely outlined this orbweaver spiderweb. I think the plant is chokecherry (Aronia prunifolia).
Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea), with Eastern Marsh Fern.
Ripened berries of Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum). I’ve seen the plant many times, but this was a first for the berries.
Horsetail (Equisetum arvense), an ancient plant.
There were still some wildflowers blooming.
Asters almost as tall as me.
Joe Pye Weed was waning, as was Goldenrod.
I’ll close with a chance encounter with a new-to-me moth species.
I happened to see a moth flit by and land. It took me a minute to find this Large Maple Spanworm Moth (Prochoerodes lineola).
Zoomed in. The wingspan was about two inches.
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That’s it for the Kettle Bog fall tour.
Now it’s your turn. What’s up in nature in your area?
