TRAIL REPORT & RECENT OBSERVATIONS
Seven Ponds Nature Center encompasses nearly 500 acres of woodlands, wetlands, lakes, ponds, prairies, and fields. There are over six miles of trails for you to explore and enjoy. Please check-in at the nature center prior to venturing out on the trails. Our trails are open to guests Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and open to Seven Ponds members dawn to dusk, every day of the year.
CURRENT TRAIL CONDITIONS
June 28, 2025 - A beautiful summer day with mild temperatures and a light breeze makes the perfect combo for a trail walk! The trails are in good shape today, with only a few muddy spots at the eastern end of Earl's Prairie. The Nature Playscape received a grooming this week, so bring your family out and enjoy the weather!
RECENT OBSERVATIONS
- Many fungi have begun to appear in Paul's Woods! Our naturalists reported seeing a variety of specimens, including Reddish Brown Bitter Bolete, Chanterelle Waxy Caps, Red Raspberry Slime Mold, and Chocolate Tube Slime Mold. (06/28/25)
- The heavy rains, warm temperatures and high humidity proved to be the right combination to bring out painted turtles for a sunning session! These four were spotted having a lovely time at Treetop Pond. (06/21/25)
- A muskrat has been sighted recently feeding on plants along the channel connecting Treetop and Little Pond by the A-Frame Bridge! Muskrats are often seen as an indicator of a healthy ecosystem, particularly in wetlands, because they play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of aquatic vegetation and providing habitat for other species. Their activities as "ecosystem engineers" help create diverse and productive habitats. (06/08/25)
- Our naturalists reported seeing sticklebacks - small fish (generally 1"-2" in length) - traversing flooded areas in the North-80. A very interesting sight! Mudminnows have been found recently in our small prairie pond. (5/17/25)
- The woodland wildflower garden is beginning to peak, with many spring ephemerals like trillium starting to bloom. Nest-making activity is evident in our nest boxes, and our naturalists have reported the return of Yellow Warblers and Common Yellowthroats down by the A-frame Bridge! Now that the temperature is becoming more temperate, watch for turtle activity around the ponds! (5/3/2025)
Reddish Brown Bitter Bolete with its velvet-like cap
Red Raspberry Slime Mold
Painted turtles enjoying the summer weather at Treetop Pond
Prairie Trillium in our Woodland Wildflower Garden
Lovely Chanterelle Waxy Caps in Paul's Woods
Chocolate Tube Slime Mold
A muskrat on it's way to a delicious meal by the A-Frame bridge
Seven Ponds Nature Photo Gallery
Flowering Dogwood outside the Schemm-Naish Interpretive Building
Another successful seasonal burn of Earl's Prairie!
Bloodroot in the Woodland Wildflower Garden
Northern Watersnake found by Treetop Pond dock
Raccoon enjoying a winter slumber in a Wood Duck nest box.
Juvenile Bald Eagles on a deer carcass on Treetop Pond
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - a special winter visitor at Seven Ponds
Aurora Borealis at Seven Ponds!
Monarch caterpillar in the Seven Ponds Butterfly Garden
Wood Duck drake on the boathouse roof
Nature provided another stunning sunset at the ponds
Female Common Merganser laying low and hoping to go unnoticed
ANOTHER spectacular sunrise over Earl's Prairie
Good morning, Woodchuck! Nice to see you again.
Sunset at Big Pond
Misty morning fog over Treetop Pond
Northern Shrike, aka The Butcher Bird, hunting over Big Pond
Water droplets on a fallen leaf - science in nature!
Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) in Paul's Woods
Great Egret spotted at the Crawford Rd/Lake George Rd swamp at Seven Ponds
Arctic Skipper at Seven Ponds - first record for Lapeer County
Monarch caterpillar on milkweed in the North-80
Sandhill Crane pair - and baby makes three!
Eastern Screech-Owl roosting in Wood Duck nest box
Baltimore Checkerspot in the North-80 fields
One last(?) snow of the season!
Adult Bald Eagle on the deer carcass
Gray phase Eastern Screech-Owl at Seven Ponds
Moonlight through the clouds just before dawn
Monarch on butterfly bush in the Seven Ponds Butterfly Garden
Colors are popping at Seven Ponds!
Muskrat in Waterfowl Pond
First of the spring Eastern Chipmunk at Seven Ponds
Mourning Cloak resting on a utility pole at Seven Ponds
Virginia Opossum at our feeders
Red Squirrel overcoming our "squirrel proof" feeder
Woodchuck chilling out on the rock bath
"Our" Sandhill Cranes, pictured on November 8 watching over our welcome sign.
Evening Grosbeaks on a feeder at Seven Ponds
Shaggy Mane (Coprinus comatus)
Violet Dancer (Argia fumipennis violacea) at the A-frame Bridge
Fall fungi abounds!
Red-spotted Purple on our sidewalk
Red-headed Woodpecker at Seven Ponds
Snow Bunting in the Seven Ponds parking lot!
Smooth Blue Aster in Earl's Prairie
A sleepy-eyed red-form Eastern Screech-Owl utilizing one of our nest boxes.
American Crows: a murder scene!
A young Virginia Opossum at our feeders
Wild Turkey tracks at Seven Ponds
Paul's Woods ablaze in gold
Red-headed Woodpecker at Seven Ponds!
Groundhog at home at Seven Ponds
Sunset over Seven Ponds
The first skunk cabbage we saw this year
Trumpeter Swans on Treetop Pond
Our healthy Raccoon visitor
Young turkeys on the move
Slugging along on a window
Northern Waterthrush at Jonathan Woods
Louisiana Waterthrush at Jonathan Woods
Fox Squirrel in front with Gray Squirrels (gray and black form)
Bowl and doily web near the A-Frame Bridge
Closed Bottle Gentian in Earl's Prairie
Snowberry Clearwing moth, with wings so fast they are just a blur!
Blanding's Turtle at Seven Ponds
Dryad's Saddle in the North-80
Pixie Cup Lichen
Mayapple in Paul's Woods
206 bird species have been observed at Seven Ponds! The most recent addition to our property list was Common Goldeneye, seen on March 12, 2023. For more recent sightings posted to eBird, click the eBird logo to the right.
Our satellite properties are visited less frequently, but offer different habitat for birds. Check out the eBird reports for these two areas below:
Jonathan Woods Nature Preserve eBird reports
106 bird species observed
Richie Pond Nature Preserve eBird reports
75 bird species observed
