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
July 26, 2025 -The Boardwalk/Paul's Woods Trail has been recently groomed! A fresh layer of wood mulch has been placed on the trail from the A-Frame bridge to the Eagle Scout Bridge, and a new footbridge from the trail to the viewing tower on Big Pond has been built, thanks to the hard work of our Maintenance Engineer Del Hunsinger and the wonderful volunteer group from Stelantis-Chrysler in Auburn Hills!
July 19, 2025 - Earl's Prairie is quite beautiful right now, with native grasses and plants reaching heights of almost six feet! When you plan your visit to the nature center, be sure to explore this seasonal trail and enjoy it in all its glory!
July 05, 2025 - The trails received a pre-holiday weekend 'touch up', making today a great day to explore the nature center! If you decide to come visit us this weekend, be sure to stay hydrated and definitely consider using sunblock and bug repellant!
RECENT OBSERVATIONS
- Recent visitors have reported several hummingbird moths feeding in our Pollinator Garden and the open fields in front of the nature center. Be sure to keep an eye open for these fast-moving fliers when you next visit ! (08/02/2025)
- Earl's Prairie has had a spectacular growing season, and the results are making themselves known! Many wildflowers are beginning to bloom, including compass plant, wild quinine, blazing star, rattlesnake master, and tall coreopsis. (07/27/2025)
- Monarch butterflies have made their return! Our naturalists have reported activity in the North-80, as well as around the A-frame bridge and the boardwalk trail! (07/19/2025)
- Spotted fauns are being reported around the nature preserve! You may see them out in the open feeding with adults, or alone in the tall grasses for protection. If you do encounter one, please admire them from a distance and do not approach! (07/05/2025)
One of many hummingbird moths spotted in the Pollinator Garden.
A fresh blooming compass plant in Earl's Praire
A view of the freshly-chipped trail through Paul's Woods
A Monarch butterfly in the Seven Ponds Butterfly Garden
Ghost pipe spotted along the trails
The volunteer group from Stelantis-Chrysler working on the new footbridge leading to the viewing tower in Paul's Woods
A faun spotted in the fields of the North-80
Seven Ponds Nature Photo Gallery
Painted turtles enjoying the summer weather at Treetop Pond
A muskrat on it's way to a delicious meal by the A-Frame bridge
Prairie Trillium in our Woodland Wildflower Garden
Flowering Dogwood outside the Schemm-Naish Interpretive Building
Lovely Chanterelle Waxy Caps in Paul's Woods
Reddish Brown Bitter Bolete with its velvet-like cap
Another successful seasonal burn of Earl's Prairie!
Chocolate Tube Slime Mold
Red Raspberry Slime Mold
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
A Monarch butterfly 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
