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
March 25, 2025 - It looks like March is going out like a lion - but don't let that stop you from taking a walk in nature. Dress for the weather and wear your boots or hiking shoes, and hit the trails at Seven Ponds!
CLOSURE: the Miller Pond Boardwalk in Paul's Woods is currently closed for reconstruction. Our project completion target date is May 1. Stay tuned for updates.
RECENT OBSERVATIONS
- One of our young visitors found a Northern Water Snake basking in the sun today down by the Treetop Pond Dock despite the chilly temps. (3/21/25)
- We've been hearing Western Chorus Frogs, Wood Frogs, and Spring Peepers in the vernal ponds around Seven Ponds. Spring is here! (3/18/25)
- Tundra Swans are on the move! A large flock (~200) flew over the parking lot this morning, heading north. Listen for their high "hoh!" calls as they fly overhead on their way to their breeding grounds on the Arctic tundra. (3/14/25)
- We saw our first Turkey Vulture of the season over the weekend! Always fun to welcome these amazing birds back to our area. (3/9/25)
- The first Red-winged Blackbird of the season showed up at our feeders today. Spring cannot be far away! (2/28/25)
- We heard our first Sandhill Cranes of the year today. Their loud rattle call sure is a welcome sound after a long snowy winter! (2/25/25)
- This is the time of year when our naturalists climb up and clean out all of our Wood Duck nest boxes in preparation of the spring nesting season. Old nesting material is discarded, and cedar woodchips are placed in each of the boxes. Invariably, our naturalists find some boxes occupied by winter tenants - of course, we leave them be. This morning's discoveries included a sleeping raccoon and a red-form Eastern Screech-Owl. (2/12/25)
- We heard turkeys this morning - hens clucking and toms gobbling. Wild Turkey toms start gobbling in late winter or early spring when they begin courtship. This seems a bit early? (2/11/25)
- We enjoyed watching a young Virginia Opossum munching on sunflower seeds at our feeders today. (2/6/25)
- More action on the deer carcass, with an adult Bald Eagle having a meal (1/31/25) and three American Crows having breakfast (2/4/25).
- A deer carcass on the Treetop Pond ice is attracting scavengers in search of a hearty winter meal. So far we've seen American Crows and two juvenile Bald Eagles. You can view the carcass from the nature center building or the Treetop Pond dock. Circle of life! (1/29/25)
Northern Watersnake found by Treetop Pond dock
A sleepy-eyed red-form Eastern Screech-Owl utilizing one of our nest boxes.
Juvenile Bald Eagles on a deer carcass on Treetop Pond
Raccoon enjoying a winter slumber in a Wood Duck nest box.
A murder of American Crows
Adult Bald Eagle on the deer carcass
A young Virginia Opossum at our feeders
Seven Ponds Nature Photo Gallery
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
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
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
