DE Fork Branch Nature Preserve

Well the coonhounds don't care for short walks but we're at least up to two miles consistently several times a week. My leg is almost healed but steep up-and-downs will have to wait. The first half of February here in South-Central PA has brought a mixed bag of the old favorite "wintery mix," some brutal cold, and spring-like days. No one I know, except maybe the coonhounds, are very happy with our sloppy, muddy, slushy opportunities for a decent walk. But on St. Brigid's Day we made a new discovery in the sunny wilds of Dover, Delaware!

Daughter Emily and Grandson Aiden in front of the new signage at Fork Branch Preserve in Dover.

We arrived late in the afternoon to low, glorious sun and cold, crunchy snow.  Located within the city limits of Dover, the area is developing around a low floodplain forest that a local family deeded to the state DNR in memory of their parents Anne and Dr. James McClements. Everything except the forest is new - gates, signage, trails, parking - and we felt kinda special counting as one of the property's first winter visitors. There's even a school bus parking spot for school groups - a perfect use for this natural oasis near the Air Force Base and NASCAR Speedway.

River Birch.

The two-hundred fifty acre tract is stunningly quiet, though swamp and vernal pools are all around, so it could get quite froggy and noisey come spring! We want to come back for that. Winter flocks of chickadees, titmice, sparrows, and nuthatches followed us along peeping and tittering. Emily called in a red-bellied woodpecker which followed us around for the better part of half-a-mile, sure it had discovered an early spring rival.

Emily and brother George are both wildlife photographers.

The walk was so pleasant and quiet. We were the only ones there. I enjoyed having both my children out on a hike. We rarely hike all together any more as everyone has families and busy lives of their own, so I treasured every minute of it. Both were raised outdoors and have kept their passion for wildlife art, photography, and hiking. I'm really very proud of them both!

Turkey Tail growing in a recent wound.

The frigid temperatures in the days leading up to our hike revealed several trees with fresh frost cracks. I remember living in northern Vermont and listening to the rifle shot sounds in the night as thin-barked trees like paper birch burst their skins.  Some trees, however, showed human damage, probably caused by machines or equipment. It's amazing to me how quickly a wound can be populated by fungal spores with fruiting bodies appearing within months of a gash.

Sunset in a Young Woods.

Though the forest around us was typical for a Delaware lowland, it's easy to forget how forests we take for granted are being threatened by development. Delaware has seen building booms come and go and it appears the state is in the midst of another as new developments pop up, roads are constructed, and office buildings and stores seem to show up overnight. It's really a choice we have to make - to set aside things that are common now - before they become rare or even just gone when we aren't paying attention. A common woods is not so common when you consider the complex interplay of tree species and environment and how important forests are for all life on earth. Another office building will never be as important to our health as a fine parcel of woods to wander.

Typical Delaware lowland forest.

We took our time, stopping often to listen and look. Aiden was just a happy soul to have woods to explore and snow to play in - no structure or directions except to stay on the trail, so sometimes he was far behind investigating or far ahead trail blazing. The new bridges wet areas revealed smooth snow over swamp pools and animal tracks bee-lining from one side of the frozen pool to the other.

Fox tracks coursing across a frozen, snow-covered pool. 

The mile of flat track we slowly walked is one completed of two loops planned for this preserve. The trail will be simple enough, a figure eight of two loops for the future. Plenty of local wildlife have already discovered the ease of travel along a human-built trail as we intercepted White Tailed Deer, Red Fox, Raccoon, and 'Possum strolling along through the snow the night before.

Mature Polar canopy with a health understory of Holly and Sassafras.

We called for owls as the light faded from our walk. I called a Barred Owl but no answers. Em called a Pileated Woodpecker and presto-bingo! A big red-crested, feathered pterodactyl came right to her call. ( I always look left and right before we call - using our voices - lest unsuspecting fellow hikers be confused as to what the heck we are doing!). He swung around trees and circled us through the Poplar canopy, curious but not staying long. By now we were getting pretty cold and the car was only a few hundred steps away. Heat on - blasting - we looked forward to a slice of Shortbread Cake and lengthening daylight through the month on this St. Brigid's Day.

Shortbread cake with  elderberry jam for St. Brigid's Day!

Notes:

Celebrating the fact we all were able to walk together, here are the links to Emily and George's websites. Emily was always entranced by the magic of the forest when she was small. Our hikes into the Shenandoah Mountains and Appalachian Foothill forays had me believing in fairies as she narrated what magical things happened along the trails after people had gone home. So its no accident that she named her woodworking business after them. George loved to walk so quietly that we could literally walk up on animals - and not frighten them off - to sit for long periods without a word between us in observation and fascination. His interests turned to wildlife photography and the art of the walk-and-stalk.

The Fairy Paintbox https://thefairypaintbox.com/

George Eppig Photography https://www.georgeeppig.com/