Arcadia Marsh Nature Preserve Bird and Botanical Guide
photo by Deke Ludwig
As one of the last remaining Great Lakes coastal marshes along the Lake Michigan coast, Arcadia Marsh is a rare jewel brimming with biodiversity and ecological significance. As much as 80 percent of this habitat type that once existed throughout the Great Lakes basin has been destroyed, making what remains extremely significant from an ecological perspective. This robust and vibrant nature preserve is healthier than it’s been in many decades thanks to extensive restoration efforts by GTRLC, volunteers and our dedicated partners. These efforts were designed to remove harmful invasive plants like Reed Canary Grass and Phragmites, which allowed critical native plants to thrive. Restoration of native vegetation and habitats has in turn contributed to Arcadia Marsh’s growing reputation as one of the best birding locations in the entire state. The marsh is home to more than 200 species of plants (with the majority being native) and about 250 bird species have been seen there, including 17 species listed as endangered, threatened or of special concern. This guide is not meant to include every plant or bird that can be seen at the marsh, but instead to highlight some noteworthy species that can be seen at different times of the year. If you want more on birds, head over to www.ebird.org (Arcadia Marsh is listed as a hotspot) for a comprehensive list of what can be seen there, and when. A universal access trail, installed in 2019, allows for excellent viewing of this extraordinary habitat and the many plants and animals that call it home.
ANTRIM
BENZIE
GRAND TRAVERSE
KALKASKA
Arcadia Marsh Nature Preserve MANISTEE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND SPECIAL THANKS Many fun facts and other information included in this guide came from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s wonderful guide at www.allaboutbirds.org, the Audubon Society’s online field guide and GTRLC staff and volunteers.
ARCADIA MARSH NATURE PRESERVE
1 16 OF
Saint Pierre Rd
REMAINING COASTAL MARSHES ON THE LAKE MICHIGAN COAST OF MICHIGAN’S LOWER PENINSULA
ARCADIA MARSH PROTECTION HISTORY Lake Michigan
Glovers Lake Rd
2007 ARCADIA
2012
2014 ‘17
Bowen's
Creek
2012
2008 2007 ‘14
2014 Arcadia Lake Lake Arcadia
‘18
An estimated 80% of Michigan’s coastal marsh habitat has been destroyed.
Chamberlain Rd
Saint Pierre Rd
Frederick Rd
10
BOWEN’S CREEK
Arcadia Marsh Other Remaining Coastal Marshes
DEGREES COOLER improving habitat for trout, sculpins and other cold-water species
250 BIRD SPECIES
documented by staff and volunteers, including eBird volunteers
1 state-threatened plant species: wild rice
PLANT SPECIES documented by staff and volunteers
FISH SPECIES
305
ACRE PRESERVE
MARSH RESTORATION
3,700
species are state endangered, threatened or of special concern
201
28
documented by staff and partners
17
6
FEET OF RIVERINE HABITAT
ACRES OF SHALLOWS
added when re-routing Bowen’s Creek from an old ditch
constructed for wildlife habitat and feeding
helps protect Lake Michigan water quality by filtering pollutants and contaminants from a 16,000 acre watershed
VILLAGE OF ARCADIA
M-22 Trailhe
Lake Michigan
Lake Arcadia Arcadia Lake
PLEASE NOTE Dogs are not allowed at this preserve. Also, a central portion of the boardwalk trail is closed each year from April 15 – July 15 in an effort to avoid disturbance of several species of birds as they nest in this critical habitat. Access remains available from both the M-22 and St. Pierre road parking lots.
LEGEND
GEND Hiking Trail
Universally Accessible Trail
Fishing Platform
Nature Preserve
Viewing Deck
Trailhead/Parking
GTRLC Nature Preserve
LEGE
END
Bowen's
Creek
Bowen’s Creek .75 MI
St. Pierre Trailhead
Frederick Rd
Saint Pierre Rd
ead
Glovers Lake Rd
Chamberlain Rd
UA TRAIL INFORMATION
DISTANCE .75 mile
SURFACE
0 Boardwalk & Crushed Gravel
TERRAIN
WIDTH
Flat
72”
0.1
0.2 Miles
ARCADIA MARSH BIRDS
8
Arcadia Marsh | Birds
Why do birds love Arcadia Marsh so much? Food is the biggest reason. Healthy water and plants produce an abundance of aquatic prey – think insects, fish and amphibians – which in turn draw dozens and dozens of species that hone in on this quality forage throughout the year (but especially in the warmer months). Larger birds of prey are in turn attracted to smaller species that frequent the marsh, leading to a well-rounded community of feathered friends that are sure to delight throughout the seasons. Quality nesting habitat is also a major draw, especially since many species seek out this exact type of habitat to raise their young. Unique vegetation at the marsh helps ensure it is one of the favorite nesting spots for many species year after year.
About Michigan’s Threatened and Special Concern designations: Threatened species are species that are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future unless populations significantly recover. Species of Special Concern are declining or relict populations that may be listed as threatened or endangered if they continue to decline.
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photo by Joe Brooks
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) Season: Spring, Summer This small member of the heron family is one that can be hard to spot, in part because of its plumage that blends in with its habitat and its somewhat secretive nature, though its odd pumping call is often heard at dusk in marsh habitats. It is a Species of Special Concern in Michigan. Fun Fact: Because of their strange call, they have colorful nicknames, including “stake-driver,” “thunderpumper” and “mire-drum.”
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Species of Special Concern
photo by Edward Kaminski
American Coot (Fulica americana) Season: All year This small bird is generally unmistakable, especially from relatively short distances. It is a good reminder that not everything that floats is a duck. It is specifically adapted for these and other types of wetland habitats, with lobed feet that both help it swim and support itself on soft, muddy ground. Fun Fact: Despite looking more or less like a duck and often associated with them, this bird is more closely related to cranes than ducks.
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photo by Edward Kaminski
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Season: Spring, Summer Known perhaps equally for their gorgeous coloration and their cup-shaped mud nests built almost exclusively on man-made structures (including barns), Barn Swallows are a beautiful addition to Arcadia Marsh’s cast of feathered characters. Fun Fact: The Barn Swallow is the most abundant and widely distributed swallow species in the world. It breeds throughout the Northern Hemisphere and winters in much of the Southern Hemisphere.
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photo by Joe Brooks
Blue-Winged Teal (Spatula discors) Season: Spring, Summer This beautiful and small dabbling duck has a unique color pattern (particularly males) that includes a bluish-grey head with a white vertical stripe in front of the eye and distinctive blue and green patches on its wings. Like most other dabblers it is often spotted in groups, sometimes with other species mixed in. Fun Fact: The Blue-winged Teal migrates over long distances. One individual banded in Canada was found in Venezuela a month later.
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photo by Joe Brooks
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) Season: Spring, Summer Caspian Terns are the largest tern in the world, roughly the size of many species of gull. Like gulls they are strongly associated with water. They look very similar to the much more frequently seen Common Tern, but can be distinguished by their larger size, heavier bill and lack of a deeply forked tail. Fun Fact: The oldest recorded wild Caspian Tern was at least 29 years old when it was found in Louisiana in 1989. It had been banded in Michigan in 1959. The average life span of Caspian Terns is estimated to be 12 years.
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Threatened Species
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) Season: Spring, Summer Though at a very quick glance this might seem similar to the Yellow Warbler, the Yellowthroat has a distinctive black mask that sets it apart. Listen for its unique “wichety-wichety-wichety� call. Fun Fact: The Common Yellowthroat was one of the first bird species to be catalogued from the New World, when a specimen from Maryland was described by Linnaeus in 1766.
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photo by Joe Brooks
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Season: Spring, Summer One of the largest and most easily identifiable birds of wet areas throughout Michigan, this bird is readily distinguished by the only other Michigan birds of similar size and shape (Sandhill Cranes and Great Egrets) by its bluishgrey coloration. Fun Fact: Despite its large size, Great Blue Herons weigh only about five pounds. This is thanks in part to their hollow bones, a feature shared by almost all birds.
16 Arcadia Marsh | Birds
photo by Joe Brooks
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) Season: Spring, Summer A small and beautiful member of the heron family, it can be seen along with other bitterns and herons hunting a variety of aquatic prey (including fish, frogs and insects) in the marsh. Look carefully‌they are often perfectly still! Fun Fact: Green Herons are one of the few species of birds known to use tools. For example, they will occasionally use insects or other food items as bait to lure fish close enough to be caught.
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photo by Joe Brooks
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) Season: Spring, Summer A common plover seen in a multitude of habitats, the Killdeer is most likely to be seen on dry, open ground with low vegetation. Like many other birds, their name comes from one of their distinctive calls, in this case an excited “kill-deer!� Despite its propensity to be seen on lawns and other dry habitats, the Killdeer is still a plover – and plovers like the shore. Look for it on the edges of the marsh foraging for food. Fun Fact: Early naturalists called this the Chattering Plover or Noisy Plover, a nod to its boisterous and noisy behavior.
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photo by Carl Freeman
Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) Season: Spring, Summer
Threatened Species
Though similar in shape to its cousin the American Bittern, the Least Bittern is readily distinguished by its smaller size and chestnut, buff and black color pattern. Like its cousin, however, these diminutive birds are not always the easiest to spot as they move very slowly among marsh vegetation. Fun Fact: Least Bitterns can compress their bodies to an extraordinary degree in order to squeeze between marsh stems and reeds.
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photo by Edward Kaminski
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) Season: Spring, Summer As with all the other predominantly marshoriented birds (Soras, rails, etc), the Marsh Wren and its close cousin the Sedge Wren have a propensity for being hard to spot. But when it is seen it is a treat – look for it clinging to wetland vegetation, often with each foot wrapped around a different stalk. Fun Fact: Marsh Wrens are boisterous songsters that sing not only at dawn and dusk, but sometimes throughout the night.
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Species of Special Concern
photo by Carl Freeman
Merlin (Falco columbarius) Season: Spring, Summer and Fall
Threatened Species
One of the smallest birds of prey (eclipsed by the similar Kestrel), the Merlin is nonetheless a powerful flier and efficient predator of small songbirds. Its plumage patterns roughly mimic some other species of falcons and hawks, though its size sets it apart. Fun Fact: Merlins don’t build their own nests. Instead, they take over the old nests of other raptors or crows.
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photo by Allen Taylor
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) Season: Spring, Summer and Fall This non-native swan was introduced to North America from Eurasia and is easily distinguished from the native Trumpeter Swan by its bright orange bill. High populations of mute swans have been known to damage sensitive ecological systems and out-compete native species. Keep your distance‌they can be aggressive! Fun Fact: Although it is called mute, this swan can vocalize – it just generally does so far less than other swan species.
22 Arcadia Marsh | Birds
photo by Phil Lowe
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) Season: Spring, Summer and Fall
Species of Special Concern
Although it can be spotted in numerous habitats, the Northern Harrier is among the top birds of prey associated with marshes and other wetlands. Unlike several birds of prey (but like our familiar turkey vulture) this bird holds its wings in a V-shape as opposed to flat. Also look for its characteristic white rump patch, which is obvious in flight. Fun Fact: Despite not being related to owls, Northern Harriers are the most owl-like of hawks. They rely on hearing as well as vision to capture prey. The disk-shaped face looks and functions much like an owl’s, with stiff facial feathers helping to direct sound to the ears.
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photo by Joe Brooks
Red-Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) Season: Spring, Summer and Fall Does anything sound quite like the height of spring as much as the unmistakable call of a red-winged blackbird? The boisterous male is very easy to identify, while the nondescript females somewhat resemble sparrows and are much more difficult to positively identify. This species is closely associated with marshes and other wetland habitats, so much so that an image of it perched on a cattail is often the first thing that comes to mind when it is mentioned. Fun Fact: In stark contrast with some faithful bird species, a Red-Winged Blackbird male may have as many as 15 female mates.
24 Arcadia Marsh | Birds
photo by Joe Brooks
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) Season: Summer, Fall This is another of those unmistakable birds, if for nothing else because of its large size and, if you’re close enough, striking red facial coloration. Though Sandhill Cranes are often spotted standing in fields instead of wetlands, they both feed and nest in marsh habitats like that found at Arcadia Marsh. Fun Fact: The Sandhill Crane is considered to be one of the oldest birds that still exists in its current form, with fossils dating to 2.5 million years old.
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photo by Linda Scribner
Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) Season: Spring, Summer Although similar in size and mannerisms to a Marsh Wren, the Sedge Wren has a streaked head and shoulders. The Marsh Wren also has an overall rustier color than the Sedge Wren. As its name implies, it is fond of the many species of sedges found at Arcadia Marsh and elsewhere. Fun Fact: The Sedge Wren is one of the most nomadic territorial birds in North America. In a given area, it may be present in significant numbers one year, and be completely absent the next.
26 Arcadia Marsh | Birds
photo by Joe Brooks
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) Season: All Year This small, beautiful bird has bold streaks down its light colored chest. As such it is relatively easily distinguished from the Swamp Sparrow. Fun Fact: This is the most widely distributed native sparrow in North America, ranging from coast to coast and from Alaska down to Mexico.
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photo by Joe Brooks
Sora (Porzana carolina) Season: Spring, Summer This small, secretive waterbird is a member of the rail family. It’s not often seen, but be sure to listen for its strange, descending whinny of a call. The marsh has a large amount of Tussock Sedge (Carex stricta). This large native sedge species is an important marsh plant that builds itself into tall hummocks of organic material over the years. As it does this, it forms structure for many species of plants and animals, including the Sora, which nests and feeds in these hummocks. Fun Fact: Soras winter as far south as Ecuador, Columbia and Venezuela.
28 Arcadia Marsh | Birds
photo by Joe Brooks
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) Season: Summer This widespread and common shorebird is one of the most spotted (pun intended) by birders and casual observers alike. This is not only because of its wide distribution, but also because it is not shy and rather conspicuous as it scrambles and “teeters� along the shore. Fun Fact: The male takes the primary role in parental care, incubating the eggs and taking care of the young. One female may lay eggs for up to four different males at a time.
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photo by Carl Freeman
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) Season: Spring, Summer, and Fall As its name implies, this particular sparrow is quite fond of marshes, swamps and other wetland habitats. Like other species that favor these types of habitats, it is more often heard than seen. Fun Fact: The Swamp Sparrow has longer legs than other members of its genus; this adaptation allows it to wade into shallow water to forage. This species even sometimes sticks its head under water to try to capture aquatic invertebrates.
30 Arcadia Marsh | Birds
photo by Joe Brooks
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) Season: Spring, Summer This bird is similar in size and shape to its flashier cousin, the Barn Swallow. It can be seen chasing after flying insects with acrobatic twists and turns. Fun Fact: The Tree Swallow gets its name from its habit of nesting in tree cavities.
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photo by Joe Brooks
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinators) Season: All Year Distinguished quickly from the non-native Mute Swan by its black bill (the Mute Swan’s is bright orange), this is a comparatively rare visitor to our area. Seeing one is a real treat. Fun Fact: Males average about 26 pounds, making them North America’s heaviest flying bird.
32 Arcadia Marsh | Birds
photo by Joe Brooks
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) Season: Spring, Summer This bird, like other rails, is extremely secretive and is therefore heard (in this case, a distinctive and loud grunting) more often than it is seen. If it is seen, it will most likely be at dawn or dusk in times of minimal disturbance. Like its cousin the Sora, the Virginia Rail loves the cover provided by sedges and other marsh vegetation. Fun Fact: The forehead feathers of Virginia Rails are adapted to withstand wear and tear that results from pushing through dense and often sharp marsh vegetation.
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photo by Edward Kaminski
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) Season: Spring, Summer For all but the most expert of birders, this bird can be somewhat difficult to distinguish from other flycatchers. Luckily it is the most common flycatcher seen at Arcadia Marsh, so odds are if you see one, it’s a Willow Flycatcher. Fun Fact: This is one of the few birds that is impervious to the tactics of the Brown-Headed cowbird, which lays its own eggs in the nests of other species, often to the detriment of that species’ own young. The Willow Flycatcher will destroy or neglect the cowbird eggs.
34 Arcadia Marsh | Birds
photo by Linda Scribner
Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata) Season: Spring, Summer This stocky little shorebird is one of the most widely distributed throughout North America. It is somewhat similar in shape and appearance to a Woodcock, though the two species prefer different habitats. Wilson’s Snipe feeds heavily on insect larvae, snails and other aquatic invertebrates, all of which are in abundance at Arcadia Marsh. Fun Fact: Because its eyes are set so far in the back of its head, it can see almost as well behind it as it can to the front and sides. Because of this, predators have a hard time sneaking up on this particular bird.
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photo by Joe Brooks
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) Season: Summer, Fall A darling of wildlife artists, birdwatchers and anyone with an appreciation for natural beauty, the Wood Duck is a sight to behold. The vibrant green and purplish crest of the male is considered by many to be among the most beautiful features of bird you could spot in the Midwest. Fun Fact: Because Wood Ducks naturally nest in cavities of old trees, often near water, artificial wood duck nests are built to mimic this feature.
36 Arcadia Marsh | Birds
photo by Linda Scribner
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) Season: Spring, Summer Sometimes mistakenly referred to as a “wild canary” this is one of North America’s roughly 50 species of warbler, and one of the most commonly heard warblers of spring and summer. Fun Fact: Like many migratory birds, the Yellow Warbler has been known to get off track from time to time. It normally travels between North and South America, though specimens have occasionally popped up in Europe.
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ARCADIA MARSH PLANTS
38 Arcadia Marsh | Plants
Great Lakes Coastal marshes are, by some estimates, nearly as productive as rainforests in terms of biomass per acre. That’s in large part due to the diverse array of plant species that grow in this unique habitat. From grasses and sedges to reeds and beautiful flowers, the marsh is brimming with botanic beauty and wonder. What is a C Value? A plant’s C value is short for its Coefficient of Conservatism value. This value, on a 1-10 scale, is used to indicate a plant’s tolerance to disturbance and habitat requirements. A plant with a 0 can grow pretty much anywhere, even in highly disturbed areas, and a plant with a 10 is much rarer and has extremely specific habitat requirements. All of the individual C values of the plants found on a property are then used to calculate a property’s Floristic Quality Index (FQI) score. This score, based on detailed botanical inventories, is therefore a good way to quantify the rarity and quality of the plants found at a given site, and by extension the quality of the habitat. The statewide average score for all sites is 20, with anything greater than 35 being considered significant. Arcadia Marsh has a score of 44.
PLEASE NOTE Despite fun facts that describe some traditional uses for these fascinating plants, foraging of plants is not permitted at Arcadia Marsh. Please look but do not touch in this sensitive and special place.
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photo by Nate Richardson
Allegheny/Purple Monkeyflower (Mimulus ringens) Best Season: Summer C Value: 5 The unique flowers are said to look like a monkey’s face, hence the common name of this species and others in its genus.
Fun Fact: The plant serves as the larval host for Common Buckeye and Baltimore Checkerspots butterfly caterpillars.
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Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) Best Season: Summer-Fall C Value: 5 An aquatic plant of the emergent zone, Arrowhead usually stands two or three feet above the water and has a showy white flowers with three petals and a bright yellow center. Leaves can be variable in size depending on if they are growing in or out of the water.
Fun Fact: Arrowheads’ underground tubers are among the favorite foods of muskrats, snapping turtles and at least fifteen species of ducks.
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photo by Angie Lucas
Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor) Best Season: Summer C Value: 5 One of the showiest plants that can be seen at the marsh, the Blue Flag Iris boasts stunning bluish-purple flowers with yellow streaks.
Fun Fact: Insects attracted to the sepals must crawl under the tip of a style and brush past a stigma and stamen, thus facilitating pollination.
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photo by Angie Lucas
Blue Joint Grass (Calamagrostis canadensis) Best Season: Summer-Fall C Value: 3 Also called Marsh Reed Grass, this important marsh plant grows up to 5 feet tall, with narrow blueish leaves growing in clumps.
Fun Fact: This grass is a key component of northern wet meadows, and is considered (along with Tussock Sedge and cattails) one of the “ecosystem engineers� at the marsh. Its thick growth restricts tree seedlings from establishing and serves as critical habitat for several marsh birds.
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photo by Angie Lucas
Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) Best Season: Summer C Value: 4 This tall, stiff stemmed perennial plant grows up to five feet tall with opposite leaves and spiked blue-purple flowers that bloom from top to bottom.
Fun Fact: This is a beneficial pollinator plant, with many wasp and bee species attracted to its flowers in late summer.
44 Arcadia Marsh | Plants
photo by Paula Dreeszen
Boneset (Eupatorum perfoliatum) Best Season: Summer C Value: 4 Look for small white flowers that grow near the top of the plant and distinctive leaves are pierced by the stem. This member of the aster family blooms in the summer and early fall.
Fun Fact: This plant has seen a number of medicinal uses (perhaps most notably the reduction of fever) in both Native American and EuropeanAmerican cultures. Some sources suggest its common name comes from its traditional use of aiding with the healing of broken bones.
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photo by Paula Dreeszen
Bull (or Common) Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) Best Season: Summer C Value: 0 Look for large purple-pink flower heads at the ends of prickly branches. Along with Canada Thistle, this is a non-native thistle (it is actually the national flower of Scotland) that thrives in disturbed ground.
Fun Fact: Unlike some other non-native or invasive plants, the bull thistle does provide some value to local wildlife, as the seeds are eaten by goldfinches and other small songbirds.
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Common Bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris) Best Season: Summer C Value: 6 This remarkable aquatic carnivorous plant has underwater leaf-like stems and numerous small “bladders”. The flowers, which grow above water, are yellow, two-lipped with a forward facing spur on the lower lip, similar in form to snapdragons.
Fun Fact: The “bladders,” from which the common named is derived, are used to capture small aquatic organisms. Hairs at the opening of the bladder serve as triggers, and when contacted, mechanically cause the trap to spring open, drawing in water and organisms like a vacuum. Enzymes and /or bacteria inside the traps aid in digestion.
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photo by Reuven Marten
Common Bur-Reed (Sparganium eurycarpum) Best Season: Summer C Value: 5 Sometimes called Giant or Broadfruit Bur-Reed, this tall, robust plant of the emergent zone can grow in water up to 2 feet deep. The large burs (made of fruit clusters) that give the plant its name look similar to a medieval mace.
Fun Fact: The flowers are wind pollinated, the male flower clusters being separate and more highly elevated than the female. It also produces large seeds, which can accumulate in the soil as buried reserves.
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Common Cattail (Typha latifolia) Best Season: Spring-Fall C Value: 1 Well known and distinctive flowering heads on cattails set these species apart from all other wetland plants. The corn-dog like flowers are female and grow in various sizes. The leaves can grow up to 7 feet tall or higher depending on the soil conditions.
Fun Fact: Cattail rhizome contains more starch than potato and more proteins than rice. It can be ground into flour, or boiled and used as a vegetable.
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Duckweeds / Common and Star (Lemna sp.) Best Season: Summer C Value: 5 Although some find these little plants to be unsightly, the good news is that by growing thickly on the surface of the water, the duckweeds shade out the sun which prevents the growth of algae, which deplete oxygen. In this way these plants actually help keep the water higher in dissolved oxygen. Additionally, each of these species provides excellent habitat for many tiny insects that are eaten by a variety of fish species, and the plants themselves are an important food source for many species of fish, amphibians, and waterfowl.
Fun Fact: According to records maintained by the University of Michigan, the Star Duckweed hasn’t been documented in Manistee County since 1916, so it is a very good sign to see it doing so well at the marsh! 50 Arcadia Marsh | Plants
photo by Angie Lucas
Great Water Dock (Rumex orbiculatus) Best Season: Summer C Value: 9 You can’t miss this plant’s striking reddish-pink plumes with large, long leaves.
Fun Fact: Having a coefficient of conservatism of 9, this plant is a very good indicator of high quality natural habitat.
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Lady’s Thumb (Persicaria maculosa) Best Season: Summer C Value: 0 A common non-native plant of disturbed places, the distinctive smudge-like “thumb print” on the leaf is an identification key for this species (though it doesn’t always appear). It has pinkish flowers that droop.
Fun Fact: This plant is extremely adaptable, being found in environments that range from very wet to very dry.
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photo by Colon Chapman
Lake Sedge (Carex lacustris) Best Season: Spring-Fall C Value: 6 This is one of the largest sedges, and its unusually long leaves help to distinguish it from other wetland sedges. It grows in shallow, standing water in a variety of habitats.
Fun Fact: Many waterfowl, rails, and songbirds eat the seeds or spikelets of wetland sedges such as Lake Sedge.
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Marsh Fern (Thelypteris palustris) Best Season: Spring-Fall C Value: 2 This delicate looking but hardy fern grows in rhizomatous colonies (what appears to be separate plants pop up from long, horizontal interconnected roots).
Fun Fact: It is the only known host plant for Fagitana littera, the Marsh Fern Moth.
54 Arcadia Marsh | Plants
photo by Angie Lucas
Nodding Beggarticks (Bidens cernua) Best Season: Summer C Value: 3 Also known as the Bur Marigold, this plant is an annual in the aster/sunflower family. It can grow up to three feet high and has opposite leaves and a bright yellow, nodding flower.
Fun Fact: Its common name likely comes from its seeds, which have barbed awns and attach to anything that comes near (including clothes).
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Nodding Smartweed (Polygonum lapathifolium) Best Season: Summer C Value: 0 This species of moist shores and constantly moist grounds can be spotted at the marsh if you look for its typically “nodding� flowers that range from pink to white in color. They bloom late in the summer and into the fall.
Fun Fact: Although native to Michigan, some populations in the state have been determined to have been introduced from European sources.
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Phragmites or Giant/Common Reed (Phragmites australis) Best Season: Spring-Fall C Value: 0 A plant that almost everyone recognizes but few know the full story of, phragmites is a tall, widespread invasive that has extensively colonized wet areas (both fresh and brackish) around the world. It is incredibly harmful in that it can dominate entire wetland ecosystems, crowding out native plants and negating their important benefits to local wildlife.
Fun Fact: GTRLC has conducted extensive phragmites removal at Arcadia Marsh and remains on high alert for new infestations. A native variety, distinguished by its smaller stature and red stems, is also present in small numbers.
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photo by Patrick Alexander
Rice Cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides) Best Season: Summer C Value: 4 A lime green grass that has beautiful, bright florets but very rough leaves and spikelets, the latter readily adhering to clothing when ripe, much to the annoyance of hikers in moist places where it grows.
Fun Fact: Unlike many plants or animals, this plant is native to North America, Europe and Asia.
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photo by Paula Dreeszen
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium maculatum) Best Season: Summer C Value: 4 This member of the Aster family blooms in the summer and fall. Look for pink-purple flowers and leaves in whorls of three to seven. It can grow up to 10 feet tall!
Fun Fact: This is an excellent pollinator plant – its blooms provide abundant nectar to traveling and resident insect species, including Monarchs and many other butterfly species.
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photo by Paula Dreeszen
Spotted Touch-me-Not (Impatiens capensis) Best Season: Summer C Value: 2 Sometimes called Jewelweed, this annual plant is found in slightly drier sections of the marsh. It has unique orange flowers with small red dots or splotches and a translucent stem.
Fun Fact: Along with other species in its genus, the juice of the leaves and stems is a traditional Native American remedy for skin rashes, including those caused from poison ivy. Despite this, some individuals have shown a sensitivity to this plant that leads to even more severe rashes than that of poison ivy – perhaps earning the plant one of its common names.
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Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) Best Season: Spring-Fall C Value: 1 Lots of people are familiar with this one, for obvious reasons. This plant features inconspicuous green flowers borne at the leaf axis. Its leaves are serrated, heart shaped and alternate on the stem, which is covered in stiff, stinging hairs.
Fun Fact: Despite folks in North America dealing with multiple species of plants that cause skin irritation, the stinging nettle is the only common plant that causes such distress in the United Kingdom and Ireland, where it is native and much more widespread. Though non-native to Michigan, it plays an important role here as a host plant for the Red Admiral butterfly.
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photo by Paula Dreeszen
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) Best Season: Summer C Value: 6 This common plant grows in rows up to four feet high with narrow, opposite leaves. Its very fragrant and structurally unique flowers are pink to red in color.
Fun Fact: Like other milkweeds, this plant is of critical importance to Monarch butterflies, which lay their eggs on this plant. The caterpillars feed on the plant as they grow, accumulating mildly toxic chemicals that make them unpalatable to predators.
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photo by Angie Lucas
Tussock Sedge (Carex stricta) Best Season: Spring-Fall C Value: 4 Tussock Sedge leaves are thin and form dense rounded mounds that stand above the water surface. It may cover a wet meadow with hundreds of mounds only feet apart. The elevated semi-dry mounds are an important place of refuge for marsh wildlife – and an important source of insect food for marsh bird species.
Fun Fact: Like Blue Joint Grass, this plant is considered an important “ecosystem engineer” because it has such an influence on the plant and animal communities associated with it.
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photo by Paula Dreeszen
Water Smartweed (Persicaria amphibia) Best Season: Summer C Value: 6 This plant assumes a terrestrial form when it grows on wet ground or shallow water, while in deeper water it assumes an aquatic form. Floating leaves of the aquatic form are blunter on the tip than the terrestrial form. Look for rose-colored flowers.
Fun Fact: No, eating this plant will not make you more intelligent. Smartweeds are so called because of the less common use of that word – being the source of pain or irritation. Juice from the plant has a sharp flavor and can irritate the skin and mouth.
64 Arcadia Marsh | Plants
photo by Nate Richardson
Yellow Pond Lily (Nuphar variegata) Best Season: Summer C Value: 7 The classic “lilypad� found throughout northern Michigan and elsewhere throughout the northern states, the Yellow (or Variegated) Pond Lily is a pleasant looking and unmistakable aquatic plant featuring yellow flowers and heart-shaped floating leaves.
Fun Fact: This plant benefits a very wide range of wildlife, providing food and shelter for fish, snails, crayfish, birds, turtles, underwater insects and amphibians. Some invertebrate species appear to spend their entire life cycle on this plant.
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NOTES
NOTES
ABOUT THE CONSERVANCY Since 1991, the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy has permanently protected outstanding places in our region — the natural, scenic and farm lands that define our northwest Michigan experience. Working in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Manistee counties, we use a targeted selection of land protection tools that guarantee the permanent safeguarding of significant land and other natural resources. Our work reflects the needs of local communities and is made possible by the participation of willing landowners and support of thousands of dedicated donors and volunteers. As of April 2020, GTRLC has protected nearly 44,000 acres of irreplaceable northwest Michigan land and more than 140 miles of shoreline along our rivers, lakes and streams. Together we can do more. For more information vist: www.gtrlc.org
photo by Nate Richardson