Spring Wildflowers

Sweet Coltsfoot, the first spring flower in the meadow, is in bloom. Always a beautiful tiny (less than an inch across) sign of warm weather to come.

Coltsfoot is only a weed, sometimes a slightly invasive weed, more often recognized by it's large green patches of leaves in the summer. When it blooms none of the leaves are visible.

But it's the first of a bunch of beautiful spring wildflowers that will be up in the coming weeks - Hepatica, Trilliums, Bloodroot, Leek and many others. Early May is the best single time of the year for a walk in the woods.

Spring Peepers

I can't believe it, but spring peepers are calling from the small marshes in Hanlon Creek. And if you listen carefully, you'll hear the wood frogs too.

Spring peepers just call a strong, loud peep ... peep ... peep, while wood frogs sound like a hidden flock of gabbling ducks - you'd actually swear that they were ducks chattering to each other, until you see the wetland and there are no ducks, but the sound is still coming.

They're especially loud on warm evenings, and they're certainly a few days early this year, thanks to the high temperature. Both species like a marsh with shallow water and 'emergent' vegetation like bulrushes that they can climb up on, and won't be heard much around deeper ponds. But it's the biggest welcoming sound of spring to me.