Coming to a Woods Near You – Really!

Skunk Cabbage

It has been a long cold winter and some of us are skeptical that spring will ever come this year, but spring is happening around us. A couple of nights ago while driving through Riverside, I heard frogs for the first time this spring. Many birds such as Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles, Killdeer and Sandhill Cranes have all returned from their wintering grounds and can be heard singing from morning till evening. And yes the spring wildflowers are beginning to expose themselves in the woods and wetlands.

Toothwort

While at the Hudsonville Nature Center today I could identify some early spring flowers that I found. The Skunk Cabbage has already bloomed and beginning to send up the bright green leaves; although still small they are a welcome sight this spring. Wild leeks are also showing rolled leaves, Spring Beauty is leafed out and showing little round balls of flower buds. Toothworts are showing up as curious little purple plants just poking through the leaf litter in the woods and Marsh Marigolds are unfolding their leaves. As we have warmer weather over the next few weeks there will be flowers blooming and many more plants coming out from a long winters nap.

While you are out in the woods, keep in mind that with the moisture of spring the mosses are worth looking for as well as the beloved flower of spring. With some warm sunny days ahead get out and see how much you can find.