The Cypress Swamp is full of the first tadpoles of the year! These are wood frog tadpoles and for now they are tiny. They are easiest to see against the green algae and especially when they are swimming.
Brown thrashers have returned to The Arboretum and a pair has been spotted feeding on suet in the Bird Watching Garden. Brown thrashers are part of the same family as mockingbirds. They have a repertoire of over 1,100 songs including many imitations of other birds.
Field sparrows have begun to sing their familiar song. Listen for a series of notes that get faster and build to a trill. The song has been compared to the sound of a dropped ping-pong ball. Sparrows can be tricky to tell apart by appearance but for the field sparrow look for a gray head with a rusty cap and eyeline as well as a pink bill.
Grape hyacinth is popping up amongst the grass all over the Beard-Green Cemetery. The unique flowers that look like a cluster of grapes are actually edible! However, don’t mix this plant up with true hyacinths which are toxic.
The first of the Virginia bluebells have finally bloomed. Visit over the next couple weeks to see the beautiful blue flowers along the trail in the Woodland Garden!
Wood poppies have also begun to bloom in the Woodland Garden as well as in the Bird Watching Garden.
Skunk cabbage blooms have faded and are being replaced by the bright green leaves. If you take a walk through the Woodland Garden, look over the first bridge where the creek runs through.
Buckeyes are among the first trees in our forests to leaf out in the spring. Keep an eye out for them while searching for spring ephemeral wildflowers this week.
-Hannah Dillemuth, Learning & Engagement Educator and Camp Coordinator
