What to See This Week

Dutch Fork Wetlands may be a few months out from peak bloom, but there is great opportunity to see wildlife this time of year. While song sparrows may not be the showiest bird species, they are a great one to learn as they are our most common sparrow species year-round and have a recognizable song. This one found an insect while on the edge of a wetland pool. Sparrows are birds that change their diet with the season. Since song sparrows are here all year, they switch to seeds in the winter but as more insects become active you will see them on the hunt more often.

From now on, any day when the sun is shining, you can expect to see turtles basking. Pictured is our most abundant turtle, the midland painted turtle. This one was a very large turtle, likely close to their maximum size of about 7 inches in shell length. Their name comes from their beautiful red and yellow stripes seen on the head and neck, tail, and edges of the shell. 

Many feathers on their own can be easily identified. Pictured here is a beautiful tail feather belonging to a northern flicker. Northern flickers are woodpeckers and while they are mostly tan and black, the underside of the tail and wings are a bright yellow. Out west the northern flickers have bright red tail and wing undersides. 

The Woodland Garden and other forest floors around The Arboretum have officially transformed into a carpet of bright green ramps! This change happens quickly with warmer weather. While walking trails you may notice a distinct oniony smell given off by ramps. Ramps are abundant at The Arboretum, but in other areas they are threatened or considered a species of concern as overharvesting diminishes population. They are slow to grow, taking 5-7 years before producing their own seeds.

Bloodroot is a very special spring ephemeral wildflower. They are early to bloom and only bloom for a very short period. Their name comes from the bright red sap located throughout the plant but especially evident in the roots. Their single leaf remains curled around the stem until the flower is done blooming. Check out this wildflower soon while they are still out!

Spring beauties are one of the more familiar spring ephemeral wildflowers. They are known to make their way out of the forest and into yards and other grassy areas. They range from white to a deeper pink. One wonderful detail on a spring beauty flower is the pink pollen they produce! They also have the name “fairy spud”, referring to their tiny tuber found underground.

Scarlet cups were highlighted earlier in the year as some popped up during warmer days in February. This week the trails of the Woodland Garden have many large scarlet cups growing from buried wood. Their pops of color rival the spring wildflowers of this season. Something particularly interesting about scarlet cups is how they release spores. Triggered by moisture and air, scarlet cups release their spores with force in a visible cloud. This can be triggered by simply exhaling onto the cups.

Although buckeyes tend to be the first to lose their leaves in the fall, they are also the first to leaf out in the spring! As you walk forested trails, look for the small buckeye leaves that have just emerged.