What to See This Week

Some snow is still hanging on at The Arboretum. Aside from snow piles, much of the forest floor is still covered in snow as of Tuesday morning. The warm air meeting the snow leads to a type of fog called advection fog that we have been seeing over the last few days. The cold snowy ground cools the warmer air, leading it to condense.

Several tunnels and holes in the snow were visible in the Bird Watching Garden over the weekend. Every once in a while slight movements alerted birdwatchers to the tiny mammal poking its head out of the snowy tunnels. This critter can be identified as a vole due to its smaller ears and eyes and shorter snout than other common small rodents.

Cooper’s hawks are striking birds as adults with their rusty red chest and bright red eyes. Cooper’s hawks will eat mammals but are primarily adapted to feed on other birds. They are effective and agile hunters. While the Bird Watching Garden is focused on feeding all sorts of seed-eating birds, it attracts Cooper’s hawks as well. This one was spotted near the Visitors Center.

Signs of spring are ramping up during the warmer temperatures we are experiencing now. Eastern bluebirds begin searching for suitable nesting spaces as early as mid-February. Keep an eye on bluebird boxes while driving the Auto-Tour this week, you are likely to spot a bluebird sitting atop the box. If you are lucky you may even hear them singing along with cardinals, titmice, robins, and other songbirds ready for spring.

Each year one of the earliest species of fungus to pop up after a thaw is scarlet cup. They only just came up and are still quite small but the color is unmistakable. As they grow, they will open up to be over 2 inches wide. While they typically look like they are growing straight from the ground, they are always growing from wood, sometimes buried beneath a layer of soil.

The Witch-Hazel Collection has had some color for weeks, but with the warmer recent temperatures the blooms are eye-catching. When temperatures drop too low, the flowers curl up but will reopen during warmer periods leading to the beautiful blooms that can be seen this week.

Snowdrops are a telltale sign that spring is on the way. In years past they have bloomed as early as late January but due to the heavy snow cover and extreme low temperatures they came a bit later this year. Snowdrops produce antifreeze proteins that prevent ice crystal growth within the plant’s cells, allowing them to withstand freezing temperatures. Look for snowdrops in the Pollinator Garden near the Visitors Center.

We have also begun seeing our own early-blooming native wildflower. This is skunk cabbage, and it has only just begun to pop up. When in full bloom you can often smell them before you see them. This fascinating plant generates its own heat so no worries when temperature drop again, they are able to melt surrounding snow! The best place to see skunk cabbage is the far east end of the creek in the Conifer Glen.