Meanwhile back at Crow’s Nest…

By Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager

Spring beauties (Claytonia virginica) started blooming this week, although not as many as there will be of this abundant wildflower. I also saw one (so far) bloodroot flower (Sanguinaria canadensis). These are among the earliest native wildflowers we see along the roadsides, and they will be out in numbers on a sunny day soon. This progress means that round-lobed hepatica is almost certainly already blooming in the Deep Woods, though I haven’t gotten there to see it yet.

Last evening was the first time I heard a tentative trill of American toads added to the chorus of spring peepers. The wood frogs are mostly finished calling and breeding.

In addition to a garter snake who was too quick for the camera, this juvenile black rat snake has been hanging out in the stone wall by the visitor center.