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Meanwhile back at Crow’s Nest…

March 26, 2016

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.

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