Early spring flowers
One thing that is always noticeable in the spring as I head in to some pond to fish or walk in the morning are the flowers that arrive in the woods before the leaves are out on the trees. There are a number of small flowers that bloom on the forest floor that are hardly even noticeable during the rest of the year. For instance we have Trillium in several areas around the house and in the nearby woods most of the year they do not generate a second look. But right now they are in full bloom and pretty showy. Other plants that I notice are the viburnums a low shrub with a very showy white flower. They show a long way in the open woods right now, especially to a guy trying to watch a white dog.
There are several small plants as well like the woods anemone or Canada mayflower, Solomon’s seal and soon the lady’s slipper orchids. All of the flowers disappear as soon as the woods become shaded. This is an adaptation that allows the flowers to show early when all of the bees and other pollinators are searching for nectar before the riot of opportunities that will be around for them in only a few weeks.
Timed almost exactly with this early flower bloom is the arrival of the woodland warblers in the treetops. Each one brightly colored and visible because the leaves are not yet fully out of course the best way to find them is still by knowing their songs because they are so small and in constant motion.
