Where the Wild Things Are... butterflies, butterbutts and ferns by Ann Luloff

I was escorted on my walk by a flock of yellow-rumped warblers, commonly known as "butterbutts". One of the first warblers to return, their sheer numbers can be overwhelming, popping out of the bushes and hanging on the branches. Never still, always searching for insects, they can distract one from the other sights at hand. Persistence pays off as I spot one orange crowned warbler in their midst. Not as exciting as they sound, their orange crown is almost never visible and they are known for being the plainest warbler. Other things flying were butterflies, too quick to ID, also in search of a meal.

Back to the ground and foliage, I found myself in a sea of bloodroots. quick to bloom and quick to fade. Hidden among them, a couple of Dog Violets! Pale compared to later bloomers, still a sight for winter worn eyes. 

While checking for ferns, I spotted a couple of Devil's Urns. The Latin name is Urnula craterium. These leather like urn shaped fungi are some of the first to pop out in the spring. They form on downed deciduous wood. 

Big things catch my eyes too. A birch with a diameter of 19.1 inches and a Willow with a 29.6 diameter, both are in the running for largest on the land. 

So much to see, and it is all just starting!

Where the Wild Things Are - Owl, by Ann Luloff

Sometimes when I walk, I am looking for certain things. My eyes may scan the forest floor, looking for ephemerals. Sometimes my eyes are darting from brush to tree to ground, trying to see whatever is calling through the spring woods. At times I just stand still and look. I may notice small bits of green that I could of walked right on past. The flight of a bird off to the side is noticed and noted. Sounds of frogs calling now fill the air, bird calls in the distance come into focus. 

It is the surprises that make every walk a joy. A new plant, the first sighting of a bird for the season. I never know what is out there. As I walked in the wetlands behind the marl pits, I found the marsh marigolds just starting to come out. Not far away was a tree that I failed to recognize. Evergreen and needled, it is obviously a conifer, but which one? It was short and wide, not the conical shape one expects. It didn't match the simple tree book I carry with me. Photographs taken, mental notes about details, it was a mystery for later research. 

After a climb up into the oak forest, the sound of frogs drew me over the top of a hill to discover a small woodland pond. A delightful sight, with no cattails or Reed Canary Grass around it. There in the water, I saw another plant I didn't recognize. Again, photos and notes, ready for later. Then I saw it. An owl flying quietly into the woods. 

It landed on a branch not far away and I slowly moved through the trees until I could get a better look. A Barred Owl! You hear them more often than you see them. "Who, who cooks for you?" is their persistent question. A bit of patience and I had a photo of the elusive bird, not National Geographic quality, but good enough to confirm the ID. 

The rest of the walk was less eventful, but soul filling. The tree appears to be a Common Juniper which isn't reported in Todd County (a really underreported county), and the plant? Turns out to be Pennsylvania Bittercress! Always an adventure!

Where the Wild Things Are... by Ann Luloff

So what is it I am seeing out there, in the still frozen woods? In a single word....trees. Before all the other vegetation fills in, it is a perfect time to really see the trees. Figuring out what kind they are works for those that have dropped their leaves on the forest floor under them. The oaks are the easiest. Northern pin oak, white oak, red oak, and burr oak are common throughout the village. Ironwood and tamarack, the perpetual Eastern Red Cedar.

There are 35 species of trees that are native to Todd County. These would be trees that would have been here when the first European settlers arrived. I am currently at 15 species, with the rest waiting for leaves to pop out for positive identification.

As I go through the woods, looking at trees, one of the things I do is measure the diameter. Different types of trees grow at different rates, and end up at very different sizes. I am looking for the largest of each species in the Village. There are some "big" trees out there! Ironwood is supposed to grow to 12" in diameter, and I have found one that is 14.5"! I found a Pin Oak that is at it's upper size at 18". There are tamaracks by the marl ponds that are approaching top size, and I would love to get a slice of a trunk (of an already dead tree) to count the rings. I wonder if they are actually very old, or just fast growing. It will be interesting to see what the biggest tree in the village ends up being!

The first green growing vegetation observed by me in the woods is Motherwort (leonurus cardiaca). A member of the mint family, it is valued by herbalists. Unfortunately, it is an invasive species, escaped from gardens. Just how wide spread it is, is yet to be seen.

With warmer temps, spring will creep through the forests and field, new things sprouting up all over. Green is coming!