Spring is in full swing, and with so much happening outdoors right now, it’s hard to decide what to highlight in this month’s nature report. One thing that stands out immediately, however, is the dawn chorus that wakes me up around 4:30 a.m. Each morning, it sounds as though thousands of birds are singing right outside my window.
Robins and cardinals tend to steal the show early on, but if you listen closely, you’ll also hear chickadees, nuthatches, blue-gray gnatcatchers, and the occasional mourning dove, depending on where you live. The chorus is wonderfully loud and serves as a welcome reminder that spring has truly arrived.
I hope you’ll take a few minutes to join me on a tour to see what else is happening outside your window!
A single robin egg in a nest
Robins aren’t just filling the mornings with song. They’re also busy incubating eggs, feeding hungry chicks, and preparing for the next nesting attempt. A single robin pair can raise two or even three broods during the spring and summer, so while you may already be seeing first-year juvenile robins hopping around your yard, other robins are still laying eggs and starting the cycle anew.
This becomes evident when you begin noticing bits of bright blue eggshell scattered throughout your neighborhood. While some eggs are taken by predators and consumed away from the nest, many of the eggshells you find were actually carried away by the mother robin after her chicks hatched. Once the eggs have served their purpose, the shells become a liability. Without the mother sitting on the nest to conceal them, their vibrant blue color can attract the attention of predators. By removing the shells, the robin helps keep her nest and newly hatched chicks hidden from danger.
Prairie smoke blowing in the wind
If you head outside right now, you might also spot one of my favorite prairie flowers in full bloom. Prairie smoke is a wonderfully odd plant that grows in prairies, open woodlands, and other dry, rocky habitats. As the flowers mature, they give rise to the wispy, plume-like structures that inspired the plant’s common name. These feathery plumes help the seeds catch the wind and disperse across the landscape.
I’m not sure if you remember the treasure troll dolls that were inexplicably popular for what felt like an eternity, but they had brightly colored hair that stood straight up and ended in a point (similar to the flower). Every time I see prairie smoke in bloom, I can’t help but think they are the treasure trolls of the prairie, and it makes me smile.
Wild lupine just before sunset
While hiking at Patrick Marsh recently, I was excited to find several patches of wild lupine blooming in a prairie that was planted about five years ago with the help of students from Patrick Marsh Middle School. Wild lupine has always held a special place in my heart because of its connection to the Karner blue butterfly, a federally endangered species.
Before joining the Groundswell team, I worked for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, where I helped restore prairies and oak savannas by planting large quantities of wild lupine seed. The goal was simple: create habitat for Karner blue butterflies and help support their recovery.
Part of what makes these butterflies so vulnerable is their remarkable dependence on wild lupine. As caterpillars, they feed exclusively on lupine leaves. Without this plant, the butterflies cannot complete their life cycle. There are countless fascinating facts about Karner blues, and not nearly enough room in this nature report to cover them all, so I encourage you to look them up and learn more about their unusual relationship with ants and their unique life cycle.
Crayfish chimney
Lastly, I’ll leave you with this humble blob of mud. I found it, along with several others like it, while trout fishing in Black Earth Creek. The only reason it caught my attention was because I remembered a hike several years ago when my wife, Carolyn, taught me about crayfish. She pointed out a few of these muddy structures and explained that they were actually the homes of crayfish.
These structures, known as crayfish chimneys, are built from mud excavated from underground burrows. They serve several important purposes, including protection from predators, improved airflow to the burrow below, and an emergency escape route. Many chimneys have a small opening at the top that functions much like a hatch, allowing air to circulate down into tunnels that can extend surprisingly deep underground, sometimes reaching depths of 18 feet.
Who would have thought that a little pile of mud could tell such an interesting story?
Well, I hope you enjoyed this month’s virtual tour of nature as it’s happening. See you next month!