Spring has brought the emergence of plants and the return of migrant birds to the Kirkland Trail. Here’s an update, with all comments and photos and from Sunday, May 1 (yesterday) along the trail from Dugway Rd to Deansboro.
Both red and white trillium are flowering in abundance, with more red trillium than in previous years. As water has receded from low areas, march marigold has begun to flower, and also in flower are blue cohosh, blue violet, and wild ginger. The last hepatica and skunk cabbage flowers are still visible, but they are declining quickly. By the number of species in flower, this spring appears to be a little delayed compared to spring a year ago.
Migrant birds are back, and bird song is continuous during morning hours. Red-winged blackbirds are back in large numbers as expected. A wave of ruby-crowned kinglets was passing through yesterday, and warblers included yellow, northern waterthrush, and yellow-rumped (aka “butter butts”), with more warblers still to come. Swamp sparrows were singing in marsh areas. Other species conspicuous along the trail included cardinals, song sparrows,
white-throated sparrows, red-bellied woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, doves, robins, jays, and tree swallows.
The pond by the bench at marker 10 is high – beavers have reinforced the dam by the outflow – so the central pond islands remain submerged. A green heron flew overhead while I was there. An early-spring large pond on the left (east) side has mostly drained, so most of the trail looks the way it did last year. The problemsome knotweed at the beginning of the trail has yet to appear. As I wrote last year, emerging leaves add a lace-like green to the spring forest, making this prime time for a trail walk in the woods with much to see and enjoy.
