These tiny wonders have made their way back to our state at this time of year. The males returned first to scope out territories and the females followed a week or two later. They flew back to us from wintering sites in Mexico and Central America, some of them even flying across the Gulf of Mexico without stopping! Their trip from South to North took them about two weeks of traveling. To prepare for this journey they had to almost double their body weight. Soon they will be building a tiny cup-shaped nest on small tree branches. The nest will be carefully constructed from thistle and dandelion fluff, covered in lichens, and anchored together with spider silk.
Did you know? Hummingbirds are the only bird that can fly both backward and forward. Their wings beat an amazing 53 times per second and can propel them at speeds of 50 mph. To fuel their fast pace, the birds consume about twice their weight in nectar and insects a day. We'd need to eat over 200 cheeseburgers each day to do the same! You can help these birds out by filling a feeder with sugar-water for them. Simply mix of 1 cup sugar with four cups of water and you’ll have a great snack for these feathered friends.
Learn more: Journey North
The wood anemone is a beautiful, delicate flower found in this area. This plant usually has five unique, white “petals,” which are not petals at all but sepals. Sepals are small, modified leaves that cover a flower bud as it develops and then surrounds the mature flower. On this particular plant, they just happen to be large and white and look like petals. The wood anemone is a low plant that only reaches about 5 inches in height, and has three divided leaves around its stem.
Did you know?
The wood anemone is a spring ephemeral which means that it is only visible for a short time, and will disappear- leaves and all-soon after seeds are produced.
Learn more: Freckmann Herbarium
Red maples are a widespread hardwood tree that tolerate a range of soil types. There are many of them in the woods of CWES, and at this time of year they are producing seeds that will ensure that we have red maples here for many years to come. Their seeds are shaped like flattened wings and are called samaras. You have probably seen and played with samaras before, but you may have called them “helicopters” or “whirlygigs.” The shape of samaras allow them to be moved by the wind and spun away to new locations. The red maples at CWES produce double samaras that contain two seeds.
A fun tree ID hint, red maples produce their samaras in the spring, while sugar maples create them in the fall.
Learn more: Red Maple
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