river talk

Spring snapshot: flora and fauna

By SCOTT RANDO

Posted 4/15/26

Spring has sprung across the region and there has been a mix of mild and sunny days as well as some cold, windy days, with low temperatures getting into the 20s. As I write this, there are no big …

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river talk

Spring snapshot: flora and fauna

RR photos by Scott Rando

Mourning cloak butterflies are unique in the fact that they overwinter as adults in cracks and crevices. Occasionally, on a mild winter day, they might emerge for a short flight before returning to their winter spot. They emerge early, usually as the winter snow melts; they are the first butterfly species to be seen in the spring. They are one of the longest-lived butterflies in the region, with a lifespan just short of a full year.

Skunk cabbage is one of the first plants to emerge in the spring. It prefers wet environments such as wetlands and marshy stream banks. When the leaves are bruised, they give off an odor not unlike a skunk. The scent helps to attract insects such as blowflies; these insects aid in pollinating skunk cabbage. One little-known fact about skunk cabbage is that it is a thermogenic plant, which means it can generate heat in order to push buds through the frozen ground of early spring.

RR photos by Scott Rando

Coltsfoot is an early-spring non-native flowering plant that resembles a dandelion flower. A closer look reveals that the petals of the coltsfoot are a lot finer than those of a dandelion. As this image shows, the flower appears before the leaves emerge. The coltsfoot name comes from the shape of the leaves when they do appear. This plant is believed to have been introduced to the country during colonial times.

Posted Wednesday, April 15, 2026 2:16 pm

By SCOTT RANDO

Spring has sprung across the region and there has been a mix of mild and sunny days as well as some cold, windy days, with low temperatures getting into the 20s. As I write this, there are no big snow accumulations in the forecast. The forecast only goes out a couple of weeks, however, and spring can be fickle.

In the meantime, various plants and animals have been making their first appearances; spring’s timetable for first appearances has been running close to schedule in most cases. Frogs such as wood frogs and spring peepers were heard in March; later will come other species. Likewise, birds such as robins are seen first, several weeks before the first call of the wood thrush is heard.

Phenology is the study of the timing of natural events from year to year. When we hear the first geese high overhead, or the snoring call of the first pickerel frog on the pond out back, or perhaps the appearance of the first daffodils in the front yard—that is all the practice of this particular field of science, whether we realize we are doing it or not. Here is a handy link from the USA National Phenology Network: www.usanpn.org/data/maps/spring.

In the meantime, some sightings are included with this column—some flora and fauna from March.