Category Archives: spring woodland walk

Spring Azures

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One of my favorite signs of spring is seeing my very first spring azure butterfly. There is a whole family of small blue butterflies–they are about the size of a dime–but the earliest ones we see here on the Cape are simply called spring azures by most people. I think that technically they are eastern spring azures. Usually they land and keep their wings closed so I was lucky to catch this one with open wings.The bottom picture shows the azure with its wings closed and you can see how well camouflaged it is like this.
I often see the azures when I find mayflowers but I am not sure if they nectar on these sweet flowers. You may also see them around blooming crow berry and other blossoms close to the ground at this time.

Watch for these tiny but lovely butterflies along sunny paths at the edge of woodlands or even inside the woodlands before the leaves come out. You may often see several “dancing” through the sunlight, a happy sight for winter tired eyes.

More Signs of Spring

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Canada Mayflower, also known as false lily of the valley, is just about to come into bloom.

In the ponds, signs of the first water lilies and their blooms are just appearing.
Sun streaming through still mostly leafless trees give light to the early bloomers on the forest floor. I love the soft green “mist” that seems to be everywhere as the tiny leaves that will become the cool shade of summer burst forth.
Each tiny leaf reaches to the sky, following the light and warmth of the sun.
Spring on Cape Cod takes its sweet time getting here but when it arrives it is sweet indeed!

The Shadbush is Blooming!

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Almost every day a new sign of spring is bursting forth here on Cape Cod and this weekend the shadbush began to bloom almost everywhere. Shadbush is found mostly in fresh water wetland areas but can also be found around the edges of salt marshes in our area.

The bush is called this because it bloomed right at the same time another natural phenomenon happened in the spring and the Native Americans knew it to be a sign it was time to gather their gear for a special harvest after a long cold winter. A certain animal called a shad “runs” at this time of year. Do you know what kind of animal that is?
This shadbush was found at Hathaway’s Pond in Hyannis but is in bloom Cape wide at this time.

Spring is Springing all over!

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Just came back from a fabulous walk in one of Barnstable’s many lovely conservation areas. This one was the Otis Atwood area in Marstons Mills and on a lovely sunny spring afternoon the mayflower was in bloom all over, the chickadees were phoebe-phoebe-ing like crazy and we got a great look at a Cooper’s hawk that tried to stare us down but gave up and flew off. My favorite part of the walk was seeing my very first spring azures, the tiny little blue butterflies that seem to arrive just in time for the blooming of the mayflowers!