More Progression of Spring

Well, I left you with the Spotted Salamanders, Wood Frogs, Spring Peepers and Pickerel Frogs (among others) who are out and breeding in early Spring. As Spring progresses into early April, you will hear a new voice in the marshes, and even along lake shores, a sweet trill that seems to magically arise from the ambient sounds and freeze you, or at least it freezes me. It is like some trill from an Elven flute, a magical sound that makes me lose my breath for a second until I recognize it. I never recognize it at first; it always catches me by surprise, arising from the sound of rushing water, of a light breeze, or from a near silence of the woodland. It takes me a magical second the identify this sound, even if I heard it a day before, and I never fail to blurt out "American Toad!".
I know that most people think the Toad is ugly, but I love them.

Here you can see the eye, one of the prettiest in the Animal Kingdom (my daughter likely has the prettiest, but I am prejudiced), looking like gold filigree. The American Toad can be told from his cousin (really a double first cousin, because they are capable of interbreeding and do on occasion) the Fowler's Toad by several characteristics, a good subject for another blog post.

At this time, the first week or so in April, the native flowers and trees begin to bloom. One that is totally mystical to me is the Appalachian Serviceberry, called Sarvice by the older locals. It is a stark white to occasionally white with a very subtle pink tinge, and is usually found in young woodlands and along woodland borders. It seems to appear magically out of the browns and grays of the late Spring woodland. Shortly after, in lower areas with more neutral soil, you will see Redbud trees making a pinkish purple haze. (Jimmy Hendrix would be proud...). Bloodroot and Trout Lily are also blooming, Bloodroot in more dry locations in more mature woods, and Trout Lily along the streams and trickles. Bloodroot will knock your eye out, but Trout Lily has to be looked for. At the Kephart Trail head on US 441 between Cherokee and Gatlinburg is a colony of Hepatica that is simply outstanding, showing several colors as the flowers mature. They are out in mid April.

Next are the Dogwood, with a white that is chalk to bone white, often a pure shining white, and occasionally with a hint of pink. The Sarvice are now gone, and most of the trees, especially Tulip Tree, or Yellow Poplar, are leafing out. Oaks will be out and pollinating, and people who search for Morel Mushrooms will be out too. The Fraser Magnolia, a native deciduous Magnolia, will bloom in late April, and a little later, the Tulip Tree, making a very pretty flower that can be lost amongst the leaves, and looking very like a tulip.

Late April is a fertile time here, with the trees now leafing out, and the mountains being a lush emerald green that almost makes you hungry. It is difficult to feel old at this time of year, with the streams running high, wild flowers blooming in every cove, hollow, and stream bank.

In May the trees mature their leaves and begin to take on a darker green, more of a hunter green, and many of the wild flowers have finished up.

So much goes on in Spring here, and I think of Spring as covering a span from early February to late May. It is a season to enjoy, as all the other seasons are to be enjoyed. Please come and enjoy, but also, PLEASE leave the Mountains as you found them. Too much of our Mountain land is being destroyed by people who "love" the Mountains and want to live here...

Progression of Spring

I can't believe I haven't published anything since late February. Gosh. Spring is cruising along, and it is fascinating to watch. In the years I worked in the Southeast Georgia area, I was treated to a very different Spring. It seemed the weather went from the relative cool of Winter, to the sweet comfort of Spring to the hard heat of Summer in a little over a month, maybe not even that long. It's different here.

Spring here is a progression, something that can be watched from day to day, especially if you live out of doors as I did in the late 1980's and early '90's. I worked for an Environmental Ed. center here, and was outside every day from early April to the last of May. Spring here covers more territory than that, though, and all of it is lovely.

In February, right around St. Valentine's Day, the Red Maples start to bud out in the forests, fence rows, wood edges, and thickets, with a light reddish blush that is hardly noticeable unless you are right on top of them, but there, they are quite striking.


At around the same time, Tag Alder and Hazel of both species (American and Leafy) are doing the same thing, but they are filling the air with pollen, causing horrible sinus problems with allergy sufferers.

This is Alder with my hand as a support. The long yellow things are the male catkins, which make pollen. The female catkins can be seen at the tips of the branch, and will make seed in the summer.

In the next photo of a Hazel colony near the French Broad, you can see how many of these things can be pollinating at once. Imagine every stream, pond, lake shore, brook, trickle, and marsh has some Alders, plus most river and stream flood plain woods has some Hazel, and you get the idea how many tons (yes, I said tons) of pollen are floating around in Western NC during February.

Now you have to remember that we are still in Winter's grip. The Equinox is still a ways off. But things are happening. Wood Frogs are to be found near the vernal pools, pools and ponds that are only filled with the Spring rains, and are empty by late summer. Their funny quacking song doesn't carry, but their cousins the Peepers, who are out at the same time, can be heard for miles.

This Wood Frog was kind enough to sit in my hand while I got a rather bad shot of him. He was found crossing the road on a rainy night in early March last year. I also found a Pickerel Frog on the road at the same time.

As you can see, Pickerel Frogs have square spots or blotches on their backs which blend in well with the forest floor.


This one was found this Spring on a rainy night in late March.

Someone else is out too in March during warm night rains. (By warm I mean above 40 degrees F.) The Spotted Salamanders are out seeking temporary pools and ponds which contain no fish that will eat their babies.

This is the first one I ever saw in the wild, one night in late March. I also saw a rare sight, also a first for me, a Mole Salamander, not quite so showy, but considered threatened over much of its range.

This one was nice enough to sit in the pine needles at the side of the road and let me take pictures (I moved him from the middle of the road). I was as high as a kite after finding these two, both firsts for me, and sights rarely seen by most people, since they are out on rainy nights at a time of year when most people don't go out. I am certainly glad I do.

I will write more on the progression of Spring. Have to let the pot bubble for a bit...