Don’t Blink: Spring Ecological Events You’ve Probably Never Noticed in Ontario
Spring has always been my favourite season.
Not just because of the warmer weather and longer days, but because of all the fascinating happenings in our environment—many of which go unnoticed. From short-lived ephemeral blooms to a host of unusual birds making stop-overs, each spring day has a full itinerary of ecological events not to be missed.
Move over daffodils and tulips. Here are five ecological events to look for right now in Ontario.
1. Maple Trees are Flowering
Am I the only one who had no idea maple trees had flowers?
I recently learned that maple trees flower every spring but sadly, their small, unusual blooms are often overlooked. Look closely at maples in April and May and you’ll observe yellowish green or red flowers ready to be pollinated on the ends of branches.
One of the first observable changes marking the start of spring, I impatiently wait for these secretive flowers every year. Now you can join the inner circle of people who know about them!
2. Snakes are Awakening
After a long hibernation, snakes across Ontario beginning to emerge from underground burrows come early April. A walk in a Toronto park taught me this as I observed tens of gartersnakes basking in leaf litter on a sunny trail.
Spring is an active time for snakes as they begin to look for mates. Other common snakes beginning to wake up include Dekay’s Brownsnake, Northern Watersnakes, and the Eastern Fox snake.
Gartersnakes can be observed emerging from hibernation in early spring.
3. Wild Garlic is Sprouting
Woodland vampires beware.
In early spring, you’ll start to notice allium canadese sprouting in small, green clumps. Growing only in the Niagara Peninsula, Wild Garlic likes many different habitats such as fields and forests.
All parts of this strongly flavoured plant are edible, but bulbs are best harvested in the fall. Look for its delicate, globe-shaped blooms in July. Happy foraging!
These small bulbs will continue to grow and be ready for harvest in the fall.
4. Killdeer are Nesting
Killdeer are big fans of open concept design.
After returning from a long migration, they begin to mate and lay their eggs in shallow depressions in the bare ground in early April. Masters of camouflage, you’ll likely hear one of these adorable plovers before you see them. For such a small bird, they have quite the voice.
Always be careful to not disturb nest sites.
5. Trout Lilies Emerge in Colonies
Ephemeral is a word I’ve come across many times, but I’ll admit, I’ve never actually understood what it meant. It turns out it’s just a fancy way of describing a plant that has a short lifecycle.
Trout Lilies are a type of ephemeral wildflower and emerge mid-April in large colonies in forested areas. Their speckled leaves are aptly named for their resemblance to patterns on the skin of trout, and their yellow blooms are not to be missed.
A Trout Lily about to flower is here for a good time, not a long time.
