The first day of spring, also known as the Spring Equinox, occurred on March 20. It was a wonderful day to hike. The word equinox comes from the Latin words “equal” and “night” and marked the start of spring in the northern hemisphere when the hours of daylight and night are almost equal in length. Mother Nature is always full of surprises. On the last full day of winter in Oakland County, the temperature reached 72 degrees, while snow flurries fell on the first day of spring.

The duel between the seasons continues with a seesaw pattern of temperature changes, but the signs of spring and the renewal of nature is everywhere. The sudden appearance of crocuses and the brilliance of red maple buds are two of the most obvious signs, even with our sudden burst of snow flurries earlier in the week.

Our woodpeckers do not migrate, but their activity level increases with the hours of daylight. Our three most commonly seen species are the Pileated Woodpecker, the Hairy Woodpecker and the Downy Woodpecker. This handsome female Hairy Woodpecker was spiraling around a tree trunk, pausing to locate sluggish bugs and grubs behind the bark.

The rapid eye-catching emergence of skunk cabbage along woodland creeks and swampy areas confirms that the seasonal change has taken hold. It’s a very common but often overlooked plant. Its easily recognized by its shape.

Snakes take advantage of the sunny days and often bask on sun-warmed trails. I encountered a red-bellied snake at Independence Oaks County Park just last week. A small group of people was heading in my direction with a leashed dog, so I did what any naturalist would do and moved the red-bellied snake across the trail in the direction it was going.

Wolly Bear Caterpillars were on the move last week after a winter of hibernation. Folklore has it that if the brown band is wide, winter weather will be mild, but if it’s narrow, the winter will be severe. For once, the myth matched reality in Oakland County, and we had a really mild winter.

Male wood frogs sang their spring courtship songs from vernal ponds and shallow wetlands after hibernating under leaf litter and decaying logs. Hundreds erupted into song last week at Independence Oaks County Park, a sure sign that spring is taking hold. After their mating season ends, they live up to their name and head back to the woodlands to hunt for beetles, caterpillars, flies, and spiders.

Coyotes are active all year, but their activity level increases with their mating season. They are seldom seen, but now that the snow has melted, their scat is easy to find.

I take pleasure in walking along muddy creek banks to see what creatures are stirring as the duel between the seasons continues. Raccoons, squirrels, great blue herons and deer left their tracks and travel tales in the mud.

On almost every trek in Independence Oaks, I spot new signs of spring despite the earlier snow flurries. Canada Geese are nesting once again with one pair perched on an old muskrat lodge. It’s a secure site: difficult for land-based predators or humans to reach.

Some signs of nature’s annual renewal are subtle and easily overlooked. I’ve been walking past this trailside praying mantis egg case all winter. I’d love to witness their emergence and see about 100 nymphs, which are about four millimeters long, greeting daylight for the first time! By early summer, the full-grown mantises will be about five inches long and become active predators.

A few days ago, I visited the Tenhave Woods Nature Preserve in Royal Oak and had the pleasure of hiking with my long-time naturalist friend Bob Muller. Although the day was very chilly, it was a great hike as we looked for signs of spring, I was especially pleased to see the excitement of young children on our hike. Hopefully, events like this will stir their passion to follow and share nature’s way.

Jonathan Schechter is the Nature Education Writer for Oakland County Government and blogs about nature’s way, trails and wildlife on the Wilder Side of Oakland County.

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