30 March, 4 april
It was an exceptionally still and dark morning as we entered the Hamilton Forest. The season is warming up, but heavy rainfall has kept the forest foliage and paths soggy. Slugs find these conditions inviting--they're putting in their first appearances of the season. They seem to be moving even more slowly than their usual sluggish (sorry!) pace. Perhaps cooler temperatures affect them. Slugs and other creatures will feed on the newly emerging fungi. Showy false turkey tails are appearing. We've watched this elder snag nurturing a growth of bracket fungi for the past two years. It shrank a bit in the drier season last summer, but looks to be re-establishing itself, accompanied by a strand of trailing blackberry. Skunk cabbage is beginning to emerge in the streams and ephemeral ponds. Slime molds are appearing on soil and many downed logs. This poetically named "dog vomit slime mold" is luxuriant (if that's the term?). Elderberry is beginning to leaf ...