20 April

 At last, after numerous official guided visits, speeches, and a ribbon cutting attended  by innumerable dignitaries, a return visit to the Hamilton Forest and Wetlands.  It has become officially Hamilton Marsh Regional Park and Conservation Area.  

In addition to its newly conferred status among human governments, spring has come to the area, and the Forest gleams with new growth.


Every spring, the salmon berry bushes are among the first to blossom.


Ferns are beginning to sprout--the single shoot of bracken fern:


and the clusters of lady fern.


Vanilla leaf is appearing, 


providing us with a effective mosquito repellent when we forget to bring our own,

and the dismissively named "false lilly of the valley," not yet in bloom, but abundant.


I doubt very much that the plants intend deception--they will produce nice white clusters of blossom as the season advances.  

Kindbergia emerges from stumps, sprouting its beaked capsules.


Along a branch path, skunk cabbage is sprouting.


To use a phrase that I seem to have absorbed from farming family, the Marsh is "greening up,"  not yet in full growth, but showing life.  


In past weeks, visitors have commented, "What has happened that so much grass has died off?"  --Not to worry, it's a seasonal thing.  And one visitor, looking at the by now famous aerial photo of the Marsh, 


asked, "who mows the lawn?"  And oh dear, yes, he was serious.

At this time of year, the Marsh resounds with male marsh wrens, in full voice, and attempting to find mates who appreciated their song.  The red-wing blackbirds are in voice as well--if there is such a thing as an auditory icon, their song would fill that role for marshes and wetlands.

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/314523871

At the southeast end of the Marsh, an assortment of ducks are gathered.  Mallards are abundant,  mergansers are active.


Despite the signage at the entry to the park, a young woman arrived with a dog off-leash. She didn't respond well to mention of signage. 

 This will likely be a continuing process.  It's not that I dislike dogs--on the contrary, I prefer them to many humans--but this is a nesting area and canines are naturally and innocently inquisitive.  Their humans don't seem to absorb that as a problem  

A nice assortment of songbirds occupied the fringe of the Marsh.


After a reluctant departure from the glory of the Marsh,  the path unfolded, beckoning next week's visit.










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