Bluebird Day: Rain fall, spring ephemerals, and morels

School has ended and it is spring in Michigan--well, sort of. After a long winter here, even a glimpse of the sunlight is cause for celebration. Yesterday's chilly rain didn't stop my dad and me from venturing outside to seek spring ephemerals. We walked along a wooded trail, pausing often to look at different ephemerals. The Dutchman's breeches seem to be winding down, and the squirrel corn has taken its place. Hepatica and bloodroot have come and gone, and the Jack in the Pulpit is unfurling. It's amazing how much I've learned about spring ephemerals over the past few years, and I remember when I had trouble distinguishing certain flowers from one another. I feel like I still have a lot to learn, but it's exciting to be able to walk through a landscape and understand different species and natural processes.
As we wandered along the trail, I spotted a mysterious crumb in the dirt. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was the remains of a morel mushroom, a local, edible delicacy that is known for its taste, elusiveness, and price. I immediately spotted a full mushroom next to the trail, and shortly after found one more. My collecting eye tuned sharply into the layer of leaf litter and sticks, but I did not find any other mushrooms. Slightly disappointed, we continued down the trail, coming closer to Lake Michigan. On a whim, I decided to cut off trail into a pretty wooded area along a bluff that was brilliantly green with trillium and Solomon's Seal. I spotted a small morel, its cap still covered with dead leaves after pushing its way up through the earth, and then I saw another and another. My dad and I called to one another, and soon we had collected about half a pound. Although I cannot disclose the location (every good mushroom forager knows this), I should mention that I was surprised how sandy the soil was. We may return to this area soon to look for more mushrooms, and I'm also planning on digging up some ramps from the woods to combine with the morels for a local dish.
Spring is also a wonderful time to do some bird watching because the leaves are not out yet, making these winged creatures easier to spot. Baltimore Orioles, Indigo Buntings, and Scarlet Tanagers have been a few of the excited sightings around the house, along with several varieties of woodpeckers.
All photos by LCR