In early spring, a reddish haze appears in the woodlands. With most deciduous trees still dormant, the red maples are living up to their name. 

I often spot black willow trees as I’m kayaking along a riverbank or lakeshore. While perhaps less picturesque than its (non-native) cousin the weeping willow, black willow is native to the Northeast and provides a host of ecological benefits. 

Each spring, cities from New York to Texas celebrate the spectacular blooming of ornamental cherry trees. In many cultures, the lovely, delicate pink and white cherry blossoms symbolize rebirth and renewal, as well as the fleeting nature of life. 

The acorn is a perfectly designed container packed with potential. It holds the seed that may become a towering tree that will shelter and feed thousands of creatures throughout its lifetime – including many animals that rely on acorns for winter survival.

When I worked on a college campus, a northern mockingbird often accompanied me on the walk between my car and my office.

It happens on a warm June evening: in the darkening field near my house, I notice a brief flicker of light. Then another. And another. It’s the opening act of firefly season – a nightly light show, courtesy of a family of half-inch-long insects.

Call it a flower or call it a weed – clover is a plant everyone knows. Who hasn’t idled away an hour hunting for a four-leaf clover, hoping for good luck?

I’m often tempted to peek at the eggs inside a phoebe’s nest when the parents leave it to forage for food.

Even if you’ve never ventured further into the forest than an urban park or a college campus, you’re probably familiar with Sciurus carolinensis, the Eastern gray squirrel. 

On the New Hampshire lake where I spend much of the summer, loon calls are so common that I sometimes take them for granted. The sounds of the common loon (Gavia immer) are iconic of wilderness and have been described as haunting, plaintive, maniacal, other-worldly, even wolf-like. 

One cold spring morning, a turkey vulture soared across the sky and landed high in a tree behind my house. I soon noticed another vulture, most likely its mate, in a nearby oak.

I’ve seen all kinds of birds on the wooded New Hampshire hilltop where I live, but never – until recently – a duck.