The natural world in Carbondale wakes up in March.
In town the crocuses and daffodils will be kicking into high gear and the elm and maple trees will be blooming their hearts out. February’s isolated wildflower patches will this month become carpets of flowers as March progresses and dormant bulbs awaken to life. Bloodroot and Toothwort – our earliest bloomers – are followed in short order by Spring Beauties, Dutchman’s Breeches, Spicebush and Dogtooth Violets with emerging Trilliums and the first blooming Bluebells finishing out March. Last month’s trickle of migrating birds will this month become a stream.
Should you have a Martin or Bluebird house get it ready because the first scouts will arrive this month. Keep an eye on lakes and ponds for migrating waterfowl who’ll be resting and refueling before heading north. Woodland and prairie birds are also arriving so listen for them in our wood lots and forests. Most of these species are more easily heard than seen. And be sure and look up occasionally this month on clear, sunny days.
Turkey Vultures will be soaring slowly north and a multitude of smaller hawks will be flying just at the range of human sight high overhead.
Moles will be busy delivering subterranean babies while on the waterfront the first aquatic snakes (all harmless) will be out of their burrows and soaking up the sun. On just about any warm evening this month you should be able to hear the oldest voices on earth greeting the coming spring.
The whistling calls of Spring Peepers and the gurgling chuckles of Leopard frogs will join the Chorus Frogs in March. And beneath the muddy surface of our ditches the sirens will be doing their silent, secretive best to ensure the next generation’s arrival. Toward the end of the month the toads will join in. Listen for the extremely unmusical blaaaat of Fowlers Toads and the ringing, soothing trill of American Toads adding their songs to the mix.
But this month’s BIG EVENT will occur near the end of the month when the first Morels of the year make their appearance. These are the large, robust and very tasty Black Morels or Peckerheads. If you’ve never had a meal of morels before, make every effort to do so this year. These tasty little suckers are rated as the second-best tasting fungus on the planet – just behind black Perigord truffles.
While they occur in greatest number in the forests and orchards outside the city limits (Campus Lake can sometimes be a good producer), surprising numbers can be found in town … if you know where to look. One mailman of my acquaintance regularly gets dozens of these tasty treats every year just walking his route in town.Morels are most commonly found at the bases of elm, ash and apple trees.
But don’t limit your search to just these species since morels, in the words of a noted Mushroom Authority, “grow wherever they damn well please.” Morels have the peculiar ability to make themselves invisible to those they consider unworthy. They can also pop out of the ground in a surprisingly short time so make frequent checks of any local patches you might know about – especially after you hear thunder – since thunder seems to draw them out.
So prepare for ambrosial feasts, keep a close watch on your favorite patches and pray for the right weather. And, of course, should anyone gather too many of these flavorful, fleshy, fruitful fungi I’ll be more than happy to take any surplus.
Bon appetit!
by Jim Jung for Carbondale Times, 2005.