Nature Sneak Peek - March 2026

Pasque flower

Now that winter is (mostly) over, I know you are as excited as I am to see spring on the trails. Warmer weather and longer daylight hours are jumpstarting our annual migrations and life is slowly pushing back out. 

I thought I'd put on my naturalist's hat and remind us of what we may encounter on the trails this month. This isn't an exhaustive list; just something to help us get our eyes and ears ready for early spring phenological changes!

Wetlands

Waterfowl

Sandhill Cranes - listen for the raucous calls in wetlands and keep an eye on the sky

Canada Geese - their flying v's will be more obvious as they head north to their nesting grounds

Swans - tundra and trumpeters will begin rushing through this month. They don't stay long since they want to snag prime nesting areas

Pelicans - will be wafting back up to their summer feeding grounds 

Great blue herons - will be heading back so keep an eye out for the first returnees

Ducks  - many species of ducks will be returning, some to nest and some to continue their migration further north

Cable Natural History Museum, Hayward WI

Amphibians/Reptiles

Chorus Frogs - the first songs you'll hear are the chorus frogs - think running your finger over a comb

Spring peepers - not far behind, you'll hear the spring peepers which are chirpier To distinguish the calls of these frogs, Cable Museum Natural History Museum has short audio snippets of each frog to help you identify their calls here.

Garter Snakes - If the weather runs warm through the month, you may catch a glimpse of these elusive snakes

Painted Turtles - will be emerging from their overwintering underwater in mud and sunning to restore body temperature and muscle function 

Forests and Prairies

Songbirds and other birds

American eagle

Woodpeckers - they are starting their territory drumming in earnest which echoes through the woods

Robins, bluebirds, grackles, starlings and red-winged blackbirds are the first migrants to arrive. Watch for killdeer and meadowlarks and listen to our winter birds (cardinals, nuthatches, chickadees, finches, sparrows) begin their mating and territory songs

American Woodcocks - this unusual bird has a spectacular mating dance that begins after sunset in open fields near woods. Prime time is in March and into early April 

Dark-eyed Junco - this bird overwinters with us and will soon be leaving for its nesting grounds up north. Enjoy these sprightly birds during their last days in the Driftless

American Finches/Northern Cardinals - the males are starting to molt their winter plumage and grow in their mating colors; watch for bright yellow feathers on finches and more complete fire engine red on cardinals

Eagles - are much in evidence on the river, perched in trees and in their nests as the rivers and sloughs open up

Birdcast graphic

You can follow the daily migration predictions at Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology’s Birdcast (with other partners) through the spring. They even have a dashboard you can use for your county to check the action predicted. Pro tip: during the mid-March through the end of May migration periods turn off outside lights from midnight until dawn to support birds in their nightly migration.

 

Plants/Fungi

Scarlet elfin cup fungi

Skunk Cabbage - a definite early riser in the wetlands

Pasque Flower - the first to put out her blooms on the prairie 

Sprouts - look for the first shoots of wild strawberry, early buttercups and violets

Watercress - available throughout the winter in springfed streams; harvesting in months with an "r" in their name means fewer bugs. The warmer it gets, the buggier (a true biology lesson while cleaning!)

Scarlet elfin cup - this tiny bright red beauty is an early bird...uh, fungi 

Eastern comma butterfly

Insects

Eastern Comma Butterfly - it is common, but these little beauties are a delight to spot 

Morning Cloak Butterfly - a dark winged butterfly, it is one of the first to emerge

Deer ticks - 'nuff said!

As I made this list I thought, that's alot of change  - and it's just the opener and intro to what's coming in the next few spring months. Keep a sharp eye out - and enjoy!

See you on the trails!

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

Trumpeter swans fly over Reno Quarry March 2022

You can read my quarterly column on seasonal hiking suggestions in Inspire(d) Driftless Magazine available online or pick up a free copy at businesses and organizations around the Driftless areas of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.