Michelle Witte, Wild Bear Nature Center. While there may still be a fair amount of snow in our neighborhoods, the signs of spring are starting to emerge all around us. With high elevation and large snow storms occurring throughout the spring, Nederland and surrounding regions experience spring later than other regions of the state and past the official start of spring at the Vernal Equinox in March.

However, as the light in our days grows so do nature’s expressions of the seasonal transition which is occurring. The daylight increase of spring sends signals to our local flora and fauna to start waking up and get ready for all the sunshine and natural wonder of the coming months. 

Over the next several weeks we will start to notice as the sun goes down later and later, that more and more flowers start to bloom, more birds are chirping, insects will emerge once again, and several of our local hibernators will wake from their frosty slumber. You might even start to notice yourself gaining more endurance and energy throughout your days. 

One of the local favorite signs of spring are the return of the hummingbirds, particularly the Broad-tailed Hummingbird. These small but mighty fliers complete an impressive migration every spring and fall. 

During the winter months, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds and many of the region’s other migratory birds call Central America home. Birds like these beautiful hummers find abundant resources in the tropics during the northern latitudes’ more extreme winters, and then head back north to find refuge in the less crowded montane forests to breed during the resource rich summer months of the Rockies. 

For such tiny flyers the thousands of miles traveled during the fall and spring is quite a distance!I This migration is truly mind blowing since the hummer’s arrival dates can differ from year to year especially with the climate crisis changing the historical trends, and mountains being so variable season to season and year to year. Wild Bear loves to host a friendly competition to predict when they will arrive and you’re invited to join the fun this spring. If our nectar loving friends arrive a little early it is not a problem since they are well-adapted to eat insects and small spiders while their favorite wildflowers make their way above soil!

Another early spring riser in the Rockies are the Pasque flowers. These simple yet elegant perennial wildflowers are a Rockies favorite and grow in several different habitats throughout the region. The emergence of their fuzzy crocus shaped flowers are a strong signal of all the glory of spring and summer that are well on their way. As the snow melts and sunshine hours increase more and more insects and other important wildlife helpers begin to reappear, and they are hungry! The early bloomers like Pasque flowers, or even the Dandelions provide a critical early source of nectar to many bees, butterflies, and other nectar loving friends. 

While we are lucky enough to have several lakes, creeks, and falls that run year round throughout the Nederland area, the spring snow melt that occurs every year increases the amount of water in our watershed and even forms seasonal or Vernal streams, waterfalls, and ponds for us and the wildlife to enjoy. 

Places like Boulder Falls will see increased flow of water that cascades down its granite rocks. The Frog Ponds in town will defrost and refill making the Western Chorus frogs ever so happy after waking up from hibernation to find a great habitat to breed in. The springtime melts rejuvenate every part of the watershed after the cold hard winter with the prime ingredient to life. Keep an eye on Barker Reservoir and other bodies of water through April and May and see if you can spot how the increase in water impacts the surrounding life. 

With each passing day, more and more transitions of the seasonal world we live in will become obvious, especially to those of us who pay close attention. Head outside, even if it’s just a walk to the car, to listen, smell and take in all that’s happening around you with the many magical transformations of spring happening in nature and within you. 

(Originally published in the April 15, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)