“All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant.”
-Thoreau in Walden
This the 18th field season of our monitoring flowering and leaf out times in Concord, MA, repeating Henry David Thoreau’s observations from the 1850s. It started as an early spring, with a warm March and no snow cover. Marsh marigold and yellow wood sorrel flowered early.
Often in March, there are masses of the greyish blue arthropod springtails jumping around on the snow, which is why they are often called snow lice. But this year, springtails could be seen on bare ground.
In early spring, greyish blue patches could be seen on bare ground
Close inspection shows that these are dense groups of jumping springtails
In April and early May, there was unusually cool weather, resulting in extended displays by ornamental plants like magnolias, azaleas, and tulips, which were covered a few times by April snowstorms.
A mid-April snowfall covered flowering azaleas
In Concord, delayed flowering times were recorded for late-spring wildflowers.
This beautiful light-pink lady’s slipper orchid flowered late
Every year is different in New England.
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