Spring wildflower show begins in woods. And trout stocked in Indiana waters.
I saw at least one report that trout lilies are now flowering locally, with their elegant gold petals curling over speckled, trout-like leaves.
It takes a watchful eye each spring to notice precisely when dazzling native wildflowers bloom in the woods. Some are just beginning. Some are on the cusp of it, as several blooms are hiding inside of green buds.
This week’s spike in warmth will spur that along. Hike the woods several times, and watch the progression of different species. A day or two can make a big difference.
In a woods near my house, cutleaf toothwort and false rue anemone had just started to blossom on Easter Sunday, while prairie trilliums were sprouting more of their leaves — all of them still on their way to more showy numbers.
I’ll link here in this column online to my annual “Spring wildflower guide,” a photo gallery with 30 images to help you identify native flowers that only grow in the woods.
One image in the gallery shows garlic mustard, an invasive species that you’re encouraged to pull (if you are certain that it is garlic mustard). You can toss the plant on the trail and trample it, though the best practice is to bag it up. It propagates via seeds that split off from its white flowers. I'll list volunteer efforts in coming weeks to help remove it in local parks.
So the race is on. The last of the woodland wildflowers, including the large white trilliums, will quit flowering once the trees fully leaf out in mid-May, robbing them of light.
Trout stocking in Indiana
Before the opening day of trout season in Indiana, April 29, the state says it’s stocking nearly 50,000 trout into 33 bodies of water in 21 counties. But anglers don’t have to wait for trout season to start on lakes, where trout fishing is open all year.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources reports that the stockings include 400 rainbow trout in Pinhook Lagoon in South Bend and 6,671 rainbow trout and 2,000 brown trout in Oliver Lake south of LaGrange. Potato Creek in North Liberty receives 800 rainbow trout.
April 2022: Where's the trout? Homeschoolers learn slimy lessons as they stock Potato Creek.
In Elkhart County streams, Cobus Creek gets 188 rainbow trout and 75 brown trout, while Solomon Creek gets 750 rainbow trout and 300 brown trout and the Little Elkhart River gets 2,250 rainbow trout and 1,200 brown trout. LaPorte County’s Slocum Ditch gets 400 rainbow trout as the Little Kankakee River gets 600 rainbow trout and 480 brown trout.
More rainbow trout will be added to some streams for Memorial Day and other May events.
Find bag limits, regulations and the full stocking plan at bit.ly/INFishStocking.
The DNR advises that trout respond to various artificial baits but that natural bait, like worms and bee moths, tends to be more popular. Anglers age 18 and older must have an Indiana fishing license and a trout/salmon stamp to fish for trout. For licenses, visit on.IN.gov/INhuntfish.
Earth Day heads-up
Figure on lots of options to mark Earth Day on April 22. Among them, Diana Mendelsohn’s classic celebration (music, free stuff, education) will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the St. Joseph County Public Library’s auditorium in downtown South Bend. Also, Friends of the St. Joe River (www.FotSJR.org) seeks volunteers to clean up trash along the St. Joseph River, starting at 9:30 a.m. April 22 in the parking lot of Zion Community Church, 211 S. St Peter St., South Bend.
Look for more details and full event roundup next week.
Hiking
∎ Nature apps: Learn how to use smartphone apps to identify plants, birds and other natural things and then join a hike to practice as you look for spring wildflowers from 10 a.m. to noon April 15 at the Elkhart Environmental Center, 1717 E. Lusher Ave., Elkhart. Cost is $1. Register in a link in this column online.
∎ Warren Woods hike: Join the Harbor Country Hikers at 1 p.m. April 15 to hike 2.5 miles at Warren Woods State Park in Three Oaks and its old-growth forest on flood plains and bluff where spring wildflowers grow (and visit seldom-used parts of the park). From Three Oaks, drive north on Three Oaks Road, turn left on Elm Valley Road and after 0.7 miles look for the trailhead parking lot on the north (right) side.
∎ Bonneyville hike: The Elkhart County Parks’ hiking club will meet at 6 p.m. April 18 to hike mostly flat trails with a few short hills at Bonneyville Mill County Park in Bristol. Meet at the Kum Mol Rie Shelter. From Bristol, go east on Indiana 120, south on County Road 131 and look for it on the left.
Birding
∎ Birds in the dunes: Got Thursday mornings free? An Indiana Dunes National Park ranger will lead bird-watching hikes from 9 to 11 a.m. CDT on April 13, 20 and 27 where you’ll also look for spring plant growth. Meet inside of the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, 1215 N. Indiana 49, one mile north of Interstate 94. The group will carpool to the chosen hiking site for the day, based on where the birds are most active. Call 219-395-1882 for questions.
∎ Birding tour at Kankakee: Kankakee Fish & Wildlife Area in North Judson will mark a century of wildlife conservation, plus a new bird blind, with guided birding hikes from 7:30 to 11 a.m. CDT April 15 and May 20. Participants can choose one of three routes. One will be an accessible driving route. The other two hikes will follow mowed lanes around the property and may walk through vegetation or across wet ground. Meet at 7:30 a.m. CDT at Kankakee headquarters, 4320 W. Toto Road, North Judson, where a newly installed bird observation blind will be unveiled. Visitors can use the blind to take photos and observe birds in the wetlands. Hiking groups will depart at 8 a.m. Kankakee offers 4,199 acres of habitat for migratory birds, including a revitalized marsh, open water, riparian woods, periodically flooded crop fields and 11 miles of river. From North Judson, come north on West County Road 350 South, then west (left) on Toto Road (County Road 300 South). If you’re coming south on U.S. 35 from Knox, you can also turn west (right) onto Toto Road. For more information, visit https://events.in.gov/event/Kankakee100_BirdingHikes.
∎ About owls: Dennis Badke of Foxwood Raptor and Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Bristol will bring live ambassador owls to talk about the biology, feeding and habitat of owls at the monthly meeting of the South Bend-Elkhart Audubon Society. It will start at 2 p.m. April 16 at the Elkhart Conservation Club, 55515 Riviera Drive, Elkhart.
∎ Fowl language: Learn both the behaviors and the unique sounds of different species of birds in a “Bird Language Lessons” workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. April 20 at Baintertown Park in River Preserve County Park in New Paris. The free program, open to ages 8 and older, will help you to listen, locate and identify birds on the fly. Registration is required at elkhartcountyparks.org.
Wildflowers
∎ Love Creek wildflowers: Love Creek County Park, at 9292 Huckleberry Road in Berrien Center, will lead a series of 1.5-hour hikes to look for wildflowers on its trails. They will be at 11 a.m. April 15 and 22, 9 a.m. April 30, 3 p.m. May 5, 9 a.m. May 6 and 2 p.m. May 7.
∎ Dowagiac Woods sanctuary: A Sarett Nature Center naturalist will lead a hike to seek wildflowers from 1 to 2:30 p.m. April 23 in the Dowagiac Woods nature preserve in Dowagiac. Cost is $5. Register at 269-927-4832.
∎ Wildflowers for 55+: Sarett’s monthly Silver Foxes program, for those 55 and older, will look for and learn about wildflowers at 11 a.m. April 26 on Sarett’s property in Benton Harbor. Cost is $5. Register at 269-927-4832.
High school camp
Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College will host a summer camp at its 1,189-acre nature preserve from June 5 to 9 for upcoming high school juniors and seniors through its Conservation Leadership School. Cost is $50, which includes meals and lodging. Full scholarships are available, too. Fill out an application online and have a teacher or mentor submit a short letter of recommendation by April 30 at goshen.edu/merrylea/cls.
Find columnist Joseph Dits on Facebook at SBTOutdoorAdventures or 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Spring native wildflowers blossom in woods and Indiana stocks trout
