The magnificence of March begins

Among spring’s myriad activities in nature, rainbow trout will spawn in local rivers. Conversely, brown and brook trout spawn in the fall.

It's the month when new green grasses sprout from between brown thatched blades. It's the month when red-breasted robins return, and the days begin to feel longer.

March is the month of spring, one that I always thought held the promise of possibilities as nature awakes again from its winter slumber. During this month, so many things will happen - a veritable cornucopia of activity!

In March, rainbow trout will be spawning in our local rivers. These fish are different from their cousins, the brown and brook trout, which spawn in fall.

Believe it or not, rainbow trout are not native to Colorado. While they are native to the western coastal United States and Alaska, this species was introduced to cold-water locations throughout North America. In Colorado, rainbow trout arrived via human help in the late 1880s.

Prairie dogs are giving birth to litters right now, but the young ones won't emerge until late in the month. For more information about prairie dogs, visit www.durangonaturestudies.org/articles/041104.htm.

Golden eagles are mating and incubating eggs. These magnificent birds nest on rock ledges and cliffs close to their preferred prey of small mammals such as cottontails and jackrabbits.

Eagle nests are constructed of interwoven twigs and leaves, and an eagle pair will generally have several nests in their territory.

Nesting begins as early as February and continues into June. As with other raptors, once the young are born, the larger sibling will generally kill the smaller ones.

White-throated swifts continue to arrive from Mexico and Central America to nest in cliff colonies. A great place around Durango to catch a glimpse of swifts is to begin at Horse Gulch, hike to the Meadow Loop, and look toward the south-facing portion of Telegraph Hill. Elsewhere in the region, watch for them around south-facing cliffs.

Wildflowers begin to bloom on south-facing slopes. This early arrival includes filarees, Easter daisies, spring beauties and white pasque flowers.

In the garden, spring bulbs such as daffodils and crocus are starting to bloom, while lilac and forsithia buds begin to swell. Nights are still too cold to plant even the most cold-tolerant crops.

March is a great time to view the constellation Orion and the Orion nebula. The nebula is located in the "sword" portion of the constellation just below the three stars on Orion's belt. Orion is a winter constellation and will disappear out of the night sky by mid-April. Until then, you can view Orion after sunset in the southwest sky.

A great resource for nature facts is the Colorado Nature Almanac: A Month-By-Month Guide to the State's Wildlife and Wild Places. While specific to Colorado, much of the information also is valid for northern New Mexico.

So, enjoy this wonderful month. It's an amazing time in nature.