Sights and sounds from a walk through the woods

It finally feels like spring in western Kentucky and the sunshine seems to have awoke some of our early spring arrivals.  On a hike through the rolling hills of Lake Barkley State Resort Park yesterday I came across some of those arrivals.  Here is a quick list of the woodland flowers:

• Lots of Cut-leaf toothwort was blooming
• Trillium leaves have emerged from the leaf litter but haven’t yet bloomed
• A single blooming Rue Anemone
• A few Pennyworts blooming  
• May apple leaves have emerged
• Spring Beauty, Bluets, and Pussytoes continue to bloom

The forest was also alive with the sounds of singing birds.  At the start of my hike I was surprised to hear the low hoot of a Great Horned Owl.  Great Horned Owls are some of the earliest nesting birds in Kentucky usually starting to breed in December and January.  The Kentucky Environmental Education Projects (KEEP), activated their Lake Barkley Osprey nest camera this year and to their surprise they found it was already occupied by a pair of Great Horned Owls and two young chicks.  

Two young Great Horned Owls from KEEP's nest camera

The chicks are quickly growing and it has been interesting to check in on them from time to time.  Great Horned Owls have a wide variety of prey items, and this pair has brought fish, coots, rabbits, and even a meadowlark home for dinner.  You can check out the nest camera  here, but check it out soon because it won’t be long before the young take flight.