Things to Look For in May

This spring has been cold and a little slow, like last year. Morels, in particular, are just starting to show up. Below are all the things we've highlighted before on the Natural Capital in the month of May. It's getting to be a long list!

What else have you been seeing out there? Enjoy the beautiful weekend outdoors and leave a comment here or on this post on Facebook.

yellow ladyslipper at TWMA by Carly&Art

We often make it out to Thomspon Wildlife Management Area in early May to see the trilliums and ladyslipper orchids. I know I usually say that there's so much to see in the DC metro area that roadtrips are unnecessary, but the display at Thompson's is really unbelievable.

Photo credit: cotinis

Pinxter Azaleas - Some yards are an absolute riot of hot pinks and purples in the spring with azaleas bred from Asian species. But there is actually an azalea native to this area, and it's quite showy in its own right. They're blooming in Rock Creek Park right now.

Photo credit: The Natural Capital

Tuliptree Flowers - Tuliptrees are one of the dominant species in the forests in and around Washington, DC. But because the trees are so tall, many people have never seen their flowers. You may find some falling on the ground even if you can't see them in the treetops. (But the real treat is, you can drink their nectar.)

Photo credit: Eric Begin

Baltimore Orioles - Migrating right along with the tuliptree nectar are the orioles. Learn to recognize their pretty song and you may greatly improve your chances of actually seeing one.

Hummingbird by Jason Means

Ruby throated hummingbirds - Need I say more? Love, love, love these birds and I'm always so happy to see them come back in the spring. People have reported seeing them in the area, but I haven't spotted one yet.

Canada warbler by Jeremy Meyer

There are also many species of migratory warblers -- pretty little songbirds with pretty little songs. In the last several years, we've had a day or two in mid-May when a lot pass through our yard. This post shows some of the species we see the most.

Photo credit: ac4lt

Mountain Laurel -  The gnarled, shaggy trunks of mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) make it a showy shrub at any time of year. But in late May or early June, they burst into flower.

Tufted Titmouse by RunnerJenny

Tufted titmice - These birds are in the Washington DC area year round, but (like many birds) they're nesting in May. This post was inspired by catching a pair flying back and forth repeatedly to their nest to feed their young, when we went to see the mountain laurels.

Blue flag iris by dermoidhome

Blue flag iris - This gorgeous iris can be found in our local wetlands. It's one of the showiest flowers native to the DC region.

Oyster mushrooms by justresting

Oyster mushrooms - These are quite possibly my favorite local mushroom. They're not showy like chicken of the woods or early like morels, just a reliable, plentiful mushroom with a nice mushroomy flavor.

Photo credit: NC Orchid

Putty root orchid - I had been looking for this flower for years. I finally saw one two years ago, in May.

Serviceberries by dbarronoss

Serviceberries - We first learned these native, edible fruits as "Juneberries," but they should maybe be called "Mayberries" around here. (Does something already have that name, or is it just a place in tv land?) They should start ripening at the end of the month. They're scattered throughout the woods in the DC area, but you'll get the most fruit from trees that have been planted ornamentally...see our list of some of the best areas we've found, and a few more in the comments to the post.

Photo credit: Mary Keim

Eyed click beetles - We love these funky insects and their acrobatics. If you've never seen one in action, check out the videos in our post. For some reason we seem to always see them around this time of year. I'm not sure if that's just chance, or something about their life cycle.

Photo credit: USDA

And while you're out looking for all these things, don't forget to start checking for ticks. Lyme disease is rampant in our area, and a big deal if you get it. But if you find a tick within 24 hours of it attaching itself to you, chances are you won't get Lyme. So just suck it up and look for the little bloodsuckers.