March is a well named month. It is, after all, a journey from winter to spring and, in contrast to a pleasant stroll, it can be a rugged, sloppy trip. There will be wet snows, cold rains and icy winds. We will cross muddy fields, swollen streams and slippery hillsides.
It is, indeed, the most fickle of Midwestern months, encompassing the peak of the winter-spring battle. But, for the naturalist, March has plenty to offer. Waterfowl migrations surge through the month, lovesick mammals wander the landscape, wetlands come alive with the call of tree frogs, wildflowers spread through the woodlands and, by the end of the month, the first summer birds begin to arrive.
And, of course, our journey will bring us to those mild, fragrant days of April, when winter has lost its grip and renewal begins in earnest. Until then, we'll slog our way through March.
