May belongs to the birds, the wildflowers, and to you! All month long the forest floors of Cleveland Metroparks fill with an ever-changing array of wildflowers, while overhead new songs announce the arrival of yet another feathered visitor from the South. Some birds stay and raise their families here, while others push on into the boreal forests of Canada to breed.

May affirms the promises of spring with rebirth of wildflowers, the arrival of migrating birds, and the greening of forest canopies. Be a part of the rebirth; join a naturalist-led group or discover May on your own on the trails of Cleveland Metroparks.

Birds-

Newly hatched goslings follow their parents in fuzzy yellow armadas at Cleveland Metroparks refuges.

House wrens start to breed next week. Are your wren houses ready?

Mammals-

Woodchucks seem to be everywhere along parkways and all purpose trail edges, already stuffing themselves with tender young grasses. Young woodchucks will venture forth with their mothers next month.

Wildflowers-

May-apple flowers should be blooming under their umbrella-like leaves by this weekend.

Shrubs-

Redbud is in bloom.

Birds-

Hummingbirds, rose-breasted grosbeaks, nighthawks and chimney swifts should all be arriving this week or next.

The peak of warbler migration is likely to occur this week. Bird walks in the forests and fields of Cleveland Metroparks are likely to turn up more birds than you ever knew existed! Many will soon be gone as they continue migration, while others "disappear" in the newly unfolding leaves of the tree tops.

Shrubs-

Flowering dogwood is blooming. A drive down Valley Parkway or Hawthorn Parkway is a breathtaking sight in the early morning sun.

Birds-

Wood thrushes and veeries return to fill Cleveland Metroparks forests with their haunting flute-like calls each evening.

Northern orioles begin to look for elms to build their hanging nests.

Trees-

Tall, white flowers of Ohio buckeye stand in sharp contrast to the new green leaves in many places along the parkways.

Apple trees and wild lilacs are now in bloom and mark old farmsteads long abandoned in the Rocky River Valley.

Amphibians-

Green frogs call at mid-day. Their banjo-like "gunk-gunk" calls are easy to tell from the "jug-o-rum" calls of the look-alike bullfrog.

Birds-

Many birds are in courtship and some have begun nest building and incubating eggs. Get up early this weekend and listen to the early morning chorus in Cleveland Metroparks forests.

Bluebird houses are sometimes appropriated by tree swallows, house wrens or chickadees. Though they're not bluebirds, each species is a beautiful addition to the world.

Wildflowers-

Daisy fleabane, first of the summer daisies, may begin to open its white blossoms this week. It was rumored to be used as an insect repellent when crushed or burned.