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Many birds are returning from
their wintering grounds further south, including
yellow-rumped, Virginia’s, orange-crowned,
MacGillivray’s, Wilson’s and yellow warblers,
common yellowthroats and yellow breasted chats. Hummingbirds
will also soon be making their appearance. Hawks
and owls are setting up nests. Many of these birds
depend upon the cottonwood/willow forests along our
rivers.
Raccoons are becoming active. Babies are born in April
or May, and have eyes closed for an additional 20 days.
They won’t leave the den until late June or early
July. Skunks have a similar pattern.
Prairie dog pups, born in early April, will begin to
venture out of their dens toward the end of April or
early May, staying close to the entrance to avoid becoming
a tasty snack for eagles, hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes
and badgers.
Watch for early wildflowers blooming including Pasque
flowers and various species of vetch and mustard.
Cottonwood, willow and aspen trees (all in the Salix
family) are beginning to flower and leaf out. Three
kinds of native cottonwoods are found in southwest
Colorado. Narrow-leaved (Populus angustifolia), Rio
Grand or Plains (Populus deltoides ssp. wislizenii)
and Lanceleaf (Populus acuminata), which is thought
to be a fertile hybrid of the previous two.
Early April is the time to start tomatoes, peppers
and eggplant seeds indoors, for planting outside in
early June.
Late April is a good time to plant some of your cold
tolerant crops such as lettuce, spinach, chard, kale,
peas, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and
beets.
Look for lots of perennial herbs to reemerge this month,
including chives, lovage, tarragon, mints, savory
and oregano.
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