1st Mourning Cloak, Henne

The day warmed fast after a chilly start, and after I'd gone on a reconnaissance hike to the Benedict Benson Preserve, a new jewel in the Avalonia Land Conservancy land-holdings crown—I'm leading a walk there next month and I thought I'd better start familiarizing myself with the terrain—I decided to revisit the Henne refuge to check for newly returned songbirds and raptors, maybe even the first of the Great Blue Herons. Any rumors to the contrary, the birds still weren't back, but as I enjoyed a large chorus of singing, or, better put, quacking, Wood Frogs, I scanned the leaf litter along one particular stretch of trail for another species of reawakening. Sure enough, in just about the same spot that I see one every March, a Mourning Cloak butterfly, freshly out of winter hiding beneath tree bark, floated by, landed on the leaf litter, and soaked up the sunshine. Because Nymphalis antiopa goes into the cold times as a fully formed, and definitely hardy, adult, it's ready to take advantage of the first taste of good March weather to seek out mating opportunities. It's also ready, however unintentionally, to provide balm for the winter-weary soul.