Green elm seeds, blooming redbuds, wind and rain were all in play across much of our area last week, as we head into the last week of April.

Groundplum milkvetch is a native legume currently found blooming in area prairies. The beautiful pea-like blossoms grow into tasty edible fruit later in the spring, so now is a good time to locate them.

Look closely and you’ll see a flock of turkeys picking over the newly burned prairie. It is always interesting to poke around a burned prairie.

Here are some raccoon tracks in the wet creekside soils, one of their favorite haunts. Wet weather this week should enhance your ability to see animal tracks, and even if it doesn’t rain where you are.

Leaves are emerging from woodland gooseberries in northeast Kansas, with a few false rue anemone emerging. The dry weather has meant a slower spring woodland wildflower season, but this week’s rains may change that, so go take a look!

Sandhill cranes migrate by the hundreds of thousands annually through Kansas and Nebraska. Now is the time to see them. Spring woodland wildflower plants have emerged as well.