Nature Watch For March -- A Monthly Guide To Our Natural Surroundings

El Nino has kick-started many gardens in the Northwest, and that means several types of spring flowers - including daffodils, crocuses and a few varieties of rhododendrons - are a few weeks ahead of schedule and will be in full bloom during March.

Nature watchers can expect great blue herons to return to Renton's Black River Riparian Forest in mid-March for nesting. Throughout the month, gray whales can be viewed along Washington's coast on their way to spring feeding grounds in Alaska.

Here are some tips on what to look for in March:

What to watch for Where to look

Bald eagles courting Juanita Bay Park (Kirkland),

Discovery Park (Seattle), Marymoor Park (Redmond) Black brants (geese) Dungeness National Wildlife

Refuge (Clallam County) Camellias, early rhododendrons, Bloedel Reserve skunk cabbage (Bainbridge Island)

Camellias, Daphnes, heathers, Washington Park Arboretum magnolias, witch hazels (Seattle)

Crocus, daffodils and hyacinths VanLierop Bulb Farm

(13407 80th St. E., Puyallup) Azaleas, cyclamen, early Lakewold Gardens (Tacoma) rhododendrons, trilliums

Gray whales All along Washington's coast;

good viewing points are at Westport and in Olympic National Park

Great blue herons nesting Black River Riparian Forest

(Renton)

Snow geese; tundra and trumpeter swans Skagit Flats (Skagit

County)

Sources: "Seasonal Guide to the Natural Year," by James Luther Davis; Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife; Audubon Society.