Scenes of Spring: A Photo Essay

Spring wildflowers bloom early in the New River Gorge of West Virginia. From the photographer: “Bloodroot is one of the first to blossom, fittingly coming in around the first day of spring. The reddish sap that exudes from all parts of the plant — especially the root — when cut is what gives bloodroot its common name.”

This scissor-tailed flycatcher has become an unlikely local in Jonesborough, Tennesee. From the photographer: “Though the species typically lives in the Great Plains, this elegant visitor has returned to the same nest in the oldest town in the state for several years.”

In Church Hill, Tennessee, a freshly bloomed sweet white trillium grows at the base of a tree along the Laurel Falls Trail at Laurel Run Park.

Three curious fox kits peek out from behind tall grass in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.

An impressive display of serviceberry blooms below the 6,684-foot summit of North Carolina’s Mount Mitchell, the highest point in America east of the Mississippi River.

Signs of early spring abound at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. From the photographer: “While hiking the shoreline, I saw a small brood of goslings foraging through fresh green grass — a quiet, unspoken signal that the season of renewal had arrived.”

In the Smokies, a 6-month-old cub takes a quick power nap. From the photographer: “Cubs stay busy following Mom, exploring their world, playing with siblings and foraging for food. They are high energy — until they run out of gas.”

Swans glide on a pond at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. From the photographer: “I was turned the other way, capturing dogwood blossoms. When I looked behind me, I noticed this family of swans swimming my way. Sometimes the best shots are the unexpected ones.”

A male cardinal sits in front of a cascade of weeping cherry tree blooms in Kingsport, Tennessee.