Signs of Spring

It remains rather brown outside and when it is dreary and rainy it's difficult to imagine spring.  That is, unless, you get out of doors and examine the natural world that surrounds you.

From our walk a couple of days ago there was this.

Catkins!

This is the petal-less flower associated with willow, birch, hickory and a few additional trees. 

Willows thrive in the wetter soils found around here and form tangled thickets that provide valuable wildlife habitat.  The flowers you see pictured emerge in early spring before the leaves.  Male flowers are associated with a separate plant from those that bear female flowers.     

I suspect that these are black willows.  It is deserving of further examination.