As noted ospreys and swans are up and about, as are a number of ducks and other waterfowl, plus shorebirds like snipe. Variety is as high as it is at any time of the year. Longer photoperiod and warmer water cause phytoplankton to begin blooming in the creeks and rivers. There is lots of food for zooplankton like barnacle larvae and especially copepods, the tiny shrimp like crustaceans that are among the most numerous animals in the Bay system. Their numbers explode, so the a short tow with a plankton net, even a crude, homemade one, produces water that looks like copepod stew.
Numbers reach tens of thousands per cubic meter of water.
The marsh plants also respond to longer days. In March, everything is drab and brown stubble, with only a little green showing at the base of the stalks. By April though, longer green shoots start to appear, and broad-leaved plants like arrow arum and yellow pond lily begin to take shape. May. Though they do not play significant roles in the creek waters they are delights to our eyes. Mammals become more active.