Spring Alive with Goodwill NCW Header

Spring Alive with Goodwill NCW

There are certain things only Wisconsinites are lucky enough to enjoy, and one of them is watching for the telltale signs that spring is returning to our region.

Tune into the Spring Alive series with Goodwill NCW through May as we celebrate the flowers, birds, unique secondhand finds and seasonal store promotions that remind us that spring is back. Celebrate what spring has to offer with Goodwill NCW and share your own observations of spring as you see them!

Spring Store Promotions

Spring into Summer during the month of May at Goodwill NCW! The Power Points promotion and the Spring into Summer Gift Card Giveaway will run May 1 - 31. We'll also be accepting nominations for our Customer Spotlight Contest and celebrating Goodwill Week and Mom figures.

Spring into Summer with Goodwill NCW

Gosling Sightings

Geese have returned to the region, and goslings are starting to hatch across Wisconsin! Keep your eye out for geese gathering in grassy fields and open waters and listen for their distinct call. When geese are with their young, it's best to stay clear, as they can become protective.

Goose call
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Baby Geese 2

Bees

Pollinators have emerged and started their rounds collecting pollen and nectar from spring blooms. Watch for big bumble bees, small solitary bees, honey bees and others. Check out the bee-eautiful box we found in the home décor section of Goodwill NCW!

Bees_Spring Alive

Dandelions

Dandelions are springing up across Wisconsin, which means the season of dandelion crowns has begun! Dandelions bloom as the grass starts to grow, and plucking them at the root before they go to seed is a great way to prevent them from spreading.

Dandelion_Spring Alive

Cardinals

One sound that rises above all others in the spring is the beautiful song of the cardinal. As you sit outside and enjoy, can you hear the cardinal call? If you love cardinals, consider becoming a collector of ceramic cardinals, which you'll often be able to find at Goodwill NCW.

Cardinal call
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Cardinal GIF FINAL

Bleeding Hearts

Who wears their heart on their sleeve for bleeding hearts? We absolutely love the drape of these flowers, and they're stunning to feature solo in a vase or as part of a bigger bouquet.

Bleeding Hearts

TRY IT! Identify bird songs and calls using your phone with the Merlin Bird ID app developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Mobile Phone

Tulips

The heads of tulips are filling with color and opening their petals to gift us with their sweet fragrance! Did bunnies eat your tulips this year? Check out this life hack to ward off bunnies, or you can find wooden tulip décor at Goodwill NCW that can never be eaten and will always be in bloom!

Tulips Blossom

Magnolia Trees

There is nothing quite like the sight of a blooming magnolia tree in the spring, and they're not hard to spot! The entire tree is covered with pink or white blossoms. Enjoy Wisconsin's peak magnolia season happening now!

Magnolia Trees

Earthworms

Have you seen earthworms yet this year? Keep your eye on the ground as it rains, which is when earthworms like to emerge and move with ease over the concrete to venture out and explore new habitats.

Earthworms

Peach Trees

Peach trees have blossomed, and it's only a matter of time before they are pollinated and start growing the delicious fruits we'll enjoy later in the season. We found this ceramic plate at Goodwill NCW! Isn't it peachy?

Peach Tree Blossoms

Pelicans

From the Mississippi River to the Fox River to Lake Michigan, the majestic American white pelican is starting to migrate back to Wisconsin. You can spot pelicans flying through the sky in V-formation and settling near inland lakes where they hunt for fish.

Pelican

TRY IT! Keep track of the dates that flowers bloom and birds return in a calendar or notebook. Next year, you'll be able to anticipate what to look forward to and compare the seasons.

White Calendar

Daffodils

Just as suddenly as it started, we are getting into the latter part of daffodil season in Wisconsin. While there's still time to savor their fragrance and beauty, cut and feature some of your daffodils indoors in a vase or glass jar from Goodwill NCW.

Daffodil Spring Alive Final

Hyacinths

The fragrant hyacinth and miniature grape hyacinth are both in bloom right now! Hyacinth flowers give a spectacular show, while its leaves produce the energy the plant will need for next year's bloom. When enough energy has been stored, its bulb will go dormant again.

Hyacinths_Spring Alive

Turkey Vultures

Turkey vultures are massive birds that have been around since prehistoric times, and they migrate back to Wisconsin from South America every year. They are the ultimate recyclers, ingesting over 100 lbs of carrion every year while staying healthy and returning disease-free nutrients back to the land.

Turkey Vulture

Red Winged Blackbirds

Red winged blackbirds have been spotted this year along wet roadsides and marshes in north central Wisconsin. Males migrate back to Wisconsin before the females to establish territories. Check out this great plate we found at Goodwill NCW featuring a red winged blackbird!

Redwing Black bird 2 sec

Snowdrops and Crocuses

It's the end of the season for white snowdrops and crocus flowers. See you next spring!

Flowers in Glass

TRY IT! Identify plants and flowers you see on hikes and walks using your phone with the iNaturalist app.

Camera

Forsythia Bushes

Have you seen forsythia bushes start to bud their yellow flowers this year? Keep an eye out for these blooming ornamental bushes in yards across north central Wisconsin. We found these great plastic forsythia flowers at the Darboy Goodwill store!

Forsythia 2 sec

Violets

Violets are starting to emerge in wooded areas and yards! See if you can spot these small purple flowers with five petals and yellow centers. The flowers may be white, too. Check out this violet-inspired scene we found painted on a piece of wooden décor at the Darboy Goodwill store.

Violets

Wood Squill

The season is wrapping up for wood squill. We'll remember their vibrant blue hue until next spring!

Siberian Squill

Robins

There's nothing quite like seeing your first robin of the year. One Goodwill fan, Sally from De Pere, spotted her first robin at 4:10 p.m. on Mar. 9! Robins can be identified by their orange breast and yellow beak. Watch for them picking in the grass for worms.

Robin

Signs of Spring Observed

Share a sign of spring that you observed!