I have been looking out my windows and back in my notebooks to find some hints of the coming (yes, it’s on its way!). Spring.
From the window: gray squirrels have been chasing each other around my yard. They have been leaping over the drifted snow and racing up and down the young scarlet oaks. Their thoughts have turned from survival to mating!
On “warmer” mornings (and being an old Texan, I find it very hard to call 28 degrees “warm”) the male titmice, cardinals, and winter wrens have set up first solo singing events and, lately, complex choruses. They are beginning to “sing” their territories for mating and nesting. I am waiting for the song sparrows and the white throated sparrows (like the puffed up fellow in this picture) to start singing. They will make the mornings so much more welcoming.
This morning, while letting my dog out into his side yard, there was a distinctive scent of skunk in the air. They, too, are out and looking for mates (I have a great formula for de-skunking a dog, by the way. Just send me an email and I’ll pass it along!)
From my 2010 notebook: on January 18 Deborah and I saw a flock of 30 + robins over at the entrance to the Apollo Cemetery. It was a warm (50 degrees), sunny day, and the soil was thawing and earthworms were rising all over. (the February 2010 snow storm was still to come, though).
No robins yet around here yet and no earthworms either. There are some early signs of spring, though. In fact, my box turtle has awakened enough to dive into his water dish and take a late winter bath. Can robins be far behind?