My sure sign of spring.

forgeblast · Mar 4, 2011

I dont go by the robins, when i see the black birds with orange wings i know spring is here for good.

Baby Grand · Mar 4, 2011

Ford850 said:
I agree with Peepers but not as the first sign for me. I would say spring is well underway by the time I hear them. When I see Eastern Bluebirds roaming the birdhouses, I know spring is around the corner. The Bluebirds have been on my property in full force for the past couple weeks. The Turkey Buzzards are back and cirlcing too, which is a good sign. But what really does it for me is the Red Winged Blackbirds. They are back now, as of yesterday, and they really make it fell like spring for me.

Yes - we get the RWBBs here, too. March 10 in '07, on the 4th in '08, and on the 6th in '09. They always arrive with a mob of grackles. The leaf footed bug and the wilkweed bug usually make an appearance around now, too. Peepers should be along in 2 or 3 weeks. With all the snow cover still around I wonder if it's going to run later this year?

This reminds me - I have an audio clip of spring peepers. I think Monday night, right before I leave work, I'll get it running on as many PCs at the cube farm as I can, then kick back & listen to the chorus.

I’m happy to be riding back into this country. It is a kind of nowhere, famous for nothing at all and has an appeal because of just that. Tensions disappear along old roads like this. We bump along the beat-up concrete between the cattails and stretches of meadow and then more cattails and marsh grass. Here and there is a stretch of open water and if you look closely you can see wild ducks at the edge of the cattails. And turtles.—There’s a red-winged blackbird.

I whack Chris’s knee and point to it.

"What!" he hollers.

"Blackbird!"

-Jim

Bill Hoffman · Mar 4, 2011

Spring and Peepers --- My husband showed me this chat knowing that I've been keeping track of the peepers since 1984. Generally they come out here in Coventry, CT around March 20th. The earliest I've heard them was 1991 and 2002 - March 3rd. The latest was 2007 - April 3rd, with a close second... 2001: April 2nd. To me, born and breed in NYC, peepers are Spring!

grnspot110 · Mar 4, 2011

Red Wings, Snow Geese, & this:

milkman636 · Mar 4, 2011

Samandothers said:
Never thought of Skunk as being sign of spring. Do you think they come out more and get hit by cars?

Skunks up here den up and disappear during winter. Since skunks are common around me, its a smell that is conspicously absent all winter long.

When it starts getting warm out they get active. When that aroma hits me for the first time, I take note and know to start checking the dog again before opening the door. It won't be long now before I'll be able to see the cute little baby skunks sneaking down the fence rows. I like to name the first one sturm and the second one ruger

polo1665 · Mar 5, 2011

I need to see the first groundhog in the field to know its getting close. It doesn't matter whether he sees his shadow or not.

milkman636 · Mar 9, 2011

The skunk has come through again. It has basically hit 40 every day since I first smelled a skunk. Today it rained and washed most of the remaining snow down into puddles on the frozen ground. Next up, mud???

I think Punxsutawney should add a Pepe to compliment Phil.

Baby Grand · Mar 12, 2011

Red wing black birds and grackles in the yard, yesterday. Two mushrooms poking up thru the last of the snow on the field. Milkweed bug on the garden fawcet. Big uptick in dead skunks and 'possum on the roads. Saw my first water boatman beetle in the pond.