Look for Signs of Spring!

The nights are still chilly, but the days are getting warmer. The snow is melting. By the end of the month the days will be longer than the nights, some trees will have started to leaf out. There will even be some flowers in bloom.

The coming of spring follows a similar pattern each year. It is nature’s calendar, also know as phenology.

phenology – the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life

As you track the coming of spring, here is another great opportunity to get involved with citizen science! People throughout North America use Journey North to report sightings of birds, butterflies, frogs, as well as seasonal phenomena like tree leaf out flower blooming. You both can submit your observation and watch as reported sightings are mapped as waves of migrations that move across the continent.

Look for these signs of Spring…

Sap Run

When the nights are still freezing but the days are warm, the maple sap will run! It has already started running here in the Hudson Valley and there are many maple sugar tours and events to celebrate this remarkable time of year. New York State it second largest producer of Maple Syrup in the United States, so please remember to support your local farms.

Red-Winged Blackbird Sighting

Female REd-winged Black bird - dull brown in color — *Female red-winged black bird*

Male red-winged blackbird - black bird with red and white markings on the shoulders the resemble epaulettes — *Male red-winged blackbird*

Even though some red-winged black birds spend the whole year in the Northeast, most go south for the winter and are one of the first species of bird that returns in the spring. And they are back! The males are all black except for their distinctive red and white shoulder pads, while the females are a subdued streaky brown. Unfortunately because their dull coloration female red-winged blackbirds (as well as many other female birds) are often overlooked and under counted. Unfortunately this is problematic and conservation efforts suffer when the females are under counted. So keep your eyes and ears open for both male and female red-winged black birds this spring!

Red Maple Bud Break

Red maples are native to the eastern United States and happen to be one of the first trees to flower in the spring. Because of this, they are an important source pollen for our local bee populations. Their bright pink to red flowers result in the production of thousands of winged fruits called samaras or helicopters as most of us call them. After ripening on the trees for several weeks they will fill the air and litter the ground.

Early Flowering Bulbs

A clump of snowdrops coming up through the snow with their delicat white downward facing blooms — *Snowdrops*

Crocuses - Brigth purple flowers with thin green leaves blooming in the snow — *Crocus*

Even before all the snow has melted you may see some of these early spring blooms poking up out of the ground of crocuses and snowdrops.

Forsythias

For me one of the most clear signs of spring is the bright yellow blooms of the forsythia bush. Native to Asia, this fast growing shrub blends into the background most of the year, but come spring, it really shines through and makes its presence known!!

Get Outside!