Signs of Spring

It is officially spring here in the northern hemisphere meteorologically-speaking.   

Meteorological seasons are conveniently divided into tidy calendar months.  The seasons begin on the first day of the months that include the equinoxes and solstices:  Thusly, spring runs from March 1 to May 31; summer runs from June 1 to August 31; fall (autumn) runs from September 1 to November 30; and winter runs from December 1 to February 28 (February 29 in a leap year).   

The astronomical definition uses the dates of equinoxes and solstices to mark the beginning and end of the seasons:  Spring begins on the spring equinox; summer begins on the summer solstice; fall (autumn) begins on the fall equinox; and winter begins on the winter solstice. The beginning of each season marks the end of the last.   

Because the timings of the equinoxes and solstices change each year, the length of astronomical seasons within a year and between years also varies.       

If you want to keep it simple remember this and this alone:  The arrival of the male redwing blackbirds to stake out their breeding territories is a harbinger of spring and has always been my benchmark for the official start.    On March 7 the first one arrived precisely on-time.  Now there are vast flocks of them.

And If you have a sporting dog in your household this also marks the beginning of mud season.  

Raising a toast to the janitor slop sink and hot and cold running water.... 

The Oriole Cam

Backyard bird report.

It would appear that the redwing blackbirds have left for the season.  Same for the tree swallows.  Off to southern coastal states, Mexico and Central America.  Jill spotted bluebirds in the bird bath.  The robins continue picking-about in the yard.  Cardinals, kingbirds, hummers and goldfinches are everywhere, warblers are passing-thru. It's been the best year in memory for indigo buntings, purple finches and orchard orioles.  And with all the dead and dying ash on the landscape woodpeckers rule the world around here.

The orioles are still hanging-around but they're not long for this neighborhood and will be departing before too long.  And the porch camera will likely be redeployed somewhere in the woods.

Meanwhile, the grape jelly has been removed as it's been attracting bald-faced hornets; and those buggers are sociopaths.

Last batch of photos.....

 

   

Spring

Further evidence of the arrival of spring - the redwing blackbirds arrived today.  

Right on time.  You could almost set a clock to their predictability.

No sign of the resident sandhill cranes yet - although a patron at the bar on Friday shared that he spied a pair performing their courtship dance.

There's still 8-10 inches of snow on the level but it's been a sunny 55F day on the porch.

I may have to go out and set a spell.

Maybe enjoy an afternoon beer.....

Spring Has Sprung

Technically-speaking it is officially spring here in the northern hemisphere if you are speaking meteorologically. Meteorological seasons are defined by temperature cycles instead of the position of the sun and are used by weather scientists for purposes of comparing seasonal and monthly statistics.

By definition, the seasons begin on the first day of the months that include the equinoxes and solstices:  Thusly, spring runs from March 1 to May 31; summer runs from June 1 to August 31; fall (autumn) runs from September 1 to November 30; and winter runs from December 1 to February 28 (February 29 in a leap year). 

 

The astronomical definition uses the dates of equinoxes and solstices to mark the beginning and end of the seasons:  Spring begins on the spring equinox; summer begins on the summer solstice; fall (autumn) begins on the fall equinox; and winter begins on the winter solstice. The beginning of each season marks the end of the last. 

 

Because the timings of the equinoxes and solstices change each year, the length of astronomical seasons within a year and between years also varies.   

 

If you want to keep it simple - the arrival of the male redwing blackbirds to stake out their breeding  territories is a harbinger of spring and marks the official start.

 

It is also the beginning of mud season.

Spring is Sprung

It is officially spring here in the northern hemisphere meteorologically-speaking.   

Meteorological seasons are conveniently divided into tidy calendar months.  The seasons begin on the first day of the months that include the equinoxes and solstices:  Thusly, spring runs from March 1 to May 31; summer runs from June 1 to August 31; fall (autumn) runs from September 1 to November 30; and winter runs from December 1 to February 28 (February 29 in a leap year).   

The astronomical definition uses the dates of equinoxes and solstices to mark the beginning and end of the seasons:  Spring begins on the spring equinox; summer begins on the summer solstice; fall (autumn) begins on the fall equinox; and winter begins on the winter solstice. The beginning of each season marks the end of the last.   

Because the timings of the equinoxes and solstices change each year, the length of astronomical seasons within a year and between years also varies.       

If you want to keep it simple remember this and this alone:  The arrival of the male redwing blackbirds to stake out their breeding territories is a harbinger of spring and has always been my benchmark for the official start.    

If you have sporting dogs in your household this also marks the beginning of mud season.  It is time to hook-up the hoses and turn-on the water supply to the outdoor hose bibs.

The Eagle Has Landed

Some of my friends that live in southern Wisconsin have shared with me their news that the American Robins have return in the past week.

Not a massively large number of them - yet a sufficient number to take notice.

I fully expect the male Redwing Blackbirds to return in about three weeks from the publication of this post.

In the interim, yesterday morning there was a bald eagle perched in the dead elm tree situated on the eastern line fence.  Not the best photo but a bald eagle nonetheless...

 

 

Porch Setting

Following our daily walk the girls got their daily bath and underbody flush.  

And the sun came out!


Porch setting and bird watching with the Dowager Retriever.

Spotted were:  goldfinch, chickadee, robin, redwing black bird, brown creeper, hairy, downy and red bellied woodpecker.

Spring Has Sprung

First red wing blackbird of the new year.

And per my diary the earliest since I've kept track. 

Spring has sprung....

Backyard Pharmacopia



Jill was off yesterday with her girlfriends for a second day of exploring  the peninsula so the girls and I did some exploring of our own – out back.  All quite convenient.  It was cooler than Saturday, a whiff of manure spreading in the air and enough breeze to keep the mosquitoes away.  It was a good day for a walk and take time to smell the wild flowers.     

 

 

Eupatorium perfoliatum – Boneset - a member of the aster family and is also related to Joe-pye weed.  Butterflies are attracted to its nectar.  It is also said that a tea made from its leaves has healing qualities.  For aficionados of the healing arts the plant is said to be useful for setting bones.  Today it continues in use as an emetic (induces vomiting), a treatment for the symptoms that accompany influenza and pneumonia and for joint pain.       

 

 

Achillea millefolium – Common Yarrow – another member of the aster family characterized by a flat, composite collection of small flowers and feathery, fern-like leaves.  This plant propagates by means of underground rhizomes.  The name is derived from Achilles who is said to have used the healing qualities of this plant to stem the bleeding from wounds during the course of the Trojan War.  Nowadays, this plant is used to treat coronary and cerebral thrombosis, reduce blood pressure and treat diarrhea.    

 

 

Echninacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower – yet another member of the aster family sporting a large flower head with droopy petals.  Native Americans and early settlers used parts of this plant to treat all manner of complaints ranging from the mundane like coughs, colds and tooth aches to snake bite and gonorrhea.  It persists in our modern pharmacopeia as a stimulant to the immune system.      

It was only afterwards as I composed this post that our walk was actually a small tour of folk remedies and the modern healing arts.  Who knew?. 

The most amusing part was the air of stoic indifference the elderly black Lab demonstrated in the face of the dive-bombing protestations of a redwing blackbird.

The Big Thaw

Some of you readers may have heard that Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has declared a state of emergency as a consequence of widespread flooding across the state. 

click on images for a closer look

 

Same here.  Silver Creek has become Silver Lake.

I strapped-on the snowshoes Saturday and the girls and I hiked down to the creek to check on what I suspected was the situation.  Namely that the creek had topped its banks and flooded the surrounding terrain.  There was no safe passage to cross and there was no way I was going to allow the dogs to venture into the freezing, ice-jammed and swiftly-flowing waters.  Yikes!

Stopping to check a couple of trail cameras on the walk home it was noteworthy that there was water actually flowing beneath the icy-crust in the trail.

Looks like the thaw has arrived.  And I heard the call of the redwing blackbirds for the first time this year.....

Red-Wing Nation

One way to know that spring has arrived is the coincidental arrival of the Red-winged Blackbirds - Agelaius phoeniceus.  They've been here for several weeks already but spring has not sprung.  Truthfully it's more like winter. 

A week ago we got gob-smacked with 8-12 inches of snow and Friday brought more of the white stuff.

I've been keeping five bird feeders stocked during this time of privation - one for suet, another with niger thistle seed and three more with mixed wild bird seed.

Judging from the crowd I seem to have become a hit among the red-wing nation.

There is a dark-eyed Junco on the thistle feeder in the foreground and after yesterday's storm the sun came out and the goldfinches arrived.  Spring can show-up anytime.  With overnight lows of eleven degrees I can be done with winter...

Spring Has Sprung

Sure, I know there is still snow on the ground and the frost hasn't gone out of the earth.  Yet for the last few days it has been a real treat to set on the porch in the morning, feed the dogs and enjoy a big cuppa joe in the sun. 

The male redwing blackbirds have returned and are calling as they stake-out their breeding territories.

Raising a caffeinated toast to migratory songbirds....

Spring Has Sprung

Technically-speaking it is officially spring here in the northern hemisphere if you are speaking meteorologically. 

 

According to the meteorological definition, the seasons begin on the first day of the months that include the equinoxes and solstices:  Thusly, spring runs from March 1 to May 31; summer runs from June 1 to August 31; fall (autumn) runs from September 1 to November 30; and winter runs from December 1 to February 28 (February 29 in a leap year). 

 

The astronomical definition uses the dates of equinoxes and solstices to mark the beginning and end of the seasons:  Spring begins on the spring equinox; summer begins on the summer solstice; fall (autumn) begins on the fall equinox; and winter begins on the winter solstice. The beginning of each season marks the end of the last. 

 

Because the timings of the equinoxes and solstices change each year, the length of astronomical seasons within a year and between years also varies.   

 

If you want to keep it simple - the arrival of the male redwing blackbirds to stake out their breeding  territories is a harbinger of spring and marks the official start.

 

It is also the beginning of mud season.

 

Spring Has Sprung

I've always said that the surest sign of the arrival of spring has been the announcement of the sandhill cranes, meadowlarks and redwing blackbirds.

This weekend the cranes were hanging-out at the still-frozen pond, the male redwings were hanging around the rain garden in the back yard and The Frau swears she heard the call of the meadowlarks.

Right on time....