Ecology

Early signs of spring

Amanda Markle
Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve

(2/2022) For those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, the official start of spring is still a ways away. March 20th marks the spring, or vernal, equinox, when the sun in its relation to the earth will pass over the equator on its way north. On this date, day and night will be roughly equal for everyone on earth (and if you want to indulge in a bit of fun folklore – yes! – you can balance an egg on its end on the equinox, but the trick works just as well on every other day of the year). As we move past the equinox, longer periods of daylight will gradually start bringing more warmth to our part of the world, and the seasons will begin to shift. Spring is coming, but here in mid-Atlantic February, which often brings with it some of our coldest and dreariest weather, it can seem like a very, very long way away. Don’t despair! For the careful outdoor observer, signs of spring can be found creeping into nature, even this early in the year.

Backyard birds are a classic hallmark of spring. Birds can be useful indicators of all sorts of weather. Many are sensitive to barometric pressure and fly lower to the ground when the air pressure drops. Low flying birds can be a sign of poor weather ahead, while high flyers indicate fairer weather. In terms of predicting the seasonal shifts, most birds whose presence we think of as a sign of spring returning are simply following their food. Migratory insects begin to return to our area as the weather warms and plants come back to life, and insects that have overwintered underground or in the leaf litter are starting to emerge, providing birds the food source they need to make their return. In recent years, migrating birds are arriving back north up to two weeks earlier than they did in years past, and some never leave the area at all.

The appearance of robins, in particular, is not as sure a sign of spring as it once was. Though they are indeed migratory, their migration strategy is complex and dependent upon the availability of a supply of invertebrates as a food supply in the summer and the availability of fruit in the winter. More and more robins are adopting a non-migratory strategy, so it’s likely you will see at least some all year round, but the ones who do migrate start to gather together in larger flocks as spring approaches, so they are more noticeable. Backyard songbirds also become much noisier as springtime nears.

By mid-February, you are likely to hear cardinals, titmice, and chickadees starting to sing. By March they will be joined by finches, warblers, sparrows, and more, and the din they create in the early morning hours might be enough to wake you up if you are fortunate enough to live near some of their favorite gathering places. Diurnal birds aren’t the only harbingers of spring; owls start to change their behaviors are spring approaches as well. Late winter is when many owls are searching for mates and beginning to carve out territories for their nests. An increase in hooting in the evening hours is a good sign that winter is waning.

Trees can also be some of the first indicators that spring is on its way. Trees like silver maples and willows can start budding as early as February. When temperatures start to consistently reach above freezing during the day but still dip below freezing at night, you may start to see a less natural indicator that spring is soon coming when you look at certain trees; spiles and buckets hanging from maple trees. The window for maple sugaring in our area is short and highly dependent upon the weather. Seasoned sugarmakers keep a close eye on signs that sap is starting to flow, but even if you don’t have any people tapping the trees in your area, other creatures are keen to keep track of this sign of spring coming and may be a giveaway that sap is moving. Squirrels are likely to poke around trees this time of year looking for sap to lick, especially from trees whose sap has a high sugar content, like sugar maples.

In our yards and gardens, sprouting bulbs are often an exciting indication that spring is not too far off, though many a crocus ends up covered in snow after emerging a bit too early. Low to the ground is a good place to look for signs of spring in the forest and less manicured outdoor spaces too; springtime in the forest starts at the lowest levels. Many plant species take advantage of the window of time where daylight hours are increasing, but the trees have yet to leaf.

Once the leaves do come out, they block most of the sunlight from reaching the forest floor, so low-growing plants that need energy from the sun to produce flowers have to start early. Spring ephemerals are among the first new growth to happen in a wooded area. Those flowers will eventually allow for the return of bees and other insects. Elsewhere in the forest, you might be treated to a chorus of spring peepers. These are among the first frogs to start vocalizing as springtime approaches, and their distinctive, high-pitched call is hard to miss.

By the time you read this article, a more folksy indication of the coming of spring will have taken place- the popular tradition of Groundhog Day. Derived from Pennsylvania Dutch superstition, Groundhog Day started as Badger Day. The legend goes that if the weather was clear enough on the Catholic festival of Candlemas for a badger to see its shadow, four more weeks of winter was ahead, but if the weather was overcast, spring would be arriving soon. Now celebrated in the United States and Canada, the most popular symbolic predictor of the coming of spring is Punxsutawney Phil, the allegedly immortal creature living in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania who has been making predictions since 1887.

While quite famous, Phil does not have the best track record for predicting the change in seasons. In fact, some studies have found that Phil is actually less accurate at predicting when spring will arrive than would be the flip of a coin. So while Groundhog’s Day is a fun tradition, don’t put too much credence behind his prediction for the coming of spring. Spend some time outside and you can find plenty of more accurate signs that spring is on its way!

Amanda Markle is the Environmental Education Manager of the Strawberry Hill Foundation. Strawberry Hill inspires stewardship of our natural world by
connecting the community with educational opportunities.
 Learn more by visiting StrawberryHill.org.