spring is here, almost

To me, spring comes upon us when I start seeing nature gearing up.

Over the last few days, the boy's lizard has become more active. He gets somewhat gloomy over the winter, except on those exceptionally bright, sunny days. So, he has been getting out of his cave earlier and staying out until after his heat lamp goes off for the night. He seems much happier and energetic.

Yesterday, a confusion of warblers were hanging around, much more than usual. And I currently do not have any feeders, but I plan to put some in after being at the mother-in-law's recently. I had a great time filling the feeders and putting out suet. Anyway, there have been an inordinate number around the property recently and they have been hanging out around our kitchen window. Plus, I have been hearing a lot more bird song than last week.

Also, one of our group of black squirrels had been sitting on the kitchen windowsill yesterday as well. These guys are crazier than brick-house rats. They have mellowed out recently, but they are still a bunch of weirdos. Yet, they are better natured than those maniacs that reside in major urban centres.

I too have been seeing our brown squirrels near the house in the last week or so. I do not know if they are fox squirrels or chickarees. I think we may have both. In the early spring and late fall they stay closer to the house and in the summer they tend to congregate at the back of the property.

On a side note, no purple squirrels around here. However, I remember when I was five years old and my family was travelling in Poland, there were purple squirrels, really more like maroon or burgundy, everywhere. They were mostly in urban areas in and around parks and green spaces. Very friendly.

Today I saw Mr. Chippy. Our resident chipmunk. We actually have at least two or three that hang around, but one in particular has a few hidey-holes on our property. He is one vocal brother.

Now, the trees have not started budding yet, but that should start in the next week to a week-and-a-half.

Hey, one of the blackies is sitting in one of our balsam firs right now. However, I suspect they may be eastern hemlock. I am no tree expert by far. Usually, I just call all conifers: "pine trees".

Other signs of spring include the sump pump running more frequently, which means there is more ground water running. (Is that right? I do not know. That is how I see it.) The huge piles of snow are also tiny compared to last week. We had a lot of rain and thunderstorms too last week. Thunderstorms in February around here are kind of odd. Our walkway is not encased in ice any longer either.

Another black squirrel just scooted over our back deck! He just headed down our picket fence to the back. I put out some peanuts for him and his cronies.

Other signs of spring? The wife is acquiring new ornamental solar lights. The ones in the front got hammered by snow sliding off our roof.  I have to fix them up and move them to the back. I suggested getting really cheap ones this time if she still wants them out front over the winter. We found some for less than four bucks each. We will keep an eye out for sales. 

Still waiting to find out what theme she wants to setup the back deck with this year. Last year it was a tiki-bar. I made a "bar" out of a skid and scrap lumber. It was pretty cool. I suggested a saloon this year. I can reuse the bar and make a double swinging door like in the old westerns. Then we can get some cheapo cowboy hats for guests to wear when they visit.

The most definitive sign that spring is here for me though, is cardinals. When we moved to this house about ten years ago, we had a cardinal hanging around the house. Winter came and he was gone. Since then, he or his descendants or others have been back every spring. Over the years, the numbers have increased to as many as four or five around here. We see them sporadically through the summer and into the early fall. They do not appear to overwinter in our area as we are at their northern range, regardless from what I have read about them not migrating. Unlike in Hamilton where the mother-in-law appears to have a conclave of them.

Last year was the first time I saw a female in our yard. She flew in to our kitchen window, poor thing. I rushed out hoping it had not snapped its neck. It was not there. I saw exactly where it went down, but no signs of her. So, she was not badly hurt in the end, lucky duck. I saw her later in the day. I have since placed something in the window so the birds no longer bounce off of it.

So, it is cardinals that define the true start of spring to me, not robins. I know not why. It just is that way for me. I hope they come back soon though. When I saw the first two, yes two, a male and female, last spring, I was delighted. Then we got one heck of a snowstorm. It was quite a pasting. (We will probably still get one last shellacking before winter is truly gone this year.)  Funny enough, these guys did not disappear. They were around the yard during the lighter parts of the storm and were back right after. Last year we had quite a lot of activity from them; the greatest yet. I am hoping for even more this year.