Rain rain, go away!

The weekend was 48 solid hours of rain.  At times, it sprinkled; at other times, it was sheets of water pouring down so thickly that you couldn't see the edge of the yard.  Puddles formed where I have never seen puddles before (perhaps because the ground is still frozen under there).  Thunder and lightning occurred more than once.

Today is a small respite -- sunny, crisp, clear.  A thin layer of ice covers the many puddles that remain.  It is supposed to rain again tonight.  Yea. 

Speaking of ice... today is a momentous phenology day... ICE OFF.  Ice has been off small ponds for a few days now, but I have kept records for several years of ice off Lake Leopold.

Lake Leopold ice off dates: 

2006 = Mar 10; 

2007 = Mar 18; 

2008 = Mar 31.  

This is the earliest ice off in 4 years.  

In other news, some aspen trees have their catkins emerging (noted as early as Mar 3 in previous years).  They look just like pussy willow catkins -- fuzzy and grey -- except, of course, they are not on willow trees.  I am not sure if they are male or female.   

Lilac buds are sure huge and swollen, but it will be a while yet... 

updates

The subtle orange flowers of the witch hazels are blooming.  (I had been looking out for them, but the tree I was watching doesn't have any -- the others do.  I think mine may be unhealthy.)

Also, bees.  (Actually, probably more like wasps, but kids call them all bees.)

flowers

The snowdrops are blooming in the garden, and some optimally-located daffodils have pushed up about three inches out of the ground. (Others, less fortunately placed, have not come up at all!)

3 entries in one day -- and it will be more of the same as things change. March and April are so exciting for phenology!

They're back!

Spring arrives on the wings of a red-winged blackbird.  As I walked outside this morning, I heard the familiar call, the indescribable trill... I can't describe it, but you can here it here... and I headed to the lake.  Before I even got close, I could see one, sitting on the tallest branch of a bur oak tree. He spread his tail, bobbed his head, and gurgle-yelled at me.  But that wasn't the original speaker; he was to my left in the old cattail reeds.  They are all over!

Of course, this means I missed the pioneer, the first brave boy back.  (And I definitely missed the even braver female pioneers, who should have returned -- quietly -- in advance of the males.)  But now, they're here in full force, and spring can safely arrive.

Actually, red-winged blackbirds apparently stay in this area all winter (as the range map at the above link clearly shows).  But in the winter, they hunker down and leave the wetland areas.  So in fact, they haven't returned to the area, but they have returned to their summer/breeding homes.

And welcome home, I say!

warming

Another warm day ahead of us... each time it happens, as it gets later and later, it seems more like maybe this is it!  Spring!  In my head, I'm certain that we'll have another cold snap, but in my hopes, spring!  And in my dreams, seedlings are being arranged in the garden, compost being added to the soil... winter is long, but makes the warmth all the sweeter when it finally comes.  

Harbinger?

I saw a robin this morning, which was actually my first of this year.

 

But I wasn't that excited about it... so many people have been seeing them throughout the winter -- if they live near water that doesn't freeze, I think -- that they no longer seem to hold their status as a harbinger of spring.  For that, we'll have to look to the RWBBs, which haven't made their appearance yet, at least, not to me... I am not a particularly good birder.  A friend reported seeing them yesterday (Mar 2).  This is why I like plant phenology, personally.  Plants don't move, they aren't hard to ID depending on the light, and I can see the changes every day if I just bother to look.  Much easier.  

It is a crisp, sunny, sparkly morning, and also slippery. 

In like a lion

A small winter storm bleached the world to white over night. Only about 2 inches fell, with another inch falling currently... but everything looks quite wintry again.

We got the in like a lion part down, now if only we could be sure March would go out like a lamb!

Here are 2 photos of this morning's snow collecting on winter plants!