Nature Connection: Thinking About Spring

On this cold winter morning I have many thoughts running through my brain, but for now I’m going to think about spring. It’s well below freezing on my outdoor thermometer, the ground is frosted with a touch of snow and ice, and the oaks and maple are bare of leaves. There is, however, a light that is expanding each day, giving us more daylight both in the morning and afternoon. The sun is a bit higher in the sky and the birds and animals are beginning to get a little feisty.

Mid-winter may seem like an odd time for nature to be thinking about courting and mating, but if you are out and about at all you may be seeing signs already. Owls and eagles often begin nesting in late January or early February. Mammals are also feeling the urge to find a partner. You may be hearing coyotes howl or smelling the skunky scent red foxes leave behind as they mark both territory and their intentions. Otters, raccoons, possums, squirrels and even rabbits are thinking about pairing up as well, though many of those won’t act on those thoughts until March or April.

Perhaps you’ve noticed the slight pink tinge that is appearing in our landscape. Most of that comes from the color of the buds that are beginning to fatten and swell on our trees and shrubs. It will be months before they bloom and leaf out, but they are already gathering the energy to put forth their best efforts when the right moment arrives. In the meantime, a lot of those energy-filled buds may be feeding a variety of wildlife.

Mornings are still quiet as most of our local birds aren’t quite ready to commit to anything other than finding food and adequate shelter on these frigid days and nights. A few wrens and sparrows may offer a brief song here and there, but generally the early morning serenades won’t begin for another month or so. Listen for them on warm, bright mornings, though. Cardinals are among the earliest to sing but watch for courting activity among hawks, crows, gulls, ducks, geese and even turkeys as the weather begins to warm up.

For me, it’s the light. Every day I feel that expanding light as if I were in a spa. It is that refreshing for me. Light has always been a symbol of hope, and these days, I’ll take all the signs of hope that nature offers me.

Winter is a long slog through cold and nasty weather – at least it is according to those who revile such things. For me, winter is a time for rest and rejuvenation. It is a chance to visit places I find too crowded in summer, to go for long walks on beaches that few bother to go to in the cold. The winter beach is stark but also beautiful and serene. It takes some warm clothes and a good attitude, but there’s so much to enjoy in spite of the cold.

Woods in winter are quiet and peaceful, though one should be aware that frequent windstorms have broken off big branches that may be hanging loosely, and potentially dangerously, in some areas, so keep your wits about you. Keep watch for roosting owls and hawks and flocks of robins feasting on berries as well.

At the salt marsh, keep your eyes open for a sighting of a northern harrier or even a short-eared owl. There are often lots of winter ducks taking shelter in area marshes, and you may spy a great blue heron or a kingfisher if there is still any open water.

By the time you read this I hope a thaw will have taken place. Frozen water is a danger for many of our waterfowl but also for animals such as deer which may venture onto ponds or lakes that appear frozen but are still treacherous for crossing. This is true for dogs as well, so if you’re walking a dog near a pond, please be aware.

For the moment, our gardens are quiet, at least as far as growing plants are concerned. If you’ve left your dead flower and seedheads standing you may have various birds visiting, but it won’t be long now before the flowers begin to push up out of the ground once again.

Some plants have a green rosette at the base of their stems all winter. These always give me a reason to smile, especially on a freezing cold day. There’s hope in that green circle of leaves. There’s confidence that spring will indeed appear.

That’s the thing about winter. It’s a chance for nature to take a breather and regroup. Thoughts of spring are always there, though, and it won’t be long now before we start to see early signs, whether it’s in a bird changing plumage, a snowdrop flower coming into bloom, or pussy willows and skunk cabbage emerging.

Spring is a visible reminder of hope, something we all need a lot of right now. Take heart in the early signs: more light, singing birds, warming air. As any good Cape Codder knows, spring is a somewhat ephemeral thing here, but in many ways that just makes it more fun to seek out the signs. Get outside. It’s almost always a cure for the winter blues, and who knows? You may find that comforting early sign that lets you know everything’s going to be all right.