February 2010
- Woodpeckers drill
- Groundhog Day—most asleep
- Black ducks begin courting
- Horned grebe winter off shore
- Snow drops in flower
- Fox sparrows at feeders
- Skunk cabbage pushing up
- Snow buntings flock on beaches...
- ...white against, more white?
- Pussy willow buds opening
- Robins flock to berried shrubs
- Woodcock begin to migrate
- Owls roosting in pine groves
- Early bluebirds begin arriving
- Herring gulls winter over
- Grackles still move in flocks
- Watch for houseflies—already?
- Great horned owl prepares nest
- Brant arrive, rest, continue
- Mourning doves to feeders
- Days lengthen to 11 hours
- Natural food gone—full feeders
- Sparrow hawk looks for a hole
- Woodchuck—late but up
- Male redwings set territories
- Chickadees singing
- More sun less dark
- Full Snow Moon shines down
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February here in UpState New York finds nature still deep asleep under a heavy blanket of snow.
The naturalist, however, is not found sleeping. He is up and about watching his feeder for the regular visitors: cardinals, titmice, juncos, nut-hatches, chickadees, bluejays, white-throated sparrows.
In his garden and along the road to Canandagia he is looking for the first snowdrops and crocus.
Down the hill he listens for the sounds of winter: the crunch of snow underfoot, a chickadee calling, the stream with ice in sheets and open water in the pond surfacing only to gush and slip below the surface ice again. In the pines, a wind moves and icy needles ring.
Nature sleeps, but as the month passes she begins to rouse—dripping, thawing, heaving, cracking, rushing, toward Spring.
It's still winter - but not for long
 John
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