Based on the Earth’s position relative to the sun, spring officially began on Saturday, but other telling signs have signaled the change of seasons for a while.
The peepers started welcoming spring several weeks ago. You’ve heard them if you are out in the early evening in the vicinity of a wooded area and standing water. Any swampy ditches or small ponds that don't have enough water for fish are attractive to the frogs, which are about an inch long. The tiny male frogs sing their hearts out along the water's edge trying to attract a mate.
Another more subtle sign is the graying of the woods. Just a few weeks ago tree branches stood stark against the sky, but lately the tips are looking a little fuzzy, like a picture slightly out of focus. It’s the first evidence of leaves and blossoms preparing to burst forth.
The daffodils, crocuses and other spring bulbs already have made their green appearances and some have even sprouted their showy flowers. The hardy perennials can handle a minor snap back from winter’s wrath.
American Robins often get credit as a harbinger of spring, but actually many of them are here year-round. We just see them more often when the days get longer as they gather in larger flocks and hop around the yard looking for insects and earthworms that were difficult to find through the cold days of winter.
For the last few weeks, the ducks and geese that flew south just a couple of months ago have turned around and are heading back north. While you may see them dotting the high skies, you can also hear them as they fly through the night honking encouragement throughout the flock.
One of my favorite signs of the coming spring is the changing colors of the American Goldfinch. Throughout most of the winter the males and females are barely distinguishable from one another, but the warmer and longer days turn the males from winter drab to bright yellow. A nyjer thistle feeder will attract them and other finches.
Other migratory birds also will arrive soon. If you have bluebird houses, condos for purple martins or other abodes for your avian friends, now is the time to make sure they are clean and ready to accommodate new arrivals for the year.
Among the first signs of green in lawns and open pastures are the wild onions and garlic that poke out from the brown all around. The shoots stand up to a foot tall, and if they don’t get hit by a lawnmower, eventually they will produce small flowers. When you do cut them off, you can smell the onion aroma.
Other spring showoffs like the redbuds and dogwoods are still a few days or weeks away, and fish are thinking about spawning as water temperatures continue to rise. One of the greatest shows on earth is the wild turkeys’ annual spring spectacular of sights and sounds filled with gobbles and struts.
March 20 denotes the start of spring with the vernal equinox. The sun is directly over the equator and the earth gets equal 12-hour doses of daylight and darkness. That is certainly a reasonable rationale for changing the name of the season, but the meteorological seasons are probably closer to accurate, at least here in Missouri.
March, April and May are considered the months of spring. June, July and August host the dog days of summer. September often retains some of the heat, but autumn is usually in the air from Labor Day through Thanksgiving. December, January and February are considered the winter months, and thanks to the flowers, trees, birds and bees, we can put them in the past for another year.
John Winkelman is Marketing Director for Liguori Publications near Barnhart, Mo., and the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas to share for the Leader outdoor news page, e-mail ogmjohnw@aol.com, and you can follow John on Twitter at @johnjwink99.