Late Winter and February Thaw

February, the grayest month of the year...according to the groundhog, we're due for an early spring this year. Except for the nagging voice of the Midwestern pessimist in the back of my head that says not to get excited, we're going to get at least one more good snow, I can believe it today.

Ice on the cattails around the pond

Last weekend I had time for only a short walk at Mill Run, a local suburban park with a walking path, a large pond, and lots of waterfowl. It was bitterly cold, near zero, with a sharp wind. The grass and path were still coated with ice from the previous week's winter storm, which made walking interesting at best and hazardous at worst. The sky was a dark slate gray...an altogether uninviting day to walk.

Canada goose tracks

Even the Canada geese who are usually around the pond had gone elsewhere, although their tracks were everywhere. Only the ducks, mostly mallards with a couple of domestic white ducks, were paddling around where the water was open. Here's my question of the week: how can ducks paddle around in nearly-frozen water without damaging their feet and legs?

Cold ducks

I watched the ducks for a while and had a chuckle at a male mallard who flew in, landed on the ice, and slid a foot or so (much to his own surprise), then headed home to get warm.

February sun, weak but welcome

Today, though, you can almost feel spring sneaking around the corner. It was 39 degrees at Highbanks, and the packed-down ice on the trails was slushy on top. The woods were completely silent a few weeks ago, but today there were birds everywhere. I saw a hairy woodpecker, some tufted titmice, and dozens of unidentified birds overhead. There was a tremendously loud black-capped chickadee singing and a red-bellied woodpecker buzzing off to one side of the trail. The sun was kind of leaking through the cloud cover, barely bright enough to cast shadows but enough to give the air a yellow cast.

Melting ice in the creeks

I watched along the edges of the trails and in sheltered spots along the streambeds for any new sprouts--I was hoping to spot some skunk cabbage--but it's still a bit early. But oh, it's close! I could almost hear new greenery pushing up under the snow. Temps this week are predicted to be in the fifties by Friday. I'm betting by next week the crocuses will be up and those green sprouts will be pushing up their noses.