Nature News | Marlene A. Condon, Feb 5, 2021
Signs of spring can be evident by mid-to-late February, depending upon the weather.
Migratory Canada Geese (often mistakenly referred to as “Canadian” Geese) begin to head to the far North in anticipation of nesting as soon as possible. The warm season at such high latitudes is short, so these big birds only have a small window in which to raise their families.
The geese follow warming temperatures (on average, 35 degrees and above) that indicate a retreating snow line. I’ve most often observed these birds in their V-formation honking high in the sky in very early morning and very early evening, but I’ve also heard them on the move overnight.
Don’t be confused by the local Canada Geese that move around during the daytime hours between ponds, feeding areas, and nighttime roosts. These birds don’t travel high in the air as there is no need to do so.
I find the sight and sound of migrating birds enthralling because these animals are traveling very long distances using their own muscle power. It’s also awe-inspiring to consider their determination to get “home” to reproduce, having to endure they-know-not-what along their route.
Birds aren’t the only ones whose activities are ramping up in the early months of the year. If the winter has not been extremely harsh and signs of warming are evident by February or March, some amphibian species come out of hibernation and immediately head to ponds to mate and lay eggs. Considering that these animals are cold-blooded, it’s an amazing feat to become active this early.
If you want to try to see Spotted Salamanders, visit a natural pond or wetland on nights when a warm rain is falling; the air temperature should be at least in the upper 50s to low 60s. Wood Frogs, on the other hand, can become active even when temperatures are only in the high 40s! Spotted Salamanders are silent, but
Wood Frogs let you know they are out of hibernation: The males get to the ponds first and call like crazy to let the females know where they are.
These species can be difficult to see in the wild, but if you live in an area where they exist and you put in an artificial pond, you may attract them right to your yard to reproduce. Small ponds made of plastic or fiberglass can be purchased at some home-improvement stores and plant nurseries, or you can make your own by using rubber lining.
Books tell us that, from a distance, the calling of Wood Frogs can be mistaken for the quacking of ducks, but the first time I ever heard them, I thought they were Canada Geese migrating. I was looking in the air for distant geese when I realized the “honking” was coming from a ditch full of water below the road on which I was exercising. Discovering those Canada Geese-sounding frogs in the same season as Canada Geese were flying northward remains one of my favorite and most cherished nature memories.