The vernal equinox (March 20) is six weeks away, but it’s now in early February when our world starts leaning toward spring. The days are rapidly growing longer — nearly 45 minutes more daylight since winter’s first day on Dec. 21.
Lengthening days are cues to wild creatures and plants that it’s time for new life and new growth. Already, Eastern bluebirds are checking out bird boxes for nesting. Great blue herons are preparing rookeries to raise their young. Northern cardinals (males and females) are starting to sing to each other as they form mating pairs.
Carolina wrens, Carolina chickadees, song sparrows, mockingbirds, pine warblers, bluebirds, Eastern phoebes and house finches also break out into occasional springlike singing now instead of winter twittering. On warm days, mourning doves sing at full throttle.
Downy and hairy woodpeckers drum year-round, but their drumming frequency picks up in February as they establish territories. Purple martins arrive from South America. Male red-winged black birds flash their brilliant red-and-yellow wing patches to lure mates. Male American woodcocks perform amazing acrobatic rites to attract females. Red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks begin courting.
February is prime breeding time, too, for raccoons, otters, gray and red foxes, striped skunks, beavers, bobcats and coyotes. Black bears are birthing cubs in dens in hollow trees, caves and rocky ledges. White-tailed does are pregnant with fawns that will be born in May and June. Gray squirrels are pregnant with their first of two annual litters.
Early wildflowers also are appearing. Blooming now in moist, deciduous forests is round-lobed hepatica, whose little white to blue flowers cheer my spirit on a wintry day. Starting to bloom is trailing arbutus, with clusters of small, fragrant, pinkish blooms. Showy yellow jessamine is in full bloom in South Georgia’s piney woods. Red maples are about to burst into glorious bloom, casting reddish glows in woods and along highways.
In another week or so, highly popular yellow trout lilies will be blooming abundantly in North Georgia’s bottomlands and moist forests.
IN THE SKY: From David Dundee, Tellus Science Museum astronomer: The moon will be first quarter on Tuesday. The only visible planets now are Mercury, Venus and Mars, low in the east around dawn.
Charles Seabrook can be reached at charles.seabrook@yahoo.com.
