New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff

Spring has sprung and is on the run.

Friday 04/09/2010

Hold on to your hat spring is sweeping by at a rapid pace. It looks to me like we are running three weeks ahead of the last two years. The red maples have blossomed, the aspens are now shedding pollen and even my lilac shrubs out front have their leaves nearly out. It was April 28th last year and after the 20th the year before that they leaved out. How quickly the lawns and fields have greened up. And what a heat wave we had Wednesday with temperatures here at my house in the mid 80's and 90 hit elsewhere in the state. Records were set this week. The rivers and brooks have quickly dropped back into their banks with hardly any rain this last week, although I did see some green frogs crossing the road this week one night. Things just are changing quickly around here. I did bring home a spotted salamander and toad to share with my granddaughters before releasing them back where I caught them. How the little three year old Erin loves to hold them. Peepers and wood frogs are in full call at the local watering holes as the guys hit on the gals.

I am hearing many more birds calling. Yellow-rumped warblers are back, as well as song sparrows. These birds sort of filter in. Gone are the huge flocks of blackbirds of two weeks ago. Pairs of ducks and geese have settled into the local wetlands. Gone too are the flocks of migrating ducks. Spring is moving along at a very fast pace this year. Changes come by the day if not by the hour. Life is so exciting right now.