Earlier this month, the famous groundhog, Punxsutawney

 Phil, saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. However, February brings the first phenology of spring to Vermont. We watch seasonal changes with eager eyes in the Northeast. Our woods and fields are full of thick snow, but days are growing longer. We reach ten hours of daylight this month. The earliest sign of spring is enough daylight leftover for evening cross-country ski adventures at Little River State Park after work. We have been enjoying these for the last couple weeks.

Great horned owl on her nest. Photo credit: Dennis Demcheck, USGS

There are other signs of spring to watch for, to warm your heart on these chilly evenings. Great horned owls are nesting. Female owls are incubating eggs as you read this. Great horned owls reuse nests built by other birds- most often red-tailed hawk, crow, raven, or heron nests. They also sometimes use old squirrel nests. Owls line their nests with feathers from their chest, and fur from their prey. This makes a nice soft nest for the baby owls hatching in about a month. You can hear the male and female owls calling back and forth during this time. The rhythm of their call is "hoo-h-HOO-hoo-hoo." Female owls are larger, but male owls have larger voice boxes and a deeper call. Listen for the back and forth of higher and lower pitched calls, and you know you are listening to a conversation between a nesting pair of great horned owls. These owls prefer habitat with older trees, and some open areas nearby. Woodford, Gifford Woods, Underhill, and New Discovery State Parks all have great habitat for great horned owls.

Not only do we have owls breeding, but migratory birds start returning to Vermont in February. The very first birds you see are large, black turkey vultures soaring high on warm thermals. These large scavengers are quickly followed by red-winged blackbirds. Many people in Vermont mark the start of spring with the first tumbling song of male red-winged blackbirds.

Many of our residential birds start singing, marking their territories, and seeking mates in February. Cardinals, house finches, downy, and hairy woodpeckers all start singing and drumming this time of year. Coyotes are also getting in on the excitement of spring; this is mating time for them and you can hear them howling at night.

Groundhog meteorology is often inaccurate. We watch carefully for signs of spring in Vermont, and we see it in longer days and changing animal behavior. You can watch for signs of spring during your next walk in the woods at your favorite state park.