Signs of Spring : Aardvarchaeology

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Dr. Martin Rundkvist is a Swedish archaeologist, journal editor, public speaker, chairman of the Swedish Skeptics Society, atheist, lefty liberal, bookworm, and father of two.

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Signs of Spring

Category: Biology
Posted on: March 22, 2011 9:25 AM, by Martin R

Last Wednesday I saw the first snowdrop. Last Saturday I heard the first blackbird evensong. Magpies are making these soft chirping noises that spell "let's get it on". This morning it was above 5 Celsius in the shade, and I skipped my long-johns for the first time this year. And when I went out the door, my daughter pointed out the first scilla bud. Spring is here!

Dear Reader, if you're in the northern hemisphere, what signs of spring have you seen?

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Spring has pretty much come from nowhere in the last few days. it is about 15c here and I have seen my first Butterfly and my first bumblebee of the year. What a relief!

Posted by: Richard D | March 22, 2011 10:03 AM

Here in the southwestern parts of Sweden the cranes have already arrived.

Posted by: Jerrark | March 22, 2011 10:14 AM

Here in Finland (60 degrees North) the main signal is increase in sunlight. The pontoon piers of the marina where I keep my boat are melting out of the snow. Except one section that seems to have sunk...

Posted by: Lassi Hippeläinen | March 22, 2011 10:30 AM

I have noticed an increased sweatiness in my partners at Lindy Hop class. Plus more dreams involving sex.

Posted by: paddy | March 22, 2011 11:08 AM

Here in Malmö people look more happy. Lawns are slowly turning green. Farmers are working on the fields since two weeks back.

Posted by: Thomas Ivarsson | March 22, 2011 11:15 AM

It's 16 degrees and one of my colleagues said she had a fuzzy head because of the warmth. Everybody feels more relaxed when it's spring. United Kingdom.

Posted by: Nick Williams | March 22, 2011 11:51 AM

The ravens are nesting, and the Bald Eagles appear to have winged their way north. We are located about 15 miles from the Telluride ski area and have a fresh inch of snow this morning. Here in Colorado we don't expect flowers for another month, but the Sandhill Cranes are now in migration. We are located about one and half hours drive north of Mesa Verde.

Posted by: hartley bloomfield | March 22, 2011 12:00 PM

Here in Northwest Georgia (USA) the flowers have been blooming for a while and the carpenter bees are mating. The temperatures are in the upper 20's c in the afternoon.

Posted by: tenine | March 22, 2011 12:07 PM

I heard the first blackbird like a week ago. And today I saw something that might be the beginning of a "vitsippsbacke" and that made my heart jump and I got this spring feeling...

Posted by: Älvan | March 22, 2011 2:45 PM

Here in northeastern New York state it is marginally warmer and noticeably wetter/rainier. Therefore we have what is locally called "mud season."

Posted by: chezjake | March 22, 2011 2:47 PM

A few miles south of chezjake in Coastal New Jersey, USA, we have daffodils sprouting, the rabbits are out again, there are green buds on all the trees and I see my neighbors even when it hasn't just snowed.

Posted by: NoAstronomer | March 22, 2011 4:07 PM

Here in southern Manitoba, Brandon will host its Royal Winter Fair next week. Yesterday I got the truck stuck on a sloping patch of ice and saw 10cm of fresh snow. However, the first horned larks were on newly-exposed gravel at the side of a road and a raven was displaying so spring is on its way.

Posted by: Richard Simons | March 22, 2011 4:51 PM

Yesterday, I saw a bloke with a metal detector locate the massive metal grills that cover the drains along our street. These drains are hidden under inches of ice, so you need to physically hack away the ice to allow the elongated lakes of ankle-deep meltwater to drain away (this is in Umeå, where most of the snow still remains).

I don't know if you ever need to use metal detectors this way in Malmö, London or other subtropical places.

Posted by: Birger Johansson | March 22, 2011 5:08 PM

Here in southern Idaho, USA, spring has not yet sprung! Despite the fact they call this area the "banana belt" of the Northwest, the weather is so unrealiable it's laughable. We have had warmth (68 F), snow, ice, sleet, thunder and lightening, a small tornado, cold (almost 0 F) in just the past week. We know it's spring when summer gets here and we look back and notice. I did have a red winged blackbird at my bird feeder this morning. Haven't seen any migratory species yet. No crocus in it's right mind would raise a head yet here. Recently heard Global Warming referred to as Global Weirding...well, global weirding's been in this area for generations! First year out here on the farm had 6 inches of snow on June 10. Have had snow on July 4. But hey, we love it cause you never get bored with the weather, just the politics!

Posted by: Susan Courtnay | March 22, 2011 7:58 PM

Philadelphia (40 degrees north) one lousy crocus, snowdrops, toads calling and migrating, and bald eagles all over the place.

Posted by: Marianne | March 22, 2011 8:11 PM

Spring here really got started this week. Day time temperatures above 10c, and a good amount of sunlight. My cabbage seedlings have sprouted and are in the ground, the beetroot, carrot and leek are all germinated and about ready to go. The garden at the back of St. Johns’ house (the medieval history dept. at St Andrews) is now awash with colour of various flowers and blossom, engorged bubs are everywhere!

It'll be snowing come Friday...:)

Posted by: Gary | March 23, 2011 5:37 AM

Hey, Gary, you lucky so-and-so -

engorged bubs are everywhere!

Here in Cyprus, at 2000ft, the spring rain is, just now, knocking the blossom off the almond trees and the asphodel is standing tall. The winter jasmine is still in bloom and the wistaria is about to come out.
..and we're the warmest place in Europe. (ca. 20C (68 F)).

Posted by: Clam | March 23, 2011 6:58 AM

(OT) Spring book offers (for archaeology enthusiasts in USA or Canada). I have not read these books myself, so I cannot review them...

Practical Archaeology http://www.bookcloseouts.com/Store/Details/Practical-Archaeology/_/R-9780754817475B

The Complete Practical Encyclopaedia of Archaeology http://www.bookcloseouts.com/Store/Details/The-Complete-Practical-Encyclopedia-of-Archaeology/_/R-9781846814990B

Posted by: Birger Johansson | March 23, 2011 10:38 AM

Longer days, less depression and SNOWDROPS!

Posted by: MacTurk | March 23, 2011 2:09 PM

Here in Richmond Virginia, spring is well under way. The camellias, quince and forsythia are in bloom, the sweet flag and irises are sending up shoots in the bog garden, tulips and daffodils are coming up, the robins and grackles are back, and last week I saw two red tailed hawks in a mating flight over the parking lot at work. The spring peepers are peeping in the woods. On a small island in the James in downtown Richmond a couple dozen herons have established a rookery.

Posted by: Michael Warhol | March 23, 2011 2:58 PM

I'm in Saskatchewan, Canada - we have nice, long days, which helps a lot, plenty of sunshine but it remains cold, only a high of -8 today. The sun is melting the ice on the road surfaces, but the sidewalks are very icy and we won't see above freezing temperatures this week. Spring is slow to come this year!

Posted by: 24fps | March 24, 2011 3:03 AM

It was only 2 Celsius this morning in Fisksätra, so I've reverted to long-johns.

Posted by: Martin R | March 24, 2011 4:14 AM

A few days ago, I saw a couple of birds flying around and I saw a rabbit running around my backyard. I also started to see some leaves growing on trees and I noticed that the grass was starting to get a bit greener. Also, it has gotten a bit warmer. Although, last night, there was a bit of snow and when I woke up, there was a layer of snow on the ground. The good thing is that all of the snow melted by the time I got home from school.

Posted by: Bkim00000 | March 24, 2011 5:46 PM

Last Thursday I saw - no, smelt - the first droppings emerging from the snow.

The first reliable sign of spring in Helsinki.

Posted by: Tuukka Kaikkonen | March 25, 2011 6:57 AM

Ahh...soon time for charming local cultural events (The Simpsons) "Whacking Day": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiUKIWSqqDM

Posted by: Birger Johansson | March 25, 2011 1:04 PM

so it was 70' F a few days ago - but now we have 10 inches of snow on the ground and night time temps back to 20' F - lots of ice again. But my daffodils are peeking just above the snow - there is hope!!

Posted by: Cecelia | March 25, 2011 5:02 PM

Seattle here: the japanese cherry trees are starting to bloom with their bright pink blossoms everywhere. My koi are warming up and starting to feed.

Posted by: Tom | March 27, 2011 8:03 AM

There have been several days this week where I was able to sit outside reading and once I had to roll my shirt-sleeves up! It's academic summer! Also there are insects about again, and they probably have a clearer idea about what makes spring than I do.

That said, it was still bloody cold yesterday. Oxford, UK.

Posted by: Jonathan Jarrett | March 27, 2011 6:45 PM

Here in Saint Paul, MN (45 degrees N), it's been really sunny, and the snow is slowly disappearing from the ground (especially on the north Sides of streets). It still has been getting down to the teens (farenheit, rather than celsius) during the night, but during the days it's consistently been between 32F (0C) and 45F (around 7C), so warm! no buds on the trees yet, though. It's been nice enough out to cycle, for the most part, and wear only a light jacket.

On the topic of crazy weather, there was one point in february, this year where the weather shot up drastically from -20F (-28C) and 40F (about 4C) for like a week. That was weird.

Posted by: Loki | March 31, 2011 2:51 PM