Contrary to traditional definitions of Spring, it is not a confined season that begins on March 1 or on the spring equinox. In reality, it is a gradual transition from winter to summer and its earliest events begin by late January.
The nesting of great horned owls is one of those early events and the process gradually accelerates through February. Many small mammals mate during this month; indeed, cottontails generally produce their first litter before February ends. Magpies and some hawks engage in courtship behavior, migrant geese head north, bird song intensifies and many bulb plants bloom during this first full month of spring.
Sure, some of the heaviest snowstorms and strongest Nor'easters occur in February but the higher sun and longer days gradually take a toll on winter's grip. Crocuses and hyacinths in sun-exposed areas offer the first convincing evidence for many suburbanites but those attuned to nature's magnificent diversity take note of spring far earlier.
