It may still be February, with snow covering the ground, but there were several signs of spring along the South Platte River this morning. Sunshine was breaking through the high cloud layer and mild air had settled along the Front Range urban corridor.
Most conspicuous were the hysterical calls and drumming of northern flickers that inhabit groves of cottonwoods along the river. In some areas, the distinctive "song" of red-winged blackbirds rose from the stream-side marshes, augmenting the background din. Many of the wintering ducks were clearly agitated by seasonal hormones, including a group of male common goldeneyes that engaged in their classic courtship display, attempting to impress their female cohorts. A pair of bald eagles, perhaps planning to nest in the area, cruised above the river, sending clouds of geese and ducks into the morning sky.
While we expect more snow tomorrow (and can count on other snowstorms throughout March, April and early May), spring has arrived in the South Platte Valley. We humans may focus on calendars but our wild neighbors are more attuned to the ebb and flow of nature's seasons.
Most conspicuous were the hysterical calls and drumming of northern flickers that inhabit groves of cottonwoods along the river. In some areas, the distinctive "song" of red-winged blackbirds rose from the stream-side marshes, augmenting the background din. Many of the wintering ducks were clearly agitated by seasonal hormones, including a group of male common goldeneyes that engaged in their classic courtship display, attempting to impress their female cohorts. A pair of bald eagles, perhaps planning to nest in the area, cruised above the river, sending clouds of geese and ducks into the morning sky.
While we expect more snow tomorrow (and can count on other snowstorms throughout March, April and early May), spring has arrived in the South Platte Valley. We humans may focus on calendars but our wild neighbors are more attuned to the ebb and flow of nature's seasons.
