Nancy' s Nature Nook

I recently read about the two feet of snow that were unceremoniously dumped on Vermont and upstate New York this past Monday. Nevertheless, I’m here to tell you that spring has officially arrived. How do I know? Could it be an old Ouija board, an inside plant at some national metrological center, best friends with a farmer connected to the Farmers Almanac? No; it’s the chipmunks.

These tiny striped marauders disappear for the winter and unlike their larger cousins and yard buddies, the squirrels (gray, black and the smaller red squirrels), the chipmunks stay put, hibernating until the mystical word goes out. What that word might be eludes me, but I suspect that they have tiny drums or possibly watch fires.

Tuesday morning I saw a solitary chipmunk (my first) sitting on a bit of snow contemplating the lay of the land (yard) and perhaps hatching tiny chipmunk schemes. When I went out to take a closer look I saw several more running in and out of the stone walls, one of the entrance points into their chipmunk “dens.” A half dozen more were later spotted running wildly to and fro outside of my office window.

The birds have also come out in full chorus within the past week. This morning I got a few photos of this large, handsome cardinal that’s been singing his little heart out, serenading me daily as I wander up the driveway to collect the newspaper. I do my best to whistle back in response, but (as you might have guessed) it’s no contest.

Its official. We made it. Happy spring!

Click once or twice on pictures to enlarge.