Spring is here!

While the calendar may tell you that spring beings on March 20th, rest assured, the spring season has arrived. American Woodcocks have been been moving through New Jersey for a week or two now, and within the last few days they've even begun searching for mates. The warm front over the weekend also brought up a few other early signs of spring, including Piping Plovers and Osprey!

Photograph by Bill Lynch (c) 2007

Photograph by Scott Page (c) 2008

It's not only birds that can give us a clear indicator that nature has shifted seasons - Painted Turtles, Green Frogs, and plenty of other organisms have been given the green light to get ready for warmer weather. And if you don't trust your eyes, just take a listen outside tomorrow morning to the sparrows and other songbirds that are beginning to sing. The spring chorus has begun!

Photograph by Bill Lynch (c) 2008