Happy New Year

For the past 7 years I have kept an 'animal diary' recording sighting of wildlife out here in Whitefish. I have ported that text document over from at least two other computers to its current home. The diary begins in March because it was the return of the Canadian Geese that is the first entry (way back in 2009) So when Feb. ends I have to scroll back to the top of the diary text to record March's entries and so over time March 1st has replaced Jan 1st as my New Year.

Staring out at a sea of snow, it is hard to believe that Canadian Geese will ever come. The Geese will not come until the last week of March and my entries from last year show that the lake remained frozen into April with the Geese shivering on top of it at night. Yet the arrival of the Canadian Geese remains to me the truest, loudest signal that spring has arrived.

Over the next few weeks watch for randy ravens building/repairing nests, Blue Jays having massive 'wars', squirrels gone wild, drowsy racoons waking from semi-hibernation, and a few bugs appearing including harmless Snow fleas and even Mourning Cloaks butterflies if it is warm enough.

Happy New Year