Outdoor Almanac Winter 2008-2009

The Outdoor Almanac is excerpted from Mass Audubon's Sanctuary magazine, which is sent to members four times a year.

|  December  |   January  |   February  |   March  |

December 21
Winter solstice. Longest night of the year. Many festivals of light take place at his time of year throughout the world.

December 26
Watch for flocks of pine siskins and redpolls.

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January 3
Watch for fox tracks in fresh snow.

January 6
Depth of the natural year; very little activity. This was the traditional hunger season of the Eastern Woodland Indians.

January 11
Full moon. The Hunger Moon.

January 13
Observe your shrubs and fruit trees after the first snows. Nipped-off twigs with ragged edges are a sign of deer. Rabbits chew the twigs off cleanly.

January 15
Look for the bright stems of red osier dogwood along stone walls and roadsides, like Spanish dancers against the snow.

January 19
A general warming trend known as the January thaw occurs about this time.Watch for flights of bees and listen for the chirp of spring peepers.

January 26
New moon.

January 28
Great horned owls begin to nest about this time. Listen for their hooting from deeper woods.

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February 2
Groundhog Day. In Europe, the remaining days of cold were forecast on this day by the emergence of hibernating badgers or bears, not by groundhogs.

February 5
If there is a snowmelt, look for the traces of tunnels dug by voles and shrews.

February 9
Full moon. The Snow Moon.

February 11
Skunks emerge to mate about this time of year. Listen for their fights and squabbles late at night.

February 14
Starlings begin their spring whistling about this time. Listen also for the spring songs of chickadees and titmice.

February 17
On warm sunny days, look for signs of snowfleas at the bases of tree trunks. They look like a sprinkling of pepper on the snow.

February 20
Purple finches begin singing their spring songs.

February 24
Maple sap begins running. Watch for little icicles at the tips of sugar maple twigs.

February 25
New moon.

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March 5
On warm days watch for flights of mourning cloak butterflies, among the few hibernating insects.

March 9
Salamander migrations begin about this time. Watch for them crossing roads in wooded areas on the first warm rainy nights.

March 11
Full moon. The Worm Moon.

March 12
Pussy willows are fuzzed out.

March 14
Woodcock nuptial flights begin about this time, as the snow melts back in open fields. Listen for the peent call and the whistle of wings.

March 16
Skunk cabbages have emerged in wet areas by this date.

March 19
Red-winged blackbirds are back. Watch also for flights of grackles and cowbirds.

March 20
Vernal equinox, first day of spring. Days and nights are equal length.

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