I was in Ely over the weekend and saw my first sign of Spring, insect crawling in the snow, a water strider. I didn’t enter into the February photo contest since I didn’t think it was very picturesque. Any other signs of Spring out there?

Starwatcher

Crocus' blooming in my backyard already, lilies poking up through the mulch. Location: NOVA

pd

I heard the first sandhill cranes going north yesterday here in NE IA. Lots of robins around, and the winter birds have started their spring songs. I'm sure the waterfowl will arrive in force as soon as the Mississippi river opens up. I'm not saying spring is here, but winter is definitely on the wind-down.

First float of the year Delhi, Iowa.


Good day!

Cardinals have begun their wakeup calls in my area.

We have no snow and I think the robins are back. Just north of the twin cities.

starwatcher: "I was in Ely over the weekend and saw my first sign of Spring, insect crawling in the snow, a water strider. I didn’t enter into the February photo contest since I didn’t think it was very picturesque. Any other signs of Spring out there?

Starwatcher "

Your photo is of a wingless cranefly commonly knon as Snow Flies, genus Chionea. Probably this species as it matches the range.
Chionea valga

They mostly spend the winter in leaf litter pretty well insulated below the snow. They will show up on the surface of the snow on warm late winter days looking for mates.

They are likely much more common than it appears as they are just rarely seen.

A cool find! Thanks for posting the photo.

First chipmunk of the spring just yesterday here!

Just heard a small group of Canada Geese flying north over my place in central Missouri.

The temperature is below zero again and the windchill is closer to -10. Who was talking about spring?

I'm still afraid to use the S word so I'll just say no complaints from SW Michigan. Nice to have light from 7 am to 7 pm.

We are having decent weather in Southern IL right now. CLose to spring. Daffodils close to blooming which I take as a sure sign of spring. But it might snow on this Wednesday

I’m hoping spring is here… leaving Arizona the end of the week. Something that is normally an April thing I may be on the tail end of when I get home is cooking maple syrup…

Sorry Ben
I drilled threw 30+ inches of clear strong ice west of your house at Itasca on Saturday.
Carl

nctry: "I’m hoping spring is here… leaving Arizona the end of the week. Something that is normally an April thing I may be on the tail end of when I get home is cooking maple syrup…"

I put in my taps this past Sunday, just north of the Twin Cities. Not quite Spring with all this snow but with 60 degrees Forcast on Monday, it's feeling Springish.

nctry: "I’m hoping spring is here… leaving Arizona the end of the week. Something that is normally an April thing I may be on the tail end of when I get home is cooking maple syrup…"

We're probably not going to tap here in Iowa for the first time in 40 years. It's been too cold other than a few sporadic warm days here and there, and the upcoming forecast sounds too warm. Not going to be freezing most nights. Climate change sure sucks for making syrup.

I live in Waterloo, IL. In normal years I have daffadils blooming at the end of February. Presently, they are still small sprouts and will unlikely bloom until another week in Mid March. This winter has been much colder than normal for our area of the Midwest.