Date: 03/09/2006

Number: 1

I saw one robin: I was outside noticing the redwing blackbirds, all I saw of them were males, I guess they return earlier to establish territories before the females arrive) It was about 7 am, very sunny, and the weather was unusually warm, 45 degrees at the time.
Usually it's well below freezing at that time of day.
The birdsongs were very springlike, which surprised me. The ground is thawed and there are areas of open water. The geese and gulls have also returned.
Southwest of here, in Winner SD, the record for February was broken at 77 degrees on the 27th or 28th.
Today it is in the 40s and overcast, with snow predictions for tomorrow, and I notice a lot of birds heading south, and the trees are quiet again. My tulips are already sprouting through, and a thirteen-stiped ground squirrel has already emerged from hibernation to forage under my birdfeeders. No doubt about it, it's an early spring!

I just looked up that ground squirrel in my "Mammals Of South Dakota." It says they "mate in April or May soon after emerging from hibernation." I knew he was out of bed awfully early!

March 15
I've got some pitiful robins here; we had a winter storm and as of 7 AM it was 7 degrees, 18 degrees now at 8:45 AM. I feel so sorry for these guys! I have suet cakes and high-protein dog food (a favorite of theirs all last summer)

Colman, SD

Latitude: 43.9 Longitude: -96.8

Observed by: Anne
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