Friday Five: Signs That Winter is Coming to a Close

With February coming to a close, we can begin to see signs of spring. Although the signs are different in different areas, this part of the world has a few of its own. The following are the ones I’ve observed recently:

1. Commuting is now done during daylight hours. No longer do I travel country roads in the dark.
2. Skunks are seen and smelled. Mostly this is due to wandering on the road, but generally, this critter doesn’t appear until the end of winter.
3. The sounds of songbirds. There is nothing like the sound of a bird singing and a balmy breeze in February to make a person impatient for spring.
4. Fluctuation in temperatures. Although this winter has had its ups and downs, the highs are higher as February draws to a close.
5. Each snow storm that appears on the horizon is determined to be the “last one” of this winter. Of course, this is Michigan and while there are rumors of snow in July (I’ve never seen it), having snow on Mother’s Day is not far outside the realm of possibilities.

Are there any I missed? For myself, I look eagerly at each black feathered bird trying to see the red spots on the wings. Redwing blackbirds are often the first avian’s to arrive in this area, even before the more traditional Robins.

What are your favorite signs of spring?