Signs of spring

I thought today was the first day of spring but in fact the vernal equinox happened at 13.30 yesterday afternoon. I'm not entirely sure what that means but apparently this is so.

When I got to the Nature Park today to be shown the 'Signs of Spring' educational programme, it seems that one of the park's birds, the rufous hummingbird, had appeared bang on cue and so had its groupies, a clutch of Taiwanese twitchers.

And yesterday and Sunday, it did in fact feel very springlike. I went out without a jacket, had the windows down in the car, the sun was shining and warm, doors were open, daffodils and crocuses were smiling up, forsythia was blooming and in general I felt quite expansive and sunny myself. I was also visiting a friend in a part of Vancouver where the pretty residential streets were all lined with trees in blossom.

Today, the first full day of spring, the sky is overcast and it is cold, a few drops of rain appeared on the windscreen on the way back from the nature park and had it been sleet, I wouldn't have been surprised - although I'll admit to the possibility of auto-suggestion here since I know my friend Ree in Illinois has had sleet and was expecting snow.

But the signs were there in the park. There was birdsong, garter snakes had been seen, there were buds on many of the bushes and the blueberry plants had striking new growth. The dark green of winter was being replaced by emerald. By the end of the trail session I was able to identify two of the birds, a chickadee and a song sparrow, oh, no three in fact because we saw a robin. Quite, quite different from our native European robin redbreast, this robin was more russet coloured, not so pretty and bigger, less like a fat little man wearing a waistcoat.
I remembered several of the plants and trees from last week and felt pleased with myself yesterday when I was able to identify a hemlock tree for my friend. I also know what a cranberry plant looks like.

Yet another sign of spring yesterday was that lads at the school opposite were wearing those long shorts, I'll bet they were back in jeans today.

Well, the ditty 'spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where the birdies iz' is not true for me today, cos I know where the birdies is.....AND I know what they're up to, and THAT is what spring is all about.