Outdoors

If there is one species of bird that is a regular visitor at everyone’s winter feeder, it is the chickadee. They are often considered to be winter residents or permanent residents. However, some researchers now believe chickadees do have a migration when birds that have wintered in the southern part of their range move northward to nest.

February has arrived, with more snow. If I can be patient for one short month, it will be March and hopefully more spring-like.

People often ask what the first flower to bloom in the spring is. I have always answered with the three earliest blooming native wildflowers around our immediate area. They are the Easter daisy, which often blooms in late February and which is soon followed by mountain candytuft and spring beauty.

Feb. 2 is Groundhog Day, a day that doesn’t have much significance here, but it does in the Northeastern states, especially Pennsylvania, where it started.

The myth is that if the groundhog comes out of his winter hibernation on Feb. 2 and sees his shadow, he is frightened and goes back to sleep for six more weeks. But if it is a cloudy day and he does not see his shadow, he will stay awake and spring will come early.

It is the beginning of a new year. I keep falling behind in things I must do, and one of them is this article. With the long holiday period, I am completely confused, and now I realize this article is late. I apologize, but it is difficult to keep the days straight. So, my New Year’s resolution is to try to get each article in on time. If some week it doesn’t appear, just realize I haven’t met my deadline and the newspaper has, quite rightfully, gone to press without it. I shall try to do better.