Author Topic: An early sign of Spring (Read 1625 times)

jvs · « **on:** March 15, 2005, 01:14:59 PM »

This morning a huge flock of blackbirds went through this area, must have been well over 10,000 of them. They haven't been around in those numbers since last November when they went south.

Two weeks ago I spied my first Robin.

Another three weeks and the Dogwoods will be blooming on the Mountains and the Shad run will start. After that is Trout Season.

If I get the itch, I may just get my lawn mowers and tiller running this weekend.

The blackbirds are a sure sign that they think it's spring. That's good enough for me.

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** March 15, 2005, 04:56:23 PM »

For the most part it seems the large flocks of grackles that congregate here in winter seemed to have left and what's left are pairing up. The red winged blackbirds and gold finches have returned for sure. Robins are year round here. Haven't seen a hummingbird yet.

Daffodils are blooming big time. I have an apple tree and a plum tree in full bloom. My blueberry bushes are just now opening up their blooms for the spring. Dogwoods haven't yet opened but sure should be soon. Weeping willows are greened up. In fact most trees other than the always late nut bearing trees are now coming alive again. Wild flowers are in bloom all over and the grass is starting to green up.

deb · « **Reply #2 on:** March 16, 2005, 03:19:08 PM »

Early signs of spring??? Gosh here in the Laurel Highlands of PA, we still have ~8" of snow on the ground!! I like winter, but enough is enough!!
Have seen robins and several flocks of geese heading north! They are probably having trouble finding open water. Sure sign of spring is the return of Red-winged Blackbirds!!

Deb :-)

P.S. Great forum!!

jvs · « **Reply #3 on:** March 16, 2005, 10:46:23 PM »

Red Wing Blackbirds were mixed in with the Grackles and the others that went thru here the other day. I spotted a flock of about 200 Snow Geese traveling north about two weeks ago. Canadian Geese like to spend the whole winter here and are a common sight all winter long. The south slope of most hills are barren of snow but the north slopes and Poconos' still have a deep snowpack. (The higher elevations lag behind the southern lowlands 2 full weeks or more when it comes to weather.) The sap is flowing in the Sugar Maples and the annual collection is in full swing. The Goldfinches are loosing their dull brown winter colors and are starting to get the romantic colors. And last but not least, everytime the daytime temp goes above 45 for an hour or so, t-shirts are a common sight amongst young pedestrians.

As soon as I know I can stick a shovel in the ground without hitting frost, I'll be turning soil. Things are active on the surface but the ground is still frozen.

When I see my Magnolia buds crack open, I'll know spring is really here. But with night temps well below freezing, it may be another two weeks for Magnolias. Sometimes the Magnolias beat the Dogwoods on the Mountain to bloom.

Graybeard · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2005, 04:12:55 AM »

The red-winged blackbirds have arrived in PA DEB, my friend Barry sent me several photos today of those he saw yesterday on his rounds of the farm. So you should be seeing them just any day now.

The strange thing is that the past 2-3 years he has been seeing them before me here in Bama. But this year they've been here at least a month before his first sighting.

deb · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2005, 04:34:41 PM »

Yes!!!! Yesterday while out for a morning walk, I heard their call!! Prettiest song I've heard in a while!!!
Listening to them always gets me reved up for carp hunting!! There are plenty of Red-winged blackbirds near where we hunt carp (with bow). That won't be till late May, during spawning. Gosh, I can't wait, so much fun!!
Makes great fertilizer for the garden, too!

Deb :-)

jvs · « **Reply #6 on:** March 21, 2005, 12:38:24 PM »

Fish is an excellent fertilizer for your Garden, as good as or better than anything else you can use. Years ago I planted some fish directly under my Vegetable plants, I ended up with a pretty good crop that year.

Carp make good fish cakes too. If you have a pressure cooker to make them in that is. They are quite boney but if you have the patience to prepare them, they make excellent table fare. All white meat they are.

I know people go for Carp along the Delaware River with Bows. Some of them can get to 4 feet long and way over 50 pounds in the Delaware.

Nightrain52 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 27, 2005, 03:44:51 PM »

Behead, descale, and gut a 18 to 20 inch carp. Have oven heated to 325 degrees. Take a good, clean white pine board 6 in. wide and 24 in. long and lay carp on side directly on the board. Season with lemon, garlic, butter, salt, pepper, and soysauce. Bake one side 45 min. and then turn the carp over and bake an additional 30 min. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 to 10 min. REMOVE CARP FROM BOARD AND DISCARD CARP AND EAT THE BOARD. :-D

:-D

deb · « **Reply #8 on:** March 31, 2005, 12:15:57 PM »

The hubby cooking ground hog is bad enough---I wouldn't even allow that smelly thing near my kitchen!!!!!
:-D :-D :-D :-D
It's a blast hunting them, great fertilizer or racoon food (when I get too lazy to cut them up!)!!
The ones we hunt are ~30"-36" and ~15-20 lbs.
One year, I had the job to cut them up. Well I thought the hachet would work just dandy...to make a long story short, I was covered with eggs, blood and scales, oh man, what a mess!!! :-D We live rural and my appearance would have scared the revenuers off, for sure!! :shock: :-D

Deb :-)

jvs · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2005, 11:56:34 AM »

It takes alot more patience than I have to make fish cakes made from Carp, even though they are very tasty. I went through that stage for a whole summer back in the 70's when I teamed up with some Old Timers at a Lake, all of which are long passed on. Now I don't go for Carp any more, and if I do accidently catch one, I release it. Too many small ' Y ' bones for me to contend with. They would make good fertilizer for the Garden though.

Some people around here like catching and eating Suckers which are in top shape in early Spring. The Sucker Fishermen are probably along the river now.

When I trapped I used cheap canned catfood for Raccoons instead of keeping frozen fish in the freezer until trapping season.

Come to think of it........I'm probably at the stage now where there are alot more things that I used to do, rather than things I'd like to try. Getting to the point where I'd rather putter around the yard or go to the Range for a few hours and make holes in paper and fall into joke-telling sessions.