It does not feel like April 1 as I arrive at the Arboretum. With 8.5 inches of new snow reported at the airport (about 7 at the Arb), it looks more like January. Wet, heavy snow clings to every branch and twig. The tri-color landscape of white, dark gray and bright blue is mesmerizing, and also fleeting—the warm sun is already working on the snow, causing it to drop in clumps all around (and on) me as I walk.
April’s winter landscape
Chickadees sing and call back and forth. Their song is the familiar two-note fee-bee; their call sounds like their name--chickadee-dee-dee. Birds use songs primarily to declare territory and during courtship and mating. They call to one another to sound alarms and to keep in contact with fellow flock members.
Black-capped chickadee taking flight
Two of our winter-resident birds—the dark-eyed junco and the tree sparrow—are still hanging around. Both spend their summers north of here—the junco in northern Minnesota and Canada, the tree sparrow in northern Canada. The tree sparrow is sometimes called the “winter chippy,” for its similarity to the chipping sparrow (a summer resident). Both have a rusty crown, but the chipping sparrow has a smooth gray breast, while the tree sparrow’s has a black spot. Also, the tree sparrow’s lower bill is yellow, versus the all-black bill of the chipping sparrow.
American tree sparrow and dark-eyed junco
Eastern gray squirrels are particularly lively today. Four of them are chasing each other up, down and around a large oak, claws scrabbling over bark. Their acrobatics are truly impressive as they navigate the undersides of branches and leap to and from small twigs that dip under their weight. One stops to hurriedly groom, dashes down the trunk, then climbs up onto a bench and studies me for a moment before taking a few bites of snow. (If you haven't seen this 20-minute video of a very smart guy trying to outsmart the squirrels stealing his birdseed, please watch it. You will gain a new appreciation for these clever critters.)
Eastern gray squirrels
I hear two pileated woodpeckers calling and turn to watch their undulating flight. They settle high in a tree and strike identical poses. Pileated woodpeckers are monogamous, and I assume this is a mated pair. Males and females look much the same, with a mostly black body and bright red crest. But the male has a red forehead and red cheek stripe, while the female has a black forehead and lacks the red cheek stripe.
Pileated woodpeckers
I return to the wildflower garden, where I started my walk today, and already much of the snow has melted off the trees. Before long the ground will be snow-free and spring wildflowers will be coming up. Much as I enjoy winter, I’m ready for warmer weather and the colors and new life that spring brings.
Holly Einess is a Minnesota Master Naturalist volunteer.