Spring’s Unfolding Story: Nature’s Signals and Migratory Marvels
While the calendar proclaims the arrival of spring, nature itself is painting a more nuanced picture across the United States. The emergence of vibrant new leaves and the blossoming of spring flowers are unfolding in waves, closely followed by the annual migration of birds, already underway for several weeks.
According to the USA National Phenology Network, the progression of spring leaf out continues its northward march across the country. In the eastern portion of the nation, however, spring’s arrival is characterized by a series of fits and starts, exhibiting both delays compared to the long-term average in certain regions and accelerated progress in others, as reported by the Network.
The classic hallmarks of spring have been evident throughout the South for several weeks, gradually extending northward, as depicted on a map utilized by the Network to illustrate the nascent stages of biological activity during the season.
Theresa Crimmins, an associate professor at the University of Arizona and the director of the network, notes that in many areas across the southern half of the country, where spring typically makes its debut, the season has arrived somewhat later than usual. "Only little chunks of the country have had an early season," she explained, highlighting that locations such as Texas and North Florida are witnessing spring signals emerging with a slight delay.
However, Crimmins anticipates a shift in this pattern within the upcoming weeks. The Network is closely monitoring the leading edge of spring conditions as it advances northward into Illinois, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. She suggests that the more northern locations appear to be ahead of schedule.
Specifically, spring indicators are projected to manifest in southern Nebraska, the southern half of Iowa, and gradually extend into northern Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and southern Pennsylvania within the next week, potentially outpacing the typical timeline by one to two weeks, according to Crimmins.
Crimmins highlights the budding of leaves on red maples and silver maples as a key indicator. Sumac species are also showing flower buds, and lilacs are beginning to emerge from their dormancy.
In Asheville, North Carolina, the Biltmore Estate is reveling in the welcome sight of spring blooms, a testament to months of recovery following Hurricane Helene. The gardens are teeming with color, as noted in the estate’s recent bloom report, with daffodils exhibiting exceptional brilliance. The Cornell Pink Rhodendron, an early-blooming azalea variety, is putting on a dazzling display.
Crimmins emphasizes that spring is an ideal time to engage with the outdoors, and the center provides activities to encourage movement and exploration. "Getting outside and looking at plants and animals is good for physical and mental health," she added.
Andrew Farnsworth, a migration ecologist at Cornell University’s Cornell Lab of Ornithology, points to the current stage of spring migration. "At this rather early stage of spring migration – numbers are close to the last 10 years average," he said. The university operates the BirdCast Migration Dashboard, a tool for tracking avian movements.
Farnsworth shared nocturnal migration metrics, revealing that approximately 37 million birds have traversed Texas, while 13-14 million have moved through Florida. He identified March 13-14 as the peak nights across the U.S., with an estimated 65 million birds aloft, primarily concentrated in the upper Mississippi River valley and Midwest. March 17-18 and March 18-19 also witnessed substantial migration activity, with each night recording 30-40 million birds migrating at night, primarily across the central and eastern U.S.
Farnsworth tantalizingly proclaimed, "Coming soon to a sky near you: 500 million birds."
Waterfowl are actively participating in the migratory movement. "So people will be seeing lots of geese and ducks moving generally north, as well as the arrival of great egrets and great blue herons," he elaborated.
In Chicago, Matt Igleski, executive director of the Chicago Bird Alliance, describes the current period as a transitional phase. Some birds that overwinter in the region have yet to depart, while new arrivals are migrating through.
Igleski believes that this year’s migration is unfolding "about on time." During a recent visit to a local forest area, he spotted his first fox sparrow of the season. "I had my first brown-headed cowbird singing outside the office," he added. "The red-winged blackbirds also are showing up. When you see those, you know that spring is showing up. We’ve been seeing them at the backyard feeders."
The area experienced significant waves of sandhill cranes migrating through during a recent warm spell. "In the next few weeks, we’ll see Eastern phoebes and golden-crowned kinglets," Igleski predicted.
Photo galleries from USA Network newspapers showcase the earliest spring arrivals in various locations, including Sheboygan, Wisconsin; Stockton, California; Cape Cod, Massachusetts; and Wilmington, North Carolina. These visual displays offer a glimpse into the diverse ways in which spring is manifesting across the country, from the budding of leaves to the arrival of migratory birds, creating a vibrant tapestry of renewal and rebirth. Nature’s subtle signals remind us of the interconnectedness of life and the enduring cycle of seasons.
