One flicker heard and the red-bellied woodpecker’s “brrrt” as I walked this morning. Finches still feeding all day, one male clearly yellow. The first red nubs of the rhubarb are visible, the ramp leaves are starting to unravel, and the Dutch iris spears have come up in the past few days. The front garden’s snow crocus have all opened up in the sun this morning.

The annual robin chorus began at 6:15 this morning, first as faint twittering, and then by 6:25 a strong and steady calling. For the first time this year, I saw a robin working the lawn about 7:00. The flicker was on Eric’s tree again this morning when I went through the alley with Bella. In the yard, waterleaf has still not appeared. Grackles have come by most of the day.

First cardinal heard at 6:25 (EST) this morning. I saw a pileated woodpecker behind Eric’s house along Limestone when I walked Bella. Ed Oxey called to report he had seen a question mark butterfly and about a dozen honeybees yesterday. He has snowdrops and crocus and aconites in bloom.

Cardinals and doves singing between 6:20 and 6:25 this morning. One robin whinny about 7:00, but no chorus heard. Grackles were flying back and forth in the neighborhood when I walked Bella around 9:00. Cardinals chasing each other in the trees. The silver maple appears to be flowering in Burl’s yard. Pussy willows seem to be out much further than yesterday.

The blizzard arrived on the 7th, and the weather was cold for three days. Now, the snow is melting quickly, and the purple and gold crocus are in full bloom by the back pond. As I looked for the koi fingerlings (which did not appear), I saw a honeybee near the crocus. In the front garden, snowdrops are opening. Jean says that Chris has seen towhees this month.

Yesterday, I saw the first robin on High Street and robins were chirping in the back yard in the evening. Pussy willows were half out, and Lori Deal, who owns “The Shop” downtown, said her neighbor’s yard was full of blooming crocus and that she even saw a bumblebee. Today, a spring blizzard moved over Yellow Springs, high winds swirling the snow from the rooftops.

Pussy willows have come out about half way so far, unchecked by the below-normal temperatures for the past months. In the south garden, one gold and one purple snow crocus are half open in the intermittent afternoon sun.