it's early days.

Down in the Florida Keys the signs of spring are subtitle and go unnoticed by most. The sun gets higher in the sky, the days get longer, and you need a higher SPF number sun screen.  Yes, all that's true,  but it's not what I'm talking about. The first male cardinal starts to sing mid February, the ring necked doves start to whoo hoo hoo at about the same time, and the turkey vultures have headed north looking for winter killed carrion by the end of the month. The Gumbo Limbo and Mahogany trees start to lose their leaves early in March  and the Tarpon show up in April. The snow bird  migration starts mid March and ends Easter week.

Sat on the porch at the Lordville Estate tonight (my Perfect Manhattan in hand) with the temp down to 73 (from 77 this afternoon) and took-in the first signs of spring in upstate New York. The blue birds have returned and claimed their nesting box, the tree swallows, who were not here on Saturday, have arrived and are fighting over the other three boxes. The geese and mergansers are on the river. Robins are on the lawn listening for worms. The little black and brown stone flies are hatching, and the air is filled with the glistening wings of the micro caddis. It's early days to be sure, but spring has arrived and if you take the time to look there will be new signs of it each and every day.

Drove over 100 miles this afternoon just taking in the river system. The water is warming but it is still too high to wade. There were a few boats on the WB and a handful of waders along the edge of the BK.  Maybe they caught something, if not, it was still a grand day to be on the river. The weather forecast is for above average temps for the next week and if we don't get a lot of rain, perhaps some trout will start to rise.