Jeff Steele, Writer/Photographer

March weather can be quite a roller coaster ride.  Temperatures can rise up to give us that first feeling of Spring. The next day bottom drops out and it goes back down to freezing reminding us that Winter is not yet ready to release its grip.

Daffodils bloom, trees grow buds, and slowly we begin to notice that nature is beginning to change all around us.  It’s assured that we are not the only ones experiencing the transition.  Hibernating species suddenly emerge, many land mammals move to new territories, and migration begins.

You may have already heard an increase in familiar voices, the songs of Northern Cardinals belting out its shrill call.  Or maybe you’ve listened to the long multi-faceted tunes of a Mocking bird.  Each on a search for a mate.

Perhaps you even noticed a pair of Bluebirds as they seek out the place they will raise a new family.  How about that Wren carrying materials to build a nest?  Two American Robins square off on the ground as they break into a grappling match.  

All these things are part of a March and it’s a wonderful show for anyone who takes a  little time to observe and enjoy it.  Spring is just around the corner, but so is nature. Breeding season, migration, and nestboxes fills our world with joyful opportunities.

March 11 thru 17 is Turkey Vulture Week.  We’ve touched briefly on the weather earlier in this blog.  Those ups and downs also means cold and warm air mixtures.  Often stormy and windy days frequent this month.  We also talked about animals moving about.  Some of those wilderness wanders have become old or weaken from the harshness of Winter and will expire.  Others may find their fate on a roadway.  It is a peek season for carrion to become scattered about.

It is also a perfect time to be a Turkey Vulture.  You can spot them soaring overhead searching about for the meal that will end their Winter hunger, feed their young, and privide a free clean ip service for our environment.

March Maddness or March Melodies?  Either one could be true.  It’s all out there and waiting for you.

See you on the trail.