Signs of Spring at BRDC
Flora of the Blue Ridge, Natural History Brendan Murphy Flora of the Blue Ridge, Natural History Brendan Murphy

Signs of Spring at BRDC

March 20 marks the beginning of spring for the Northern hemisphere. It’s the vernal equinox; the day the sun rises on the North pole, we start having more than 12 hours of daylight, and the halfway point between the solstices. As the temperatures rise and the soil wets, new signs of life appear all around! Keep reading for some early spring appearances we've noted on campus.

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Signs of Spring
Nature Notes, Blue Ridge Birders Bill Dunson Nature Notes, Blue Ridge Birders Bill Dunson

Signs of Spring

Spring is a wonderful time of year, with leaves and blooms emerging, birds singing, and amphibian reproduction in full swing. But breeding occurs over a prolonged period since different species have distinct tolerances and adaptations for seasonal progression in temperature and related habitat changes.  

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Spring Peeper (Hyla crucifer)
Fauna of the Blue Ridge BRDC, Admin Fauna of the Blue Ridge BRDC, Admin

Spring Peeper (Hyla crucifer)

Most of us recognize the high shrills of our spring peeper as a significant harbinger of spring. These are our first frog breeders, sometimes beginning as early as late February, but most commonly mid-March. For this important event in the ongoing life of peepers, the tiny frogs migrate to vernal pools, and pond and stream edges in meadows and woodlands, where the competition for mates commences.

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