There's already been some mention of first blooms or first sightings of signs of Spring. I thought I'd start a thread of "First Sightings". So here goes:

Today - first dandelion blossom and first lamium buds...3' from each other.
-------- first thermometer reading of 60 degrees F.



Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

First day of sunshine in about a week...that is as close as I can come to a 'first' of any kind.

Penny
NY
USDA hardiness zone 6a
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Well lots of green coming up but except for the Witch Hazel and Mahonia Charity nothing blooming, did find a small tree frog hunting while cleaning up the garden, they really shouldn't be out but we probably heard them croaking every month this winter.

Warm winters aren't that unusually around here, its the warm spring that I look forward too.

Middle of winter here and my daffodils have full buds! Not only that, but an area that I planted Violas last summer have several small plants with full flowers! Hard to believe.

Central NJ
USDA Zone 6
:C)

Initially I was going to report my first sighting of a cleaned and polished classic car on the road, but THEN I saw a bluebird on top of a box! YAY!!!

Caro
SE PA, Zone 6b

Snowdrops are blooming under the dogwood and at the front door step the green flowers of Hellabore. Prunus mume is finishing up. There has been pennyroyal by the roadsides and in the shaded areas of the yard woodland perennials are making new leaves. This morning a cardinal was singing with extraordinary complexity from the bare lilac row. For me early spring is mostly sonic. House Finches stop for awhile from their endless search for food and sing from the tops of the maple trees. The nice weather has me listening for Field Sparrows a sure early sign of changes to come but nothing has filtered through. The robins in the cold damp day are only chuckling among themselves without the will to burst into song. Each new week new members will be added to orchestra. From my neighbors barn comes a ragged percussion; they are cealing up the holes the starlings like to nest in.

I did see several HUGE flocks of starlings the past 2 days which is very unusual this early. In fact even later into spring I have never seen as many as I have the last two days

Penny
NY
USDA hardiness zone 6a
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Wow, the man in the red thong REALLY has a vocabulary!

Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

Now now Patrick, Penny is starting rumors again making it very hard to maintain my macho facade.

MACHO FACADE.......ROFL!!!!!

Penny
NY
USDA hardiness zone 6a
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

My daffodils are blooms as well as camellias. I just walked around my yard and found so many things sprouting. So sad because between now and April I know we will have some freezing weather. If it doesn't happen if will be the first time.




Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31

I normally start seeing the first wave of Robins about this time of year. I need to keep my eyes out! Time to start watching the Journey North maps as well!

Caro
SE PA, Zone 6b

It's been between 80 and 84 degrees every day down here for a month. Is that spring? We only have Hurricane Season and Tourist Season. I drove up to North Florida last week to photograph several species of native orchids in flower and saw lots of blue violets in flower too.


Click for weather forecast

Roger, do you post your photos on a site we can view...something like Flickr or ? I'd love to see some of the pics you took on your trip to N. Florida. You could always post a few O/T pics here - I think just about everyone enjoys flower pics, even if they aren't hummer attractors.

Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

Not in my yard, but today I saw narcissus in bud (full-height leaves & buds), flowering plum, crocus, witch hazel and daphne...the latter 2 smelled soooo good! I was in the old Georgetown area, just south of Seattle, on a "photo safari". There are some interesting old industrial buildings in that area.

Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

Red thong??? Ward and macho in the same sentence?? That will surely bring this lurker out into the open! Pic please!


ken, my daffs have broken ground a few weeks ago, but they are in the front with limited sun. Guess I need to take a walk around the backyard . With all the work going on indoors , cleaning up outdoors will be a breeze!

Pam
Matawan,NJ 6B

I saw a pair of Bluebirds in my front yard yesterday! I know they are Pennsylvania's state bird, but I have never seen them in my yard before!!! I'm so stoked! They were going after my holly berries. Smart birdies!

Caro
SE PA, Zone 6b

Well, I had plenty of firsts in my yard. Most all my perennials were already up. And then....that cold snap Dianne was referring to came through. And now most of the perennials are back to dead. And the leaf buds on the stupid hydrangea is frosted....again this year!
dell

I saw my first flock of Red Winged Blackbirds. It is not early for them. They are right on time. They always return in February here. Still, it is a welcome sight.

Patti
Pewaukee, WI
Zone 5A

The chorus frogs started up this week, first or second week in March is the norm for them, also noticed some buds on the Chilean Glory vines, ice on the bird bath this morning we are switching back between warm and wet and clear and cold, this can go on for months.

Rufous should be here with in four to six weeks.

A female Anna's has showed up, haven't seen any all winter, so maybe for the first time we will have one nesting close by. Still seeing some juveniles and Adult males around.

Wow Patti
Your Red
winged Blaqckbirds return much earlier than ours do here in western NY

Penny
NY
USDA hardiness zone 6a
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Martin, I have new growth on my Chilean Glory Vines, but I have spotted buds yet. This is the first time my vines from the previous year stayed alive thru the Winter.

Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place