February is the most temperamental month of the year

February rushes into the year like an excited little girl with her first handful of valentines, proclaiming herself the best of the best. The month is the spoiled brat of the year, not being able to make up its mind whether it wants spring or winter.
In February, there are spring- like temperatures one day, and flying snow the next. For the Western North Carolina Mountains, snow in February is usually Gulf-driven, which means it falls heavy and wet with flakes as big as goose feathers. It is a month of early jonquils finally brave enough to blossom, and crocus blooms pushing through the earth. These early bloomers are determined to announce the approach of another spring, regardless of what wind chills rattle man's bones. February is more a phase in nature than a month.
It is hard to take February very seriously for long. She sulks, she beams, and she changes from one minute to the next. It is reassuring that February matures into March with mad, whirling winds when spring is no longer a drop in visitor, but a full time resident.
Groundhog Day on February 2 anchors the month in ancient lore. The whistle pig or woodchuck, better known as the groundhog, has pull in high places. It is the only animal to have a day named in its honor. Noself-respecting groundhog is up and about on February 2. It is one of the true hibernators in the mountains.
German immigrants, the Pennsylvania Dutch, brought the legend of the groundhog to America in the 18th Century. In Europe, they had regarded the badger as a spring barometer. According to legend the burrowing groundhog awakens on February 2, emerges, and if it sees its shadow, it will return to the burrow for six more weeks of winter. If it does not see its shadow, the whistle pig will remain outside and start
another year, bringing spring to the Valley. There has to be plenty of succulent green shoots for the rodent with a voracious appetite to munch on to tempt it to stay up.
Punxsutawney Phil, America's official groundhog that predicts the weather, lives in Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania. He is reputed to be more than 100 years old. Have many Phils have there been? No one in the know is confessing.
Gus is the official groundhog of the Asheville area. He lives at the Western Carolina Nature Center. Gus is as adept at predicting winter-spring weather as is Punxsutawney Phil. He is a cousin of the squirrel, but shy and reclusive. In the wild, it eats succulent green plants, like dandelions, clover and various grasses. They are literally tiny mowing machines. Gardeners are not fond of the groundhog. Early plants have little
chance of surviving the razor sharp teeth of the totally vegetarian.
February is a prime squirrel mating month. It is during these times that the squirrels are oblivious to car horns, cats and humans. They are caught up in the pandemonium of noisy mating romps through the trees.
It is just Mother Nature regenerating herself.
Notice how the winter wrens have added several notes to their brief calls. Just a week to 10 days ago, their calls were one note only. Hairy and downy woodpeckers have stepped up the drumming from last week.
They are insistent that potential mates hear them. Both the male and female woodpeckers drum to announce territory. They drum also to renew pair bonds. It won't be until the last part of March or early April thatthey will excavate cavities for nesting.
Male cardinals are beginning to sing fragments of their mating song. Both the male and female cardinal sing beautifully. Rabbits are beginning to strip bark from young fruit trees. Doves can be heard cooing every morning and evening. Titmice and song sparrows are beginning to sing as well as mockingbirds.
Flocks of robins have invaded the Valley. These majestic birds that man always associates with spring can sing for long stretches of time.
The rains have brought worms to the surface, and robins are feasting. Those that remain in the Valley throughout the winter live on berries. Nature is making promises and reassuring man of the vitality of life.
The light is noticeably changing now. It is the lengthening of days that triggers hormones in birds that cause them to sing, and begin to send out mating calls. February means sunrise by 6:30 a.m. for the first time since last November. The daylight hours are as long as they were in October. Its nights can be more cold than December's darkness.
The sun is noticeable swinging north. It is only about eight weeks until spring officially arrives, with nature's gate swinging shut on winter for another season. The full moon of February is called the owl moon.
Screech owls continue to trill, calling for mates. They will nest next month.
May you always hear the whisper of wings.

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P.O. Box 155
Black Mountain, North Carolina, USA 28711
A non-profit 501-3-C organization dedicated to wildlife research and education