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HI there, I had a leisurely walk around the Frog Pond in Fleming Park, Jollimore, HRM early this afternoon, looking for signs of spring. It was very sunny and warm (+9) in sheltered spots, but with a cool breeze off the water. As recently as last Thursday the pond was still frozen over about 90%, but it is now completely open and ice-free, except for one little cove on the south side, where it doesn't get much sun. There is slush in some of the low-lying marshy areas and vernal pools in the woods. There is no snow in the upland woods, and in many areas the soil seemed surprisingly dry, considering the amount of rain (rather than snow) that we had here in the Halifax area this winter. The only migrants were half a dozen Grackles chasing one another around the cattails. However the Song Sparrows were singing, Juncos trilling, and a few Pine Siskins were singing, as well as the usual Black-capped Chickadees and Golden-crowned Kinglets. Each marshy spot had a pair of Black Ducks lurking in last year's vegetation. When I was standing by a big boulder on the shoreline jotting down some notes, a muskrat swam over to investigate, but then quickly dove when I looked up at it. I didn't see any of the Beavers or any sign of recent activity. A few clumps of Coltsfoot blooming in the gravel edges of the parking lot were the first wildflowers of the year for me. However, the best spring sighting was a small reddish-brown butterfly or moth flitting around the edge of the mixed woods. I didn't see it very well and I was puzzled about what it could be. Then I remembered that in early April 2000 I saw a Geometrid moth, Archiearis infans, (the so-called 'First-Born Geometer') which I reported to NatureNS. Chris Majka helped me to ID it then. After checking some sources at home, I now believe that is what I saw again today. Cheers, Patricia L. Chalmers Halifax
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