As February arrives, subtle signs of seasonal change begin to emerge. Enjoy the beauty of this month and the first signs of spring to come. 

• Check fruit trees for waxwings and Pine Grosbeaks. Cedar Waxwings are the most common. Bohemian Waxwings can visit from the north at any time during the winter in big years but sometimes wait until February. Pine Grosbeaks appear in some years but typically in low numbers. Any place with crabapple or ornamental cherry trees that still have fruit, including supermarket parking lots, will attract these fruit-eating species. 
• Black-capped Chickadees start to sing their spring “fee-bee” song making it easy to think that your Eastern Phoebes are back, but they won’t return until April. 
• Hinsdale can be one of the first places for returning waterfowl as open patches appear on Lake Wantastiquet above the dam on the Connecticut River. 
• Short-eared Owls can occasionally be seen at the seacoast or the Dillant-Hopkins Airport in Swanzey in winter but are more likely as we transition from February to March. 
• South winds can bring the first influx of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles. If there is some open ground the first Killdeer and American Woodcock will put in an appearance in the southernmost parts of the state. 
• Barred Owls can be heard in late February. Listen for their “who-cooks-for-you-who-cooks-for-you-all” calls as their courtship begins. A moonlit night is ideal for owling. 

Don’t forget to tell us about the birds you see in your backyard! Join the Backyard Winter Bird Survey on February 14th and 15th. Your observations help us understand long-term trends in New Hampshire’s winter birds. Visit our webpage to learn more and participate.