The good news: I heard the peepers for the first time this spring as I opened the back door to let the dogs out at 5:30am this morning. The other good news: our blue birds are back as well! N snapped the shots above and below yesterday morning. We’ve had a family of blue birds join us for the past 3-4 years. Also an exciting sign of spring.
The bad news: Back to the peepers — the poor things have to suffer through freezing temperatures this weekend, along with an anticipated 5-8 inches of snow, followed by freezing rain tomorrow. Fortunately, the spring peeper is one of five species of frogs that can actually survive being frozen. When temps dip below 32º F, these little frogs produce their own version of antifreeze to protect their organs. They essentially thaw out with the spring thaw, and we had some temps in the 40s this past week — apparently enough to finally melt the ice in the wetlands in the woods.
For those unfamiliar with one of my favorite first signs of spring, the spring peeper is a tiny, tiny frog (at their largest, about 1.5 inches long) with some tremendously powerful vocal chords. They are widespread throughout the eastern U.S. and Canada. Their chorus can be almost deafening in the early morning and evenings. The chirping is a part of their mating ritual as the males call out — loudly — to the females.
It always heralds the coming of spring in the northeast. Despite the crap-tastic weather expected this weekend; it’s a good sign!
On another bright note – approximately 500 seedlings happily growing in the make-shift nursery in the upstairs guest room! Come on spring!!
The Wildlife Gardener 
Those bluebirds are dear little birds, no wonder you’re pleased to see them.
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Yes, they’re quite cute. Last year a couple of tree swallows bullied them out of the nesting box, but fortunately they took up residence in our 2nd nesting box on the opposite side of the orchard.
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Clever peepers! You could do with some of that antifreeze! You will REALLY appreciate warm weather when it comes (hopefully not far away). We are enjoying completely blue skys and it is warm enough to sit out in a teeshirt – hurrah! Don’t mean to rub it in, but I have been enjoying it all the more because of a recent bad weather, so you will too!
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So envious of your t-shirt wearing weather! I seriously hope we start seeing some spring-like weather in the next week or two. In the meantime, enjoy the sun and warmth!
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Peepers is a funny name for a frog. I have never heard them, but have heard about them from someone from New York.
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Well I hope both you and the peepers will be thawed out again soon! Spring has been a long time coming this year, both sides of the pond.
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Yes, indeed it has. A few more days of rain/snow in the forecast here, but then temps reaching into the 50s this weekend!
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Love, love, love the peepers – they came out here on a warm day in early April and promptly went underground again when it snowed. I heard them again last night, this is their normal time to emerge here in W. Pa.
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