As March appears and moves through it’s days, many people living in snow country have become weary of the white stuff. Some have been dealing with it since possibly October, and often in November, and certainly in December. A number of different migratory birds begin to appear at our feeders in March, the snow banks start to recede, and perhaps we don’t need to wear as many layers of clothes to stay as warm as we would like. But we need to beware that we are not fooled by a few warm sunny days, and left heartbroken, by the arrival of “false spring”.
What is “false spring” anyway? It is a phenomenon that does not happen every year and in some years it can be seen more than once. Usually it is a period of several days, up to a week, where the days are markedly warmer and there is an increase in sunlight as compared to the wet and cloudy days of late winter. Unfortunately, the cold and snow return to buffet us as a reminder that winter is not really finished. In some years, false spring coincides with maple sugar season and those who make maple syrup see a good flow of sap with which to produce syrup. Orchardists, and other farmers, can become concerned that their trees and some fall-planted crops will begin to bud or grow if the warm spell lasts longer than a few days. We know those early buds can be destroyed, and crops lost or ruined, if (or when) the deep cold returns. False spring, if it lasts too long, can create all kinds of havoc.
In a memorable line from the 1972 movie, Jeremiah Johnson, the character “Bear Claw Chris Lapp” (Will Geer) describes his thoughts on spring in general. “March is a green and muddy month down below. Some folks like it, farmers mostly.” It is an apt description, although delivered in the film in a scornful tone. As winter and false spring release their hold, true spring comes quickly in most years. One the equinox has passed, there seems to be a noticeable warmth in the sunlight. More and more migratory birds begin to arrive and sing their courting songs in an attempt to attract a mate for the nesting season.
Spring has a kind of austere beauty for photographers and presents different kinds of opportunities. With the lack of leaves on the trees, the vistas open up and change. The look of the landscape is more open and features often hidden by leaves are revealed. It is also a time when it may be easier to get some photographs of animals as they move between patches of sparse cover. With the melting snow, water in streams, rivers, and waterfalls will be lowing with abandon and it becomes a good time to capture seasonal creeks at their fullest. A creative photographer sees many possibilities in spring.
March moves on to April, and winter moves on to “mud season”. Spring continues to exert its influence. People and animals emerge from their hibernation, either physical or mental. Heavy coats give way to light jackets and the sounds of snowplows fade into memory. The falling snow changes to rain and although the snow protects the dormant foliage, the rain and warmth will stimulate growth. In a brief period of time the colors change from white to green. Spring will finally arrive in good time.