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Signs of Spring #4: They’re Back!
by Wendy Oellers-Fulmer, 4/14/2026
Great blue herons are back in the Lakes Region! These elegant birds are renowned for their ability to stand motionless, but with lightning speed they can dart down to capture their prey.
The great blue heron (Ardea hernias) is the largest of North America’s herons, with a height of 3.2-4.5 feet and a wingspan that can reach nearly 6.6 feet. Despite their size, these majestic birds actually only weigh between 5-7 pounds as a result of their hollow bones.
Herons usually live in colonies which can reach up to 500 nests that can usually be seen high up in the trees. The male, after choosing a mate, will collect the nesting material which the female will then proceed to weave into a nest.
Herons will sometime reuse nests from previous years which they enhance and repair using pine needles, moss, reeds, dry grass and/or small twigs. This process of nest building can take from 3 days up two weeks. Once the clutch of 2 to 6 eggs are laid, both parents take turns sitting on the nest. The incubation period lasts between 25-29 days.
The bond between a mating pair only lasts for the breeding season, come time for the next year the herons will choose different mates and begin the process over again.
Tune in for the next installment of Signs of Spring where we will continue once the chicks have hatched.
To discover more, check out the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Signs of Spring #3 -American Goldfinches
by Wendy Oellers-Fulmer, 4/7/2026
We have between 30-50 goldfinches (Spinus tristis) at our feeders daily, and they are ravenous as seen by the amount of seeds we’re going through.
There is a definite reason for this feeding frenzy, for at the same time, we are witnessing these little birds going through a color change, with their tell-tale bright yellows emerging.
Their winter plumage of a dull, olive-brown is being transformed, with splotches of bright yellow peeking through. This phenomena is not simply a color change though, the goldfinches are replacing every single feather on their bodies, one at a time.
This process, called a prealternate molt, is when they shed completely and grow an entirely new plumage. As each feather loosens from its follicle and falls out, a new one protected by a waxy keratin casing replaces it. The casing will then split and the barbs begin to unfurl. It takes 7-10 days to complete the new feathers while the entire process of complete molting is over three weeks.
It takes a lot of food to support the calories needed, which are 1.5 times a normal rate, so high that only migration and egg production need more. While the goldfinches are eating more, they are also resting more to conserve their energy.
Some Fun Facts for you:
Fun fact #1: The American Goldfinch is the only member of its subspecies in the Finch family that go through a prealternate molt.
Fun fact #2: Their vibrant yellows come from the food they eat with the Carotenoids digested from primarily sunflower & nyjer seeds and dandelions. Females seem to recognize that a brighter yellow means that the male has a better diet, hence is a better forager and partner.
Fun fact #3: American Goldfinches wait until June or July to breed. They wait until plants like milkweed, thistle and other plants produce their fibrous seeds, which the goldfinches use for nest building as well as feeding their young.
To discover more visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Signs of Spring #2 – The Emergence of New Hampshire’s Black Bears
by Wendy Oellers-Fulmer, 3/31/2026
As daylight hours lengthen and temperatures rise, another unmistakable sign of spring is the emergence of New Hampshire’s approximately 6,000 black bears from their winter dens.
During winter, bears enter a state of hibernation (torpor), a period of deep sleep where they do not eat or drink and rarely, if ever, urinate or defecate. Unlike true hibernators, however, bears can awaken if disturbed or threatened.
Over the course of the winter, bears typically lose 15% to 40% of their body weight. When they emerge in spring, they are both hungry and sluggish. It takes several days for them to become fully alert and a few weeks of gradual activity to restore their metabolism. After expelling a fecal plug, bears often consume natural “laxatives” such as skunk cabbage to help restart their digestive systems before returning to a more typical spring diet of insects, roots, and early vegetation.
As omnivores, bears will eat almost anything. In early spring, when natural food sources are limited, they are especially drawn to high-calorie, easy-to-access foods, often found around human homes. Unsecured garbage, birdseed, pet food, grease on barbecue grills, coolers, and even fruit trees can quickly attract bears. These food sources not only bring bears closer to people but can also lead to dangerous habituation.
You can help protect both bears and your community by taking simple precautions:
• Use bear-resistant trash containers
• Clean and store grills after use
• Keep pet food indoors
• Remove bird feeders during bear season
When bears become accustomed to human food, they are far more likely to get into trouble- and often must be euthanized as a result. Remember: “A fed bear is a dead bear.” By keeping our spaces clean and secure, we help ensure that these remarkable animals remain wild and safe.
Some great resources can be found at NHPR, the North American Bear Center and of course, the National Park Service.
Signs and Scents of Spring
by Wendy Oellers-Fulmer, 3/24/2026
The weather lately has been on a rollercoaster, from unseasonably warm days to bitter cold, ice and snow. It leaves us wondering “when will winter be over?” But there are signs that the blooming season is definitely on its way!
This past week, I had a distinct whiff of spring, in the tell-tale scent of skunk. You might wonder, “why is this a sign of spring?”
Skunks, like bears, spend late summer and fall building up layers of fat. Skunks are not true hibernators, but go into a state of deep sleep, called torpor to conserve energy. They will spend the winters huddling up with other skunks to keep themselves warm, these winter communities are usually 6-12 females, but can reach up to 20 in a den. When spring finally arrives, they will seek new dens to raise their young, sometimes communal ones. Though males are usually solitary animals, they will occasionally join a communal winter den. But when venturing out on a warmer day to look for food, males will continue to be solo travelers.
Spraying is a primary defense action for skunks. Skunks do not like to waste their spray and use it only when deemed necessary. Late February through March is their prime breeding time where males begin waking up and heading out to find a mate. They are polygamous, which means they look for multiple females. Two males, who encounter each other, after posturing (stamping feet and hissing) can get into a “stinky” situation to show dominance or defend their territory. If a female doesn’t like the male, she will let him know by spraying in defense. Although a skunk’s spray absolutely reeks, it actually is a “sweet” sign of spring.
Fun Fact: The scientific name for the striped skunk is Mephitis mephitis, meaning “bad odor.” The word “skunk” itself is one of the few Algonquin Indian words to enter the English language.
To discover more check out the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Northern Woodlands