What nature says about spring's progress in Minnesota

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu

With the first day of spring behind us, Minnesota gardeners are feeling a little antsy, and who can blame us? Even if temperatures can’t decide which season they’re loyal to, nature is dropping plenty of hints that spring is quietly slipping in.

Phenology, or noticing nature’s small seasonal clues, gives us a reassuring nudge long before the calendar or forecast does.

Let’s take a walk through the subtle and spectacular signs of spring showing up right now.

Birds are calling it: spring is on the move

• Great Blue herons are heading north as wetlands begin to open.
• Robins are poking around muddy tire tracks for exposed insects.
• Red‑winged blackbirds returning to cattails, trumpeting spring’s arrival.
• Cardinals are singing louder as daylight increases.
• Canada geese are pairing off, and nesting season is underway.
• Bald eagles brooding or repairing nests is another solid seasonal shift.

Wildlife offers clues, too

• Raccoons are out and about, done with winter napping.
• Star‑nosed moles stir as soil slowly warms.
• Squirrels perform energetic courtship acrobatics.
• The unmistakable whiff of skunk is an official Minnesota spring alert.

Early pollinators: a quiet awakening

• Solitary bees will soon emerge from leaf litter and hollow stems, so don’t rake yet.
• Mourning Cloak butterflies flutter on sunny, mild days.
• Queen bumblebees appear early, hungry, and ready to start new colonies.

Spring ephemerals: almost showtime

• Swelling buds on bloodroot, hepatica, and pasqueflower.
• Stems on dogwoods and willows are brightening as sap begins to flow.
• Snow trillium is blooming along the melting edges of lawns and wooded areas if you look closely.
• Mosses and lichens glow green with spring moisture.

Other signs spring is tiptoeing in

• Snowbanks are shrinking into sad little piles of gravel.
• Ice fishing houses are vanishing from lakes almost overnight.
• The sun feels warmer, even when you can still see your breath.
• Dogs insist on sniffing every mud puddle.
• And yes… Minnesota’s weather rollercoaster keeps us afraid to stash winter coats, just in case Mother Nature is teasing us with another “false spring.”

What gardeners should do right now

• Start warm‑season seeds indoors: tomatoes, peppers, basil, coleus, and other annuals are ideal.
• Check trees for winter damage and prune while they’re still dormant (skip spring bloomers and avoid pruning oaks after April).
• Hold off on yard cleanup a bit longer since pollinators are still tucked into that leaf litter.
• And above all, don’t rush planting outdoors; Minnesota’s frost risk is far from finished.

Spring may be taking its time, but nature is nudging us forward one subtle sign at a time.