I drove home from a meeting last night at about 9:30. The sky was an inky blue-black. There was enough of a cloud cover that the stars were not too visible but the big full moon hung high in the sky and cast a beautiful glow over the landscape. As we have had several days of warm temperatures and bright sun spring is pressing and it is possible to smell the earth as it melts and wakens.
My favourite signal for the shifting season is the sound that permeates the air when near a swamp or wetland. Yes, I am talking Spring Peepers. Their chirping and singing is the best sound of the season for me. They herald the warmth and the fecundity of this time of year. Spring peepers offer a chorus unlike any other and so last night, as I drove home, I rolled down my window and soaked in their sound.
The Spring Peeper frog grows to only about 1.5 inches but what they lack in size they make up for in volume. Like many things in nature their non-descript appearance belies the impact brought with their song. Tomorrow is Earth Day and many will be celebrating the wonder and beauty of the earth. I start by saying “Hurray” for Spring Peepers.
