The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-26
TRUST NOT ROBIN OR BLUEBIRD.
As HarbingerR of Spring, but Pin
Your Faith to Hawks and Owls.

From the New York sun.
"Most folks think that when robins and
bluebirds and other early birds begin to
come back to US from their winter homes
in the south it is prima-facie evidence
that the backbone of winter is broken,
and that spring is here to stay" said
Westminster county observer, "but they
are apt TO be very much mistaken when
they depend on that for a sign. The in
stfu6t Of these uirds is anything but in
tallible in that respect. A few days of
mild, sunshiny weather in our latitude,
even as early as February, are almost
certain to fetch the bluebirds and robins
TO US, and they may be just as certain to
suffer for it. never pay any attention
to them as prophets. The hawks and
owls are the birds keep my eye on.
The hawks and owls know when we
are going to have an early spring, and
they will let you know 1t, too, if you no.
tice them at their nesting. If they get
to work at it along in March, no matter if
the weather is bowling cold and snow
deep on the ground, you may safely go on
and make your arrangements for getting
in your garden crops early in the season.
The sun may be shining and warm breezes
blowing in March, and the robins and blue
birds piping and chirping CHEEKY, but if
the hawks and owls are not at their nest
ing yet, pity the robins and the bluebirds.
They will have hard lines before ETHEREAL
mildness is with us for good. l have
known the barrel owl TO nest as early as
Feb. %, with snow a foot deep on the
ground. 7 thought sure the wise bird
was away off in its reckoning that time
and was making fool OF itself. But it
wasn't. We had the earliest and even
est spring that year | had ever known.
In the memorable blizzard of March,
Il.
stra zion of the correctness of the owls
judgment when it comes to reading wea-
ther indications The early part of that
March was very much the sort of weather
we have been enjoying thus far during
the present month. Not only robins and
bluebirds, but other song birds had APP
peared, and were exceedingly joyous.
The barred owl is denizen of the deep
woods, and is the chap with a blood-curd-
ling night-whoop voice. In the woods
near my place pair of these birds had
for many years had their nest in hollow
tree. and they had been my weather
prophets very long time. During those
warm days of 1888 | found that these
owls were not moved to begin nesting, and
l couldn't help wishing that was able to
give the song birds tip, so
that they could hurry south again
and escape the trouble that l knew must
be impending. But they had faith in the
sunshine. and when the sudden blizzard
came bowling and whooping along guess
there wasn't many of them left TO won
der what had struck them. During those
two days of terrific weather my two wise
old owls lay low in their hollow tree. The
first day after the blizzard, when snow
was piled almost mountain high around
them and there seemed no prospect of
there being any spring again, they went
to work getting their nest ready for the
season S Matching. Although the weather
turned off warm after the blizzard and
spring came on in earnest, not a robin or
bluebird appeared again before April.
The owls knew their business; the
song birds didn't
Have the hawks and owls begun their
nesting yet this spring2 No, they haven't,
/ am sorry TO say it. Robins and blue
birds may fit and twitter and folks may
talk about what an early spring we are
going to have, but l warn them. Speak
ing from the evidence of that pair of owls
in my woods, whose nest is as yet bare of
eggs, | warn folks that they haven't got
old Boreas on the run yet, not by good
deal He is bound to be cracking his
cheeks again in perhaps more than one
bowling blast before the crocus peeps
from its bed or the ppnctual arbutus
sweetens the damp hillside with its
breath. Mark my words. Don't put
away the snow shovel yet. And keep the
coal bin full