An interesting spring

I haven't posted for a long time now. Mostly because April and May are birding months. If you read my other blog, you'll know how much birding I've been doing. Almost too much to post on the SW WI birder.

This spring has been an interesting one. I rather wonder what Mr Leopold would have thought of it.
It's been cold this spring with temperatures far below what they should be. We actually came close to having frost last night. That's unheard of for this time of year here. Our latest frost date ever was May 15.
The climate this spring has affected everything. Trees leafed out late this year, birds returned late, even the insects haven't really gotten going yet. This spring has been a silent one in comparison to others. Few species of birds are singing and of those that are, very few individuals. It's as if everything is rushed and they don't have time to stop and sing. Even the nights are silent. The spring peepers are done and there is nothing to take their place. Very few other frogs and even fewer crickets are calling at night.
Even the other nighttime insects aren't making any noise.
It's a sharp contrast to last year at this time. Last year was a Cicada year so the woods were quite loud.
This year, with them gone, it seems as if many things have gone with them.

But, things change over time. Although, I often wonder how much of this change is natural, and how much is caused by people and their careless ways.