Cardinal Mating Moon moves overhead before sunrise

There had been other signs of the turn of the seasons: the faint odor of skunk in the air … . And the stench of the cattail marsh … . It was a smell like the aroma of the skunk; overpoweringly sweet, penetrating and impossible to get rid of. And then in the distance could be heard the sound of a flock of blackbirds arriving, a rustling sound like the wind in the leaves of the cottonwood.

— Paul Gruchow, “Journal of a Prairie Year”

In the sky

The Cardinal Mating Moon, full on Feb. 5 at 1:30 p.m., wanes throughout the period, entering its final phase on Feb. 13 at 11:03 a.m. Rising in the dark and setting late in the morning, this moon moves overhead before sunrise.

The sun: The pace of spring quickens as the sun reaches 40% of the way to equinox by Feb. 12.

On that day, sunset is almost an hour later than it was at winter solstice. Sunrise is a little more than half an hour earlier.

The planets: Jupiter in Cetus, following Venus and Saturn, is visible low in the northwest after dark.

The stars: Around midnight in February, Orion dominates the southwestern sky in his early spring position. Almost directly overhead are the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux, followed by the constellation Cancer (that looks a little like a person walking).

Weather trends

Feb. 11 ushers in the third major cold wave of the month, and this is typically the last severe front of winter. By Feb. 14 chances for highs in the 20s or below fall to only 10%, and by Feb. 15 chances for spring warmth above 50 degrees jump to 40% per day — the highest so far this year. This change is so dramatic on regional weather charts, that it can easily be called the beginning of early spring, a six-week period of changeable conditions during which milder weather gradually overwhelms the cold. This year, however, the new moon on Feb. 20 is likely to interrupt the arrival of that season.

The natural calendar

Markers of early spring include the sporadic blooming of dandelions in sunnier lawns, the increasing activity of water striders and small moths on warmer days, the running of maple sap (as new moon and early spring arrive together), the nesting of cardinals, the nighttime mating of salamanders in shallow pools, the courtship of raccoons. Other important steps in the progress of the month include the first wasp and the first fly investigating the warmth of a south wall. Doves begin mating calls before dawn, joining the titmice and the cardinals. Red-winged blackbirds migrate north to the wetlands. Striped bass often start to bite as the barometer falls before the cold fronts of Feb. 11 and 15.

In the field and garden

Spray trees with dormant oil when temperatures rise into the upper 30s or 40s. In garden ponds, algae is growing thicker, a sign that thaws accumulate in water as well as in the soil. Purchase seeds and prepare landscaping, garden and field maps, including plans for double cropping, intercropping and companion planting.

Schedule routine livestock maintenance and foot clipping before new moon (on the 20th).

Clip your fingernails in preparation for lambing and kidding. As Early Spring approaches later this month, watch for your mare to come into estrus.

Prepare marketing of your kids and lambs for the upcoming feast days:

Feb. 19: Meatfare Sunday for Orthodox Christians. Explore this neglected market for the sale of lambs and kids.

Feb. 21: Mardi Gras.

Mind and body

The waning moon, reaching apogee on Feb. 13, has dissipated all the power that it held almost two weeks ago. Seasonal stress is likely to lighten because of weakening lunar position, contributing to increased chances for optimism and cheer. Even though clouds often continue to deprive the human brain of the benefits of sunlight, the lengthening of the day complements the slowly improving temperatures. The S.A.D. Index dips more frequently into the moderate (but still troubling) 50s and 60s (out of a possible 100) when the moon lies in its weaker phases.

Countdown to spring

■ Just a week until the first red-winged blackbirds arrive, and skunks prowl the nights and to the first snowdrop bloom and the official start of early spring — a time when maple sap season can begin at any moment

■ Two weeks to major pussy willow emerging season and the time during which salamanders mate in the warm rains

■ Three weeks to crocus season and owl hatching time and woodcock mating time

■ Four weeks to the beginning of the morning robin chorus before sunrise.

■ Five weeks to daffodil season and silver maple blooming season and the first golden goldfinches

■ Six weeks to tulip season and the first wave of blooming woodland wildflowers and the first butterflies

■ Seven weeks until golden forsythia blooms and skunk cabbage sends out its first leaves and the lawn is long enough to cut.

■ Eight weeks until the peak of Middle Spring wildflowers in the woods

■ Nine weeks until American toads sing their mating songs in the dark and corn planting time begins.

■ 10 weeks until the flowering fruit trees bloom