This year, the spring equinox fell on Tuesday, March 20, and the DelMarVa region welcomed spring with a snow storm. But despite evidence to the contrary, signs of spring are all around us; you might just have to wipe the snow off your windows to see them.
1. Migratory Birds
Several migratory species filter in and out of the Chesapeake Bay during the year. The
tundra swan (black bill), not to be confused with the invasive mute swan (bright orange bill), migrates to the Bay during the autumn and winter months before returning to the arctic tundra of Canada and Alaska to breed.
While the tundra swans are leaving for their breeding grounds,
ospreys are returning. Ospreys mate with the same partner for life and return each year to nest in the same area in which they were born. Adult male ospreys begin arriving at old nest sites in late February or early March.
Great blue herons lay their eggs in nests high in the canopy of a tree from mid-March to mid-June, with peak hatching taking place from mid-April to mid-July. Watch live feeds of both an osprey and a great blue heron nest at
chesapeakeconservancy.org.
2. Crabs
Get ready to break out the Old Bay because
recreational crabbing season officially opens on April 1. From opening day to July 14, minimum size limits are five inches for male hard crabs, three and a quarter inches for male peeler crabs, and three and a half inches for soft crabs for the duration of the season.
3. Opening Day
Spring trophy season starts April 21 and runs through May 15 in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay. Limits are one fish per person per day, minimum size 35 inches.
4. Raftups are being scheduled
Many boating groups around the Bay are already looking ahead to those first days of summer when they can start having raftups and poker runs. On Facebook you can find a tentative schedule of events for the
Chesapeake Bay Powerboat Association and the
Upper Chesapeake Recreational Boaters.
5. Spring Boat Shows are just around the corner
The Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show happens April 20-22 in downtown Annapolis, and the Bay Bridge Boat Show runs April 27-29 at the Bay Bridge Marina in Stevensville, MD. Don't miss the
PropTalk Demo Dock where dealers and manufacturers will be offering demo rides and sea trials from the docks inside the boat show.