Had 19F at 5:30am today with predicted high of 54F (minimally I'll be checking on their stores today). If they're still alive I'll see them flying. 60's are predicted for Sunday. If there's no (or little) wind, I'll be digging into my lone survivor with intended result being a complete tear down/clean up, squeeze down with the follower boards I've been building for "all" of my 10 frame supers, and depending on colony size, it seems certain I'll be able to remove at least the bottom box, maybe even the second from bottom (they're in 5 mediums).
I wanted to do the above a few weeks ago when we had the last warm up, what was it, 2 days??!! And back to subfreezing :( Spring IS coming, just hope it hurries up. Its definitely been the LONGEST (harshest on bees) Winter in recent memory. We've usually got peas planted by now (sure glad I built the Greenhouse :))
All that said, life in the North Woods sure hasn't stopped. Besides the returning Sand Hill Cranes, We've had a flock of about 100 ring-necks on the pond behind our house (doing their mating thing, so entertaining), along with the usual geese, wood ducks, herons (still waiting for the Green Herons and Loons) and the like,. Amazingly though, yesterday I 'heard' an American Bittern, very close by doing his 'Onk-A-Chunk, Onk-A-Chunk' call with real enthusiasm 8-)
After the Gulf oil spill last year there were many around here who thought we might not see the wildlife we'd grown accustomed to ever again, and so far at least, I'm happy to report that many migrating birds have made it back, and despite the rotten weather seem to be relishing the return :) to their Northern birthplace.
I pick up 2 3# packages next week.
thomas