Spring is officially here. At least the randy pinkletinks think so.
We arrived at the office Friday morning to a phone message from Nancy Abbott. Ms. Abbott, of West Tisbury, had called at 7:20 pm on Thursday to report that she had heard, near Lambert’s Cove, that first herald of spring — the amorous crooning of the inch-long Hyla crucifer, a marsh dwelling “chorus” frog, known locally as the pinkletink. Ms. Abbott was the first to report on this harbinger of the new season. Lambert’s Cove has typically been the locus of early pinkletink reports.
Later Friday morning, Sandy Fisher phoned. She wanted to know if anyone had called with a pinkletink report. She was hoping that honors for this year would go to her daughter, Connie Toteanu. Sandy and Connie live off — of course — Lambert’s Cove Road.
Now we intend to find out why Lambert’s Cove is such a hotbed of pinkletink ardor — so stay tuned. (Initial research into the species revealed that in New Brunswick, northern peepers — yet another moniker — are called “tinkletoes.”)