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#REDIRECT [[February 2]] [[Category:Date redirects]]
[[Image:Birmingham Bill.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Birmingham Bill]]
[[File:Birmingham Jill.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Birmingham Jill]]
[[File:Bilbo the owl.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Bilbo the owl]]
'''Groundhog Day''' is a traditional observation introduced to North American by Pennsylvania Dutch communities in New England. It has its roots in European customs regarding the portents of atmospheric conditions and badger behavior around Candlemas, a Christian feast day observed on [[February 2]] to remember the presentation of Christ at the temple.
 
According to the tradition, if the badger or groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den and winter will persist for six more weeks; but if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early.
 
In the United States, media attention is mostly focused on the prediction made by "Punxsutawney Phil," one of a series of groundhogs whose appearance in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is became a formal event in [[1887]], and is currently managed and promoted by an organization called the "Inner Circle". Many cities hold their own similar events.
 
In [[1909]] [[Weather Forecast Office Birmingham|Birmingham Weather Bureau]] Official In Charge [[W. F. Lehman]] was reported to have procured "a very intelligent and reliable looking animal to pass on the weather for the next six weeks."
 
The [[Birmingham Zoo]] began holding an annual Groundhog Day event in [[1990]] with "[[Birmingham Bill]]" as the center of attention. The original Bill died in [[1996]] and the zoo has used a series of stand-ins. In [[2018]] the zoo announced that in order not to interrupt the hibernation of a groundhog, it would use other species for the event. Since then it has featured "[[Birmingham Jill]]", a [[Virginia opossum]], and "[[Bilbo]]", an owl. In [[2022]] the zoo made reference to its resident groundhog "[[Jamie Bill]]" as continuing to hibernate. No public event was held that year.
 
==Groundhog Day predictions==
* 2023: [[Birmingham Jill]]
* 2022: [[Birmingham Bill]], also called [[Jamie Bill]], was hibernating and not disturbed. No event was held.
* 2021: [[Jill|Birmingham Jill]] the opossum, saw her shadow
* 2020: [[Bilbo]], a Eurasian eagle-owl, saw his shadow
* 2019: Birmingham Bill continued to hibernate. [[Jill|Birmingham Jill]], an opossum substitute, saw her shadow
* 2018: saw shadow
* 2017: did not see shadow
* 2016: saw shadow
* 2015: no prediction
* 2014: did not see shadow
* 2013: did not see shadow
* 2012: saw shadow, but the remainder of winter had record warm temperatures
* 2011: saw shadow
* 2010: no shadow
* 2009: saw shadow
* 2008:
* 2007:
* 2006: saw shadow (on [[January 28]])
* 2005: did not see shadow
* 2004: did not see shadow
* 2003:
* 2002:
* 2001: saw shadow
* 2000: saw shadow
* 1999: saw shadow
* 1998:
* 1997: did not see shadow
* 1996: did not see shadow
* 1995: saw shadow
* 1994:
* 1993:
* 1992:
* 1991:
* 1990:
 
==References==
* "Ground Hog Comes Today To Decide On Weather." (February 2, 1909) {{BAH}}, p. 5
* Roberts, Chris (February 3, 1997) "New Birmingham Bill debuts:  Pops up and sees an early spring." {{BN}}
* Norris, Torraine (February 4, 2006) "Hole truth: Birmingham Bill a phony." {{BN}}
* Walton, Val (March 11, 2010) "[http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-stories/2010/03/will_a_hoover_harry_be_seeing.html Will a Hoover Harry be seeing his shadow?]" {{BN}}
* Cuthbert, Matt (February 2, 2011) "Groundhog Day 2011: Birmingham Bill sees his shadow." {{BN}}
* Couch, Frank (February 2, 2015) "Birmingham Bill will take Groundhog Day off this year." {{BN}}
* Kazek, Kelly (February 2, 2016) "What did Alabama's weather-forecasting possum and celebrity groundhog predict today?" {{BN}}
* Kazek, Kelly (February 2, 2016) "A history of Alabama's prognosticating possum and its 2 celebrity groundhogs." {{BN}}
* Specker, Lawrence (February 2, 2019) "[https://www.al.com/news/2019/02/groundhog-snoozes-alabama-possum-predicts-more-winter.html Groundhog snoozes, Alabama opossum predicts more winter]" {{BN}}
* Gore, Leada (February 2, 2021) "[https://www.al.com/news/2021/02/groundhog-day-2021-watch-live-as-alabamas-birmingham-jill-a-possum-predicts-the-weather.html Groundhog Day 2021: Did Birmingham Jill see her shadow?]" {{BN}}
* Garrison, Greg (February 2, 2020) "[https://www.al.com/news/2020/02/bilbo-the-owl-takes-over-for-birmingham-bill-on-groundhog-day.html Bilbo the owl takes over for Birmingham Bill on Groundhog Day]" {{BN}}
* Hollmen, DeRenn (February 2, 2022) "[https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2022/02/groundhog-day-2022-birmingham-bill-is-too-tired-to-see-his-shadow.html Groundhog Day 2022: Birmingham Bill is too tired to see his shadow]." {{BN}}
 
==See also==
* [[Sand Mountain Sam]], an opossum in [[Albertville]]
* [[Smith Lake Jake]], a groundhog in [[Graysville]]
 
[[Category:Zoo animals]]
[[Category:February events]]
[[Category:1990 establishments]]

Latest revision as of 13:50, 2 February 2024

Birmingham Bill
Birmingham Jill
Bilbo the owl

Groundhog Day is a traditional observation introduced to North American by Pennsylvania Dutch communities in New England. It has its roots in European customs regarding the portents of atmospheric conditions and badger behavior around Candlemas, a Christian feast day observed on February 2 to remember the presentation of Christ at the temple.

According to the tradition, if the badger or groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees its shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den and winter will persist for six more weeks; but if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early.

In the United States, media attention is mostly focused on the prediction made by "Punxsutawney Phil," one of a series of groundhogs whose appearance in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is became a formal event in 1887, and is currently managed and promoted by an organization called the "Inner Circle". Many cities hold their own similar events.

In 1909 Birmingham Weather Bureau Official In Charge W. F. Lehman was reported to have procured "a very intelligent and reliable looking animal to pass on the weather for the next six weeks."

The Birmingham Zoo began holding an annual Groundhog Day event in 1990 with "Birmingham Bill" as the center of attention. The original Bill died in 1996 and the zoo has used a series of stand-ins. In 2018 the zoo announced that in order not to interrupt the hibernation of a groundhog, it would use other species for the event. Since then it has featured "Birmingham Jill", a Virginia opossum, and "Bilbo", an owl. In 2022 the zoo made reference to its resident groundhog "Jamie Bill" as continuing to hibernate. No public event was held that year.

Groundhog Day predictions

  • 2023: Birmingham Jill
  • 2022: Birmingham Bill, also called Jamie Bill, was hibernating and not disturbed. No event was held.
  • 2021: Birmingham Jill the opossum, saw her shadow
  • 2020: Bilbo, a Eurasian eagle-owl, saw his shadow
  • 2019: Birmingham Bill continued to hibernate. Birmingham Jill, an opossum substitute, saw her shadow
  • 2018: saw shadow
  • 2017: did not see shadow
  • 2016: saw shadow
  • 2015: no prediction
  • 2014: did not see shadow
  • 2013: did not see shadow
  • 2012: saw shadow, but the remainder of winter had record warm temperatures
  • 2011: saw shadow
  • 2010: no shadow
  • 2009: saw shadow
  • 2008:
  • 2007:
  • 2006: saw shadow (on January 28)
  • 2005: did not see shadow
  • 2004: did not see shadow
  • 2003:
  • 2002:
  • 2001: saw shadow
  • 2000: saw shadow
  • 1999: saw shadow
  • 1998:
  • 1997: did not see shadow
  • 1996: did not see shadow
  • 1995: saw shadow
  • 1994:
  • 1993:
  • 1992:
  • 1991:
  • 1990:

References

See also

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