Groundhog Day
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 managed and promoted by an organization called the "Inner Circle". Many cities hold their own similar events.
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.
Groundhog Day predictions
- 2021: Birmingham Jill the opossum, saw her shadow
- 2020: Bilbo, a Eurasian eagle-owl, saw his shadow
- 2019: Birmingham Jill, an opossum substitute, saw her shadow
- 2018:
- 2017:
- 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:
- 2004:
- 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
- Roberts, Chris (February 3, 1997) "New Birmingham Bill debuts: Pops up and sees an early spring." The Birmingham News
- Norris, Torraine (February 4, 2006) "Hole truth: Birmingham Bill a phony." The Birmingham News
- Walton, Val (March 11, 2010) "Will a Hoover Harry be seeing his shadow?" The Birmingham News
- Cuthbert, Matt (February 2, 2011) "Groundhog Day 2011: Birmingham Bill sees his shadow." The Birmingham News
- Couch, Frank (February 2, 2015) "Birmingham Bill will take Groundhog Day off this year." The Birmingham News
- Kazek, Kelly (February 2, 2016) "What did Alabama's weather-forecasting possum and celebrity groundhog predict today?" The Birmingham News
- Kazek, Kelly (February 2, 2016) "A history of Alabama's prognosticating possum and its 2 celebrity groundhogs." The Birmingham News
- Specker, Lawrence (February 2, 2019) "Groundhog snoozes, Alabama opossum predicts more winter" The Birmingham News
- Gore, Leada (February 2, 2021) "Groundhog Day 2021: Did Birmingham Jill see her shadow?" The Birmingham News
- Garrison, Greg (February 2, 2020) "Bilbo the owl takes over for Birmingham Bill on Groundhog Day" The Birmingham News
See also
- Sand Mountain Sam, an opossum in Albertville
- Smith Lake Jake, a groundhog in Graysville