I must have spring fever, or the signs are starting at the same time as last year!
Last year's reportings: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1075690/
I have heard some Cardinal singing, seen some large robin flocks, and the early migrant water fowl.
How about you?
The Cardinals are definitely singing in our area...we heard several this morning on our walk.
I can hear the Tufted Titmouse singing also today.
Two days ago I spotted many Snow Geese flying north and reports of White Pelicans in the northern part of Mo.
Now that the snow is all melted I see the tulips and daffodils are springing up.
The Bluebirds are doing lots of chattering and wing-waving.
I am in a better frame of mind!!!
I was walking across the parking lot at work at 6:30 this morning and heard a robin singing! Haven't heard birds singing for quite a while!
Wonderful. You have no idea how happy it makes me feel to know your spring is just around the corner, because that means summer MUST eventually come to an end here.
So, Signs of Autumn there? ;)
Nope. The only difference between the appearance in our seasons is the angle of the sun.
We have Cardinal songs and a flock of winter Robins.
I definatly feel spring is closer than it was in January.
I hope the migrating signs mean we will have an early spring like last year.
Margaret I agreeeeee! Love to see the back of summer as well - sticky days must come to an end.
The modern age astounds me. Its odd to see you southern hemisphere people talk about your seasons.
We are freezing and have been waiting 3 months for the snow to stop and melt so we can see our gardens.
Don't get me wrong I hope your spring is tomorrow - I would have felt the same if I could not see my garden. A White Chrismas always looks great on TV, but I have a new appreciation for that now.
You're right Rian. When I hear of people having -31C temperatures, even without the wind chill factor, it gives the beauty of snow a back seat to the reality.
Its like living in the desert. Endless white and dull skies. Waiting for spring is all we do after December 25th
At least there's always somewhere that's getting it worse . . . I was browsing a temperature map last night, and saw that it was -44°C in Irkutsk, Russia. Ouch!
Resin
That's about as worse as you can get.
I feel like Spring is getting closer here. Saw my first 2 robins yesterday. And the temp. got up to 50 degrees a couple of days ago. The snow is gone except in shady spots.
Happy Spring every one.
Donna
Supposed to be 81 degrees here today. The warm weather has sparked the bluebirds' interest in the nest box. They are in and out several times daily. They started this in late Feb. last year but didn't begin nest building until March 15.
Mama is in the box and Daddy is talking to her.
Something went wrong here in "sunny" California. Sunday it started pouring and that was a great joy to see since my daffodils are blooming. The rain continued until yesterday when the temps dropped and it became hail which turned to snow last night and is continuing to fall today! We won't get more than a few inches, but this is when I worry about my other plants that have buds on them.
Red, we posted at the same time. Glad to hear your bbs are nesting early. Enjoy the warm weather.
This message was edited Feb 17, 2011 5:12 PM
Awww, it feels like spring is in the air! Crocus is showing their joyful brightness. Cardinals were just hovering in flock several days ago. Today, they're pairing up. I saw two males chasing one another earlier this morning. Then a lucky male with two females, but he was chasing one and the other 'green-eye' was in hot persuit after him.
At least the snow won't last long, duc. I forgot to mention the GH Owls are nesting again in the abandoned RT nest down on the creek. They have been incubating for at least a week now. Don't have any pics, it's difficult to get good ones since the nest is so high. When you move close, the angle is such that you can't see the bird. The crows spotted the nest yesterday and I walked down to scare them away.
Another sign of spring. I broke out the shorts this week and my alabaster bird legs are definitely a sign of spring. I'll spare everyone pics.
The snow is melting here Temps in the 50"s for the first time since October. We are stoaked to see the ground.
This is my "snow melt" measure. The chick was buried a week ago.
LOL, Thanks for sparing us red!
66 degrees here right now and sunny!
The 1st wave/flock of Robins arrived on the 13th...3 days earlier than last year. The couple of males in our backyard area are becoming territorial already and there are a few across the street too.
I think one of the female have arrived too. I tried calling her "Mama" in my particular tone of voice...the same one I used to call our female over last year when I fed her mealworms. To be quite honest, I hope she doesn't show up til the end of March.
Why? We're leaving the middle of March for Florida to visit my elderly dad for about 8-10 days and good heavens! It will cost a fortune to start that early...yikes! LOL
Spring is coming Robins north Texas 2-17-11 temp in 70s
good news thanx
Lew, robins winter in N. Texas and OK. I see thousands fly over my house everyday in winter. An ornothologist at OU estimated the roosting flock in the Norman city limits at 580,000.
We are heading out to Chickasaw NRA today for a little hiking and birdwatching.
Reddirtretire,
OMG!!! 580,000 Robins...Norman OK. must be one of the major roosting sites for Robins, that's for sure!
I've only seen 2 species of birds roosting locatons...Starlings in tall prairie grasses near the airport and a particular creek location for Canadian Geese...saw about 1,200 in the stream at dusk with many "incoming/landing". My husband and I were surprised that they will spend all night in the water and not in tall grass along either side on the banks.
Where do robins roost? In trees? tall grass?
Does anyone know of other bird roosting locations/habitats?
Robins are ground feeders ,preferr worms,Roost in trees and hedges.
Canadian Geese are a nuiscence here. Not as bad as deer but close.
They will not sleep on land in order to escape preditors. In fact when trying to keep the populations down the industrial parks who have to have a pond ,will put up low black plastic barriers. Geese wont go and nest where they will be subject to preditors.
There is also a program for turning and shaking eggs to keep the population down. The eggs stay in the nest so the female wont lay again in the same season.
None of these geese migrate so they have been taken out by cars on the highways.
Its sad to see a whole family scattered on the road by a thoughtless and impatient driver.
Ge1836,
Thanks for the info! So sad to hear about the CG where you are...brought tears to my eyes. So sad. I wish I was able to know where some other birds roost...like Juncos and Goldfinches. I've always been curious. I keep thinking the prairie grasses must be filled to the brim at night. I just never see other birds going to any particular spot/area...
There are probably ornathologists out there with answers to these questions .
I always found it odd that birde seem to know when bad weather is comming and disappear. I have seen Mourning Doved roosting in the spruces at the border of our yard.
lots of birds singing here too! Cardinals, House Finch, LOTS Song Sparrows...I love hearing them!
Saw this Tufted Titmouse checking out a possible nesting area in Chickasaw Nat Rec Area today. Note the squirrel chew-marks around the hole. Guess the squirrel chose another dwelling since most have their babies by now. I've never heard titmice singing like they were today. Spring was in the air. Saw some Eared Grebes and a couple of Swamp Sparrows, about the only thing unusual.
We've been visiting in-laws in Englewood FL. On Thursday, there were hundreds of robins in their yard and in the trees. I guess they are getting ready to move north for the summer.
Red that pix of the T. Titmouse is a rare find! I love it. beclu727 Some Robins do hang around here year round. I hope they stay here as they did years past. I didn't have a pix to share but this morning I saw a male Housfinch stopped by the feeder with straws in his beak. Yay! that encouraged the human to hang up more houses for the little ones outside in the garden. lol
Wow, look at the daffodils!
Yes, some (Daffs) are blooming here to signal spring is near, Mrs. Ed. :)
House Finches were singing today.
The bluebirds continue to stay within sight of their nest box most of the time. Daddy is much more territorial about other birds even being in the area.
This message was edited Feb 20, 2011 7:37 AM
aahhhh....the chipmunks are out and about. :(
Lucky you Nanny! The last time I saw one was when we were in Yellowstone National Park! :)
Congrats Red on the Blue Birds pair. LOL, Susan and Nan, mine (chipmunks) never vacate their home all winter here. They're out feeding alright!
