Spring Migration

I've been busy.... Real busy

The threshold of winter has already begun to lose its grip across Southeastern Wisconsin. The warmth of the April sun has been melting ice and snow, flooding the country farmlands into ponds and streams. The landscape is stark and barren, browned and dusky green. Somewhere the buds are pushing up to kiss the sunlight, but not just yet....

The floodgates have opened. A multitude of birds have arrived and are passing through. The spring migration is here! Aside from the obvious hordes of Robins and Red Winged Blackbirds that are congregating on the countrysides, I've seen dozens of Tundra Swans, Wilson's Snipes, rafts of Canvasbacks, Ringed Necked Ducks, Ruddy Ducks and Northern Shovelers making the flooded farm fields their pit.stop. I've seen Red Breasted Mergansers and Redheads in the harbor, with their plumage all colorful are bright, courting away. The Sandhill Cranes, Eastern Meadowlarks and Killdeer have arrived, overtaking the open fields. Tree Swallows, Eastern Phoebes, Hermit Thrushes and Great Egrets are trickling in. Pretty soon the warblers, the catbirds, the flycatchers and the orioles will arrive... It's only the beginning!

 

 

The war between spring and winter isn't over yet! Jack Frost still has his stronghold over the northern parts of the state. The lakes are still frozen and the land snow covered, thus creating a paradox. A natural traffic jam of sorts. A gridlock. The Common Redpolls, Dark Eyed Juncos and the American Tree Sparrows should be gone by now. They are still around. It is perplexing to even the most seasoned birder to see a junco and a swallow in the same field....

A few seem to have escaped the borders already... The famous Great Grey Owls of Mauston and Middleton have fled the paparazzi of photographers, after making the winter the biggest owl migration since 2005. The Rough Legged Hawks, Northern Shrikes and Snowy Owls are nowhere to be seen. Let's hope their journey home is a success.

So the time is now to keep an eye on the skies, Rare birds are more common in this time of the year as winds may carry them to strange lands. Never know, one could up in your back yard! 

About these pics... The top pic is an Eastern Bluebird taken at Grant Park in South Milwaukee on 4 7 2013. The top middle one are Northern Shovelers taken at the pond on 2 Mile Rd in Raymond. The bottom middle one is a Sandhill Crane taken at Bong on 4 4 2013. Below is a Barred Owl taken Up North at my folk's place on 3 30 2013