We’re having ugly weather here for the next two days. Freezing rain, rain, sleet, ice and then gusty winds, falling temperatures and snow showers by tomorrow afternoon. Yuk.
Will spring ever come?
Yes! I’ve already seen a few signs of spring. Here are some hints of good weather to come:
- American goldfinches are slowly molting into their yellow, breeding feathers.
- Red-tailed hawks are soaring in pairs. Sometimes they perch side by side.
- Peregrine falcons have begun courting. E2 is bringing breakfast to Dorothy at the Cathedral of Learning. Louie has been calling to Dori at the Gulf Tower, “Come here!”
- Song sparrows, Carolina wrens and northern cardinals are singing at dawn.
- Starlings’ beaks are starting to turn yellow.
- By the end of this month, the flocks of crows will begin to disband.
Hang in there. Spring is coming.
(photo by Marcy Cunkelman, who noticed this turning-yellow goldfinch. Thanks, Marcy!)
this is one reason i really love birding. it seems that spring comes sooner to the birder! i heard singing carolina chickadees this past saturday and a singing tufted titmouse monday. it was thrilling.
Marcy — must get out my binocs & check out my goldfinches. Patches of yellow — so exciting! I hate the reverse — the fall, when they start getting dingy again.
Hurry up Spring. I have noticed large flocks of Canada geese, and last week a Great Blue Heron flying over. Co-worker hears lots of birds singing in the morning. Will the Ground Hog predict an early Spring? Here’s Hoping!!!
I was out carefully walking on the ice feeding the birds and heard many birds singing….first this year were several Cardinals….the Tufted Titmice, Chickadees, Song Sparrow, Flickers and the other Woodpeckers have been calling for the last few weeks….things are pairing up and seem the birds are getting brighter in color…Had more Robins here calling yesterday when I was putting out seed…the fruit is gone, so I need to see what I can put out…I have some old fruit in cans, old whole cranberries in the can and some soft apples…they like that, esp when the first flocks come around. I used to save my fruit pulp in the freezer when I did jellies and put that out for them too…at least the ice didn’t get as bad as they thought…thinking spring!!! But still looking for some new birds for the year…Redpolls, Evening Grosbeaks, Cross-bills….dream on!!!
I hope I start seeing more of the peregrines. The last two weeks or so I’ve actually seen less of them than I had for the last month or two.
Thought I’d come across a red-tail in the treetops at the School for the Blind just north of the Cathedral of Learning (@ Bayard & Bellefield) this morning. As I came up Bayard I heard a single crow making a heckuva racket. I thought it was two crows, but then I realized the other “crow” a few branches over wasn’t a crow at all. Some kind of hawk. But then to make it stranger 3 small squirrels were playing in the tree also, and they got up and awfully close and this bird didn’t mind one bit. All the red-tails I’ve watched wouldn’t have stood for that.
Well, when I’d almost slipped on the ice enough, and wandered around the tree trying to get a better look than a dark back and a light front with a long tail (high up in a tree on a cloudy day made it difficult to see anything detail). It finally took flight and eliminated any bit of me that was still thinking red-tail. It was missing a feather or two from it’s tail, but the tail was clearly striped. It flew over to the church across the street, but I wasn’t able to see it any better there. Oh well.
Thanks to the ice, I could at least explain the time I finally walked into work.
Peter, there’s a peregrine perched on the Heinz Chapel steeple right now (2:10pm, Tues. It’s so foggy that they’re staying lower than normal.
A good reminder to start watching for these subtle changes – thanks!
Hi, Kate.
Stationed here in the Gulf Tower, 35th floor, I’ve been seeing the peregrines a lot lately, buzzing past the windows, doing February things. Which brings me to the question…what is a peregrine up to at this time of year? Have the birds paired up and settled the competition issues yet? Nest building? Inquiring minds want to know…
Cheers,
Sean
Sean, your question is such a good one that I am going to add it to Peregrine FAQs when I get a chance.
Here’s the quick answer:
Peregrines lay their eggs in late March / early April so they begin to claim their territory and cement their pair bonds in late Jan & in Feb. Louie (male at Gulf) is quite noisy about all this. That’s why you are seeing & hearing them now.
Thanks for these tidbits.
Hi Kate,
Although we have had some very nasty weather (ice storm), I had seen and heard more birds lately in my yard and at the feeders. I did not realize that goldfinches start molting so early. I will have to look for that.