Beginning: Spring Migrations

As temperatures begin to rise and the snow pack recedes, early signs of spring are beginning to appear. With our ponds, marshes and lakes still locked in ice I decided to check some local creeks for waterfowl this morning. After unsuccessfully check a few spots I spotted a pair of geese.

I have noticed over the past few days that the large wintering flocks are beginning to break up and finding geese on this creek indicates that they are beginning to move to their nesting sites.

This encounter with the geese soon took an unexpected turn giving me a honker photo shoot like I had never encountered before. Sorry, but you’ll have to check back later for the “action” shots!

Early this morning I passed an ice covered pond noticing a lone red-winged blackbird perched among the bull rushes, my first for this year. This was the same spot where I observed my first red-winged blackbird last year on February 21st. By this afternoon flocks of redwings were moving through our area on their journey northward.

During my time afield today I flushed a pair of ducks that I was unable to identify or photograph from along this creek. While walking along the water’s edge I heard the unmistakable staccato rattle call of the belted kingfisher, a few moments later it flew past, another first for the season.

The calendar indicates that spring is still two weeks away but nature is already heeding the call of a new season of renewal.