The pelicans are back on the lake. I thought I saw one on Tuesday and drove around but couldn’t find them. There was a picture of them on the front of the paper the next day. Still haven’t found them but they are hanging out somewhere. I saw 4 red-winged blackbirds on Wednesday off of the bridge by St. Mary’s. Have also seen huge flocks of snow geese. I forget how high they fly. I hear them and look around and see nothing and then way up in the sky I spot them. Susan Shaw
Susan, White Pelicans! We have not seen them here on our large lake - but now that you have seen them I will take a closer look.
And you have given me an opportunity to say that in my opinion, spring is coming earlier and earlier. I think birds are excellent harbingers of what is happening in nature. Most of us who regularly watch birds know that they are now returning earlier and earlier from migration and some birds - like robins - are not migrating as much as they once did. Here in central Illinois - and for me back in southeastern Pennsylvania - in the 1960's and 70's when some of us were children, no one saw a robin in winter. They are much more common in winter now - especially if you walk along thick brushy hedgerows that have berries and that are near harvested agricultural fields or big city parks. This is a change.
Those of us who watch birds know the earth is cycling into a warmer trend. And our planet has always done this - from periods of great warmth to ice ages. Nothing remains the same. Red-winged Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds are on the move and coming back here in flocks. Turkey Vultures are returning one by one. Our Canada Geese are starting to look for nesting sites. A Carolina Wren is poking around in our garage looking for a good place to build a nest. All of this is happening a few weeks earlier than when some of us were children 40 and 50 years ago. And 40-50 years is actually a short amount of time to experience such a big change. The earth has always been changing from when it was first formed, but these changes have come very very slowly. This change of spring now arriving a few weeks early is much more rapid.
What are you observing in your yard or favorite park? Linda
The pelicans are back on the lake. I thought I saw one on Tuesday and drove around but couldn’t find them. There was a picture of them on the front of the paper the next day. Still haven’t found them but they are hanging out somewhere. I saw 4 red-winged blackbirds on Wednesday off of the bridge by St. Mary’s. Have also seen huge flocks of snow geese. I forget how high they fly. I hear them and look around and see nothing and then way up in the sky I spot them. Susan Shaw
Susan, White Pelicans! We have not seen them here on our large lake - but now that you have seen them I will take a closer look.
And you have given me an opportunity to say that in my opinion, spring is coming earlier and earlier. I think birds are excellent harbingers of what is happening in nature. Most of us who regularly watch birds know that they are now returning earlier and earlier from migration and some birds - like robins - are not migrating as much as they once did. Here in central Illinois - and for me back in southeastern Pennsylvania - in the 1960's and 70's when some of us were children, no one saw a robin in winter. They are much more common in winter now - especially if you walk along thick brushy hedgerows that have berries and that are near harvested agricultural fields or big city parks. This is a change.
Those of us who watch birds know the earth is cycling into a warmer trend. And our planet has always done this - from periods of great warmth to ice ages. Nothing remains the same. Red-winged Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds are on the move and coming back here in flocks. Turkey Vultures are returning one by one. Our Canada Geese are starting to look for nesting sites. A Carolina Wren is poking around in our garage looking for a good place to build a nest. All of this is happening a few weeks earlier than when some of us were children 40 and 50 years ago. And 40-50 years is actually a short amount of time to experience such a big change. The earth has always been changing from when it was first formed, but these changes have come very very slowly. This change of spring now arriving a few weeks early is much more rapid.
What are you observing in your yard or favorite park? Linda
