It is early March, but signs of spring are here …..
We live in central Illinois and spring migration has begun. The first warblers have just started to appear in our yard in small groups of 2 or 3 to about 7. In a few weeks these small groups will be larger flocks of 15 to 20 or more. For us, the Yellow-rumped Warbler is the easiest to ID. This little bird is often lower in our trees and who can miss that yellow rump! We also have Ring-necked Ducks resting on our lake. They will be here anywhere from a few days to several weeks, and then will be gone till next spring. Our resident Canada Geese are starting to fight over who gets to nest where. We have a nest spot at lake’s edge which evidently is coveted because we have fights every spring right here in our back yard. You should hear this over the mic on the camera and you may even see a fight at the edge of the camera’s range. As far as we know, no goose has ever gotten hurt, but these are serious skirmishes. Besides chasing and honking, they also grab on to each other’s tail feathers and do not easily let go. Out on the lake, they will push each other down under the water for seconds at a time. What birds and behavior are you seeing wherever you are?