First signs of Spring 2015 (3 Viewers)

[Jeff Hopkins]

A friend of mine reported a couple of yellowlegs in the flooded field that abuts his backyard.

 

[crazyfingers]

Tonight is the first evening after sunset I have heard the American Robins singing happily away in the close to dark.

 

[Peter C.]

Killdeer heard calling, as it flew over (alas, not in) our property yesterday evening.

 

[ovenbird43]

Killdeer heard calling, as it flew over (alas, not in) our property yesterday evening.

Heard my first one today as well, flying over campus.

 

[Himalaya]

Has the winter been milder than average, average or cooler? This March appears to have been cooler than average.

 

[crazyfingers]

Saw 3 tree swallows flying over a frozen lake. Not sure they are sure they are glad to be here yet. I have not seen any flying insects yet.

 

[crazyfingers]

Nothing says Spring like a Mallard riding the ice breakup.

 

[Swindon Addick]

Couldn't move for singing chiffchaffs yesterday. Also the first ducklings of the year, at Coate Water, Swindon.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Loads of Osprey sightings across Britain today!!

CB

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Some bats flying past my bedroom window last night plus Sand Martins on Saturday.

Rich

 

[crazyfingers]

Painted Turtles were actually out yesterday with the pond still 50% iced over.

 

[crazyfingers]

Construction season

 

[Euan Buchan]

Heard my first Chiffchaff of the year yesterday.

 

[chris butterworth]

Picked up my first ( UK ) Common Sandpiper of the year at Gilroy this morning, half a dozen Chiffchaff singing, Black-tailed Godwits in breeding plumage, "lots" of Small Tortoiseshell, a couple of Red Admirals and a small "White" butterfly - probably a female Orangetip - around the area.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

I had a pond that was just teeming with spring peepers last night!

 

[crazyfingers]

I had a pond that was just teeming with spring peepers last night!

No peepers here yet.

Call me strange but I can tell you that the first day that I heard peepers in past 3 years were:

02 Apr 2014, 05:12 PM
29 Mar 2013, 03:38 PM
12 Mar 2012, 01:16 PM

The forecast here is to still be in the high 30's to low 40's degree (F) until at least Friday. Friday's forecast is 57 degrees and cloudy and better change for Saturday 58 degrees partly sunny.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Most of the common migrants have started to arrive along the south coast of Britain.

CB

 

[Peter C.]

Most of the common migrants have started to arrive along the south coast of Britain.

The contrast never fails to amaze me - practically none of the common migrants have reached the southern edge of Canada yet.

Of course, winter is taking a long time to depart here; when they do start, there'll be a steady stream into late May.

 

[crazyfingers]

The contrast never fails to amaze me - practically none of the common migrants have reached the southern edge of Canada yet.

Of course, winter is taking a long time to depart here; when they do start, there'll be a steady stream into late May.

Here in Massachusetts, the diving "ducks" (Buffleheads, Hooded and Common Mergansers, Ring Neck Ducks) have started to show up. But only a few of the summer songbirds have shown up. I've seen a few tree swallows over a pond. One Pine Warbler.

Mostly the birds who have been here all along are coming out in the open. Notably the Common Grackles and American Robins are out in the yard now.

And the Dark Eyed Juncos show how signs of heading north just yet. In fact I seem to have a population explosion of Juncos. Maybe some have arrived from further south but they have stopped here.

 

[Peter C.]

And the Dark Eyed Juncos show how signs of heading north just yet. In fact I seem to have a population explosion of Juncos. Maybe some have arrived from further south but they have stopped here.

Oh, that is for sure - many, many thousands wintering to the south of us still to come up. Where I volunteer, at Long Point on Lake Erie, the Juncos are caught and banded in large numbers in mid-April (with new birds being caught every day) and sometimes are still arriving in the first week of May.