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What bird is the true sign of spring where you live? (1 Viewer)

At my local reserve, its probably sand martins or blackcaps. If they can travel all the way from sub- saharan africa, who am I to tell them that its still winter?
 
Swallow for me. They truely start it, but the when I begin to see the Little Ringed Plovers, Sand Martins and Wheatears being reported and see my first of them then it has begun :t:
 
calling med gulls in summer plumage heading east at height on the south coast of Hampshire, UK - late February (like last Sunday!)

cheers, alan
 
Here in Reno, early spring starts for me with the small flocks of Turkey Vultures drifting over the river in February or March. But "true" spring doesn't begin until early April when the first courting parties of Brown-headed Cowbirds appear in the willows & cottonwoods.
 
Looking at eBird for my region for birds that start arriving the last week of March and stay to breed yields four: Barn Swallow, Green Heron, BG Gnatcatcher, and La. Waterthrush. Really feel as though winter has ended when I see one of these. We usually have a few E. Phoebe's wintering in these parts, so they don't make the cut.

Jim
 
Red-winged blackbirds are one of the first smaller birds to show up here, or at least one of the more noticeable ones.
 
Not really a specific bird, but a combination. Killdeer, turkey vulture, red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird and various waterfowl all arrive first week of march or so, and while all winter in small numbers, when they become common is when it really feels like spring. Many herps, insects and mammals come out around this time too.
 
I suppose Turkey Vulture and, at least this year American Robin (apparently they didn't winter, or at least not in any real numbers, this year
 
Swimming snipe. Snow geese heading north,but that snipe is more fun.
 

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Here in SE Minnesota it's probably the Eastern Phoebe.

No doubt, Common Crane here in Saarland. Two flights over my village this afternoon; 320 and 242 (photo). Yesterday's flyovers numbered 1,920. A privilege to watch!

Mike Bramwell
 

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For most people in Iceland it's Golden Plover but I always wait to hear a Whimbrel before the spring gets my official stamp of approval, even though it's one of the last migrants to arrive.
 
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