St Petersburg (1 Viewer)

[Andy Adcock]

My local patch is starting to see a trickle of returning birds, singles of Chaffinch, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush and Fieldfare all seen today after being absent since October.

Still deep snow here but the big melt has begun and it very hard to walk on my patch, with every third step, the softening snow gives way and I sink knee deep. Probably the most unpleasant time of the year here to walk.

I keep knocking on the tree that has the Black Woodpeckers nest hole from last year but nothing has emerged so far, hoping for an Owl or Pine Marten?

 

[Homo sibiricus]

Migrating birds starts to return in Novosibirsk too. I have seen Rooks and Kestrel last Sunday. It is too early for Kestrel indeed! But there are no wintering kestrel in Novosibirsk province. My friends have already seen the seagulls. Spring is coming.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Migrating birds starts to return in Novosibirsk too. I have seen Rooks and Kestrel last Sunday. It is too early for Kestrel indeed! But there are no wintering kestrel in Novosibirsk province. My friends have already seen the seagulls. Spring is coming.

An exciting time indeed.

 

[Andy Adcock]

A big influx of Great Tits over the last few days and the first Lapwing has returned.

 

[Homo sibiricus]

A big influx of Great Tits over the last few days and the first Lapwing has returned.

There are no Lapwings around Novosibirsk yet. We specifically searched for them near puddles along the roadside ditches. But we have seen first Common Chaffinch yesterday. And first Emberizas start to sing. And Stock doves (Columba oenas) have return.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Two Common Cranes over this morning.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Sparrowhawk seen today, they rarely winter so almost certainly a returning bird, Gos in display and Black Woodpeckers are now vocal.

 

[ekopa]

In Moscow sparrowhawks do overwinter, older observers say that previously only females could survive during wintertime, now as it it gets warmer males stay as well