…Spring is on the way, and there apparently appears to be no stopping it (finally!). The continuation of the Brown Thrasher at the house along with reports from nearby of Turkey Vultures and Pied-billed Grebes hint at what is to come.

As a matter of fact, looking over our Spring Arrival Dates for the northeast shows that during this week of March, we should (on average), expect species such as Wood Duck, Turkey Vulture, Killdeer, and Common Grackle to be making their first noticeable appearances. Next week’s predicted arrivals include Blue-winged Teal, American Woodcock, American Pipit, and Eastern Meadowlark. Of course none of this is down to the day, but it is fun to see what comes in at what times as there are always surprises.

As a matter of fact, with the weather the way it has been with heavy rains and slightly milder conditions, most if not all of the snow has melted around the area, which should make for good field birding, especially in low lying areas where small vernal ponds form. There is one such pond close to home that in the next few weeks should provide looks at all the aforementioned species. Let’s hope we don’t get a lot of cold temperatures between now and then that would freeze everything over.

Kudos to Spring…

~Chad