Jump to content
Whatbird Community

Spring Migration 2022


Recommended Posts

On 2/8/2022 at 12:26 PM, meghann said:

Well, you west coasters can do what you want, but here on the east coast, I don't have all the winter ducks for my year list yet, so spring migration isn't allowed! Sorry! ?

I going to the ACE Basin refuges Saturday (between Charleston and Hilton Head SC).  There darn sure better still be some quackers!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only sign of spring here is the weather. It’s been well above freezing for the last few weeks. There’s practically no snow and the ponds are sooooo close to being open. Had a few ducks swimming on the melt water above the ice today. 
The weather looks good for the next bit so I’m hoping they’ll open up and attract some wintering waterfowl. They usually don’t begin to melt until the end of April.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On my morning walk I saw a pair each of Red-shouldered Hawk, Mallard, and Hairy Woodpecker. The hawks were pulling small branches off trees and carrying them away to their nest. A Common Grackle presaged the coming influx.

At sunrise a cardinal and a Song Sparrow sang briefly. Spring is underway here in Maryland.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/8/2022 at 12:26 PM, meghann said:

Well, you west coasters can do what you want, but here on the east coast, I don't have all the winter ducks for my year list yet, so spring migration isn't allowed! Sorry! ?

 

19 hours ago, Charlie Spencer said:

I going to the ACE Basin refuges Saturday (between Charleston and Hilton Head SC).  There darn sure better still be some quackers!

I got my Pintails yesterday, just need Gadwall (which I thought I had already, but apparently not), and I'm good to go. I'd love Goldeneye, but those are so hit and miss, I'm at peace with not getting one before spring. Didn't have one at all last year.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, meghann said:

I got my Pintails yesterday, just need Gadwall (which I thought I had already, but apparently not), and I'm good to go. I'd love Goldeneye, but those are so hit and miss, I'm at peace with not getting one before spring. Didn't have one at all last year.

I picked up my lifer Gadwalls in mid-January when two occupied a nearby wastewater pond for a couple of weeks.  Easy-peasy; Stevie Wonder could have found them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/10/2022 at 9:11 AM, Peromyscus said:

On my morning walk I saw a pair each of Red-shouldered Hawk, Mallard, and Hairy Woodpecker. The hawks were pulling small branches off trees and carrying them away to their nest. A Common Grackle presaged the coming influx.

At sunrise a cardinal and a Song Sparrow sang briefly. Spring is underway here in Maryland.

Yesterday I saw about 10 grackles on my afternoon walk.

Today I caught up with the Mottled Duck in Montgomery County, Maryland (and a couple of birders I hadn't seen in years). At this location there was a pair of Red-shoulders copulating, and Mottled Duck was courting a female Mallard.

The cardinal sang for a couple of minutes this morning at sunrise.

Today it hit 58 (yesterday 65), tomorrow it will snow. February in Maryland.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Other signs of spring. The cardinals have been singing for a couple of weeks. The Eastern Bluebirds are busy nest building in the bluebird box we have and they are chasing away Blue Jays and Squirrels. The Carolina Wrens have been checking out there nesting area daily. We left their nest intact this year so no building going on. Last year we had clean out the old nest and there was nest building by this time. I actually hope they don't nest too soon because all of their first brood died last year. I don't think there were enough bugs coming out that early to provide food. We even supplied dried worms. ?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cardinals and wrens singing up a storm here, and saw an Osprey carrying nesting material.

Got all my normal ducks, but would still like to snag black duck or goldeneye. We'll see.

6 hours ago, Clip said:

I actually hope they don't nest too soon because all of their first brood died last year. I don't think there were enough bugs coming out that early to provide food. We even supplied dried worms. ?

We have a towhee pair that nests in our yard every year, and fails EVERY year. It's depressing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...