Red Winged Black Birds

[Maryjl]

March 22nd 6:30 AM 21 degrees Fog thick as pea soup. Tree branchs are all white with a coating of frost. Sitting here drinking my morning coffee. All of a sudden I hear a familiar bird sound. You know the one you hear when your fishing close to the tall cattails. Looked up in the trees they were covered with black birds. I got out my trusty binoculars and yup they have red marks on their wings.

My oldest daughter told me she seen 2 Robins the other day. I have yet to see one. I'm an advide bird feeder and always watching to see what comes. I told her this just wasn't fair. When my mild daughter spoke up and said that all my other birds scare them away.

Coming home from Rochester the other day. My youngest daughter and I seen a big V formation of geese flyin south. I think they decided it wasn't their time to be up here yet.

These poor birds just don't know what they are in for coming north this year. With all the snow cover yet the ground feeders are going to have a tuff time finding enoungh to eat. I think I'll throw out some extra seed on the ground.

Well another sign of spring has come. I'm beginning to wonder how many more before Old Man Winter gives up.

[Jim W]

Yup, them fine feathered friends have returned. I too listened and watched the early spring Redwing mayhem this morning! Man, I'm sure glad it's back! The robins can be seen virtually every where now in SE MN. I was observing them yesterday morning in Spring Valley, not noticing them yet in Rochester until this morning!! What a treat!

[Guest]

Boy oh boy, you two lucky ducks!

This morning as my 9 year old son was waiting for the school bus, he said "Mom, itsn't it wonderful to finally see some green grass!?"

The closest thing I've seen so far to returning wildlife in the Mille Lacs area are 3 raccoons that got hit along the road. (I was happy to see the critters are getting out,.. skunks will be next. But it wasn't so good to see they didn't make it!)

I am going to keep my eyes open for a Robin!

THINK SPRING!!

[delmuts]

i haven't seen any black birds yet, but serveal robins and i'm pretty sure i saw a small group of sandhill cranes yesturday. they were larger and had longer necks and much darker than canadians. we have a few nest in our area every year. we're getting closer!!!!! time to wax the boat to help pass teh time! del

[captkev]

I saw a Robin on last sunday north of Phelps Mill in Otter Tail Co. I've had a coon visit my dogs dish a few times this last week looking for left overs. I've got a can of pepper spray if he comes back. I hate to be so mean, but the last thing I need Is to have to put my dog down or a visit to the vet if coon decides to return while my dog is outside. does anyone have any sugestions other than the pepper spray???

[Maryjl]

captkev, I still havn't seen a robin. We have opossums and skunks come eat out of the cats dish on our deck got any sugestions to get read of them? I'd planed on moving the cat dish witch I did for awhile an I havn't seen either of them for awhile. I don't think you'd get close enough to the coon to spray him. Move the dish for awhile or don't leave it sit out after the dogs done eating.

[captkev]

Good sugestion, I'll just have to move the dish. I don't know about your critters, I guess move the dish.

[Maryjl]

Again the red wing black birds are out signing in my trees. Its either the fog that brings them here because it is foggy or they just knew I needed a lift out of this glummy state of mind after the snow yesterday and the thick fog this morning. I finally seen my first robbin yesterday and right after seeing him it started snowing. I keep telling myself this is going to end soon and another week goes by and I think this is going to end soon and again and again. I hope this is the last time I think this.
DLR- Have they got up your way yet? Mary

[Guest]

Maryjl: No-worse luck! There is still a foot and a half of snow on the level; in the woods it is even deeper. Still 30-40" if ice on the lakes. This *&%$%#% winter is never going to end.

[Guest]

Maryjl:
Well, on my way down to Waseca I was able to see red-winged blackbirds as far North as the Twin Cities. Man, that was good to see. That would mean {depending on the weather} about two weeks to northern Minnesota.

GOOD FISHIN'---DLR

[Guest]

HALLELUJAH!!!!

Mary posted her first Red Winged Blackbird sighting on March 22. Regretfully, I could only share that I saw a dead raccoon!

Not any more! As I look out through my kitchen window, there are at least 100 red winged blackbirds eating the bread and seed that I tossed out there. I feel so much better !!!!

[Jim W]

For a minute there, I bet you were about to start thinking that winter would go right into another winter skipping Summer eh?

[Maryjl]

Don't they just sound great!

[Guest]

Considering that I still have a good 3 feet of snow in my front yard, Spring did seem a lifetime away earlier this morning.

Even so, I took a walk in the rain and heard the birds singing....for the first time this year.

Winter is a long way off!

[Maryjl]

Lisa,

It took them exactly 2 weeks to get from here to there. Just about all our snow is gone now except for where it had drifted and where we piled it up. So I bet in 2 weeks yours will be almost gone. Once it starts going it goes fast. You'll have to check back in 2 weeks and tell me if this is right.
Next time we have one of these winters we'll know once we see the Red Wing Black Birds that the snow will be gone in 2 weeks.

<>< Mary ><>

[Jim W]

I have seen other Spring travelers in the past week! I noticed a Blue Heron traveling ever so methodically and gracefull! Also I spotted several Kingbirds in the last couple days as well, perched on the high wires! In the next week or so we should start seeing the onslaught of Warblers as well!!!!!!! All is well!! However, if we get much rain in the next couple of days, the already swollen streams and rivers down here might cause some havoc!!!! HAppy SPring!!! Jim W

[DARK30]

I SAW A FLOCK OF ABOUT 15-20 SWANS FLY OVER THE HOUSE THE OTHER DAY AND I NOTICED THE NIGHTCRAWLERS OUT LAST NIGHT. WON'T BE LONG BEFORE THE WAXWINGS WILL BE CHOWING DOWN THW APPLE BLOSSOMS!
JIMW, WHATS A KINGBIRD?

[Guest]

DARK 30:

You picked up some of those night crawlers, didn't you? I wish I could find a few!

I saw a couple of sand snipes yesterday as I took a walk along the Soo Line between Isle and Wahkon. I also found a few interesting items on the trail. A spring, a railroad spike and a stud from a snowmobile track. (Yes, I fill my pockets with treasures along the way!)

There were also deer tracks in the slush along the trail. These had to be very fresh because my footprints were almost melted before I came back home.

[This message has been edited by Lisa G (edited 04-06-2001).]

[DARK30]

I'LL GRAB A FEW AFTER IT RAINS AND THEY COME ALL THE WAY OUT. RIGHT NOW ALL I'D GET WOULD BE SOME DIRT AND LEAVES....NOT QUICK ENOUGH ANYMORE. I HATE TO BREAK THE LITTLE GUYS IN HALF TOO!
I GOT MY OWN MINNOWS IN THE CREEK OUT BACK TOO BUT I DON'T USE LIVE BAIT MUCH EXCEPT FOR CATFISHING AND THEN I NEED SOME BIG CREEK CHUBS AND LOTS OF DEEP WOODS OFF!
THAT REMINDS ME........PRETTY SOON PEOPLE WILL WISH IT WAS COOLER AND NO MOSQUITOS!
WET NETS!

------------------
cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Maryjl]

I've just been hearing my first thunder of the year. Yup I think we are going to have a storm. I love thunder storms and snow storms in the winter. Alright spring is hear for sure. This will open up them lakes.

[DickUrban]

Mary

I was looking at radar about an hour ago and it looked like you were getting a big time thunderstorm.

[Maryjl]

Dick,

Ya it was a good one. We live on pretty high ground but Lake Mills is having alot of trouble with water and the Winnebago River must really be high. I was listening to the scanner and the cops were out checking to make sure it wasn't over the high way 69 Noth of Forest City. It dumped alot of water in a short time.

Mary ><>

[Maryjl]

Dark 30,
I think Jim W meant a King Fisher. They live around water. They are alot of fun to watch. They eat fish. I seen one sitting on a branch over the water he dived straight down to the water to catch his meal he must have missed and got a little closer then planed cause he came back up all wet and shaking his head and sqwauking up a blue streak. It was a funny sight.

Mary ><>

[Guest]

Maryjl:

Well, the Robins are back up here. No Red-Winged Blackbirds yet. I do not think it will be too long now. This rain sure squashed any plans the wife and I had for the week-end. There is enough water in my backyard I could actually launch my Pro-V if I could get it out of the garage.

GOOD FISHIN'---DLR

[Maryjl]

DLR,

It was so windy here today our electricty went out at 8:30 AM and did'nt come back on until 5:30 PM. I thought for sure the windows were going to blow in for awhile. I'm surprised any of the out building are still standing alot of shingles blew of. One of the sheperd hooks that I had bird feeders hanging on bent right over. You got rain? That should of helped take some of your snow away. Mary ><>