Spring is coming!

[LeeKen]

We have had a huge flock of Redpolls in our area all winter. I told my wife, just yesterday while watching dozens feeding, that they would be leaving soon. Today I have not seen even one. They have taken days off before this winter and they might be back tomorrow, but it reminds me how much money I will save on seed when they are gone.I will miss the crazy feeding frenzies and the posing for pictures. Here is one pic from 2 days ago.

[Todd Caswell]

I'll believe it when I see green grass, I don't think this miserable winter will ever end. We had a bunch of them too, and haven't seen any for a couple days..

[eyeguy 54]

had over 50 yesturday. fun!

[Dotch]

They're still here although their numbers seem to be slowly declining. The thistle seed consumption is slowing somewhat as well. There are probably 30 - 40 today. There have been as many as 80 - 100 some days.

[Jim Almquist]

My flock has been gone for a couple of weeks but today a few stranglers showed up at the feeder.

Good news is our lone female Cardinal who lost her mate appears to have found a new boy friend

[finnbay]

Saw a solitary redpoll here in the last week. Nothing but chickadees and nuthatches right now.

[skocsuhs]

some morning doves have just returned here as of yesterday that are always absent during winter...but there is 1 added dove in the mix now...were always just 3 for the past x amount of years, so now i got 4...

[eyeguy 54]

sheesh, filled the thistle bag yesturday and re filled it today. nice!

[traveler]

I've still got my redpolls here north of Duluth. Still looks like winter here:)

From the looks of the extended forecast I think we'll be turning the corner soon...pretty much right on schedule for a normal (old school:) MN winter!

[finnbay]

After an absence of several weeks, a dozen redpolls showed up at my feeder this morning! I'm hoping they're on their way back through!

[delcecchi]

I've still got my redpolls here north of Duluth. Still looks like winter here:)

From the looks of the extended forecast I think we'll be turning the corner soon...pretty much right on schedule for a normal (old school:) MN winter!

Still looks like winter in Rochester too. Mourning doves been here all winter.

[CANOPY SAM]

Not to change the theme of the thread, but I was up between Rocky Point and Morris Point on Lake of the Woods last weekend, and saw evidence of the Great Horned Owl migration south from Canada. I counted 26 Great Horned Owls over only an 11 mile drive!

Beautiful birds, but I'm seriously concerned about the grouse population in the area. With Ruffed Grouse already at the lower end of their population cycle, and now an army of extremely stealthy avian predators living just above them, it can't be good. Pretty neat though.

Also saw the first, lone Canadian Goose fly by our place headed north up our frozen river here in TRF, MN. Poor critter likely had to turn around and head back south. We've got extremely deep snow here, and I'm not aware of any open water.

Had a large group of Cedar Waxwings in our shelter belt last week, but they've moved on. Also saw a female Cardinal here the other day. That's a pretty rare sighting for us, but sure was a beautiful song!

[eyeguy 54]

hopefully her boyfriend is around so you can hear him

[delcecchi]

The lone canada goose reminded me of a story from some years ago. I live in Rochester which was and is home to a sizable population of canada geese. In fact the thought to be extinct Giant Canada Goose was discovered happily living by the thousands on Silver Lake right near downtown.

They had put some kind of tracking collars on some of the geese. Weather got pretty nice and one day most of the geese were gone. Couple days later they were all back. Turned out they had taken off and flown to the nesting grounds up by Hudson Bay. Got there, found a bunch of snow and ice since it was not yet spring. Turned around and flew back.

I always thought that was a good story.

[CANOPY SAM]

Funny we should be discussing geese. Today quite a few birds showed up. Numbers of pairs, and triples milling around town. Did see a little patch of open water on the river as well, so at least they've got a little sanctuary from the ice and snow.

I do so enjoy seeing the migratory waterfowl return in the spring. The call of Canadian geese is something I grew up hearing almost daily, and that lonesome, far off call is something that still pulls at my heart strings today, every time I hear it.

You mention that you hope her boyfriend is around, eyeguy. I too wish he was around. For some reason we just don't have much for songbirds in our region of the state at all. It's very disappointing. I feed for songbirds and get Blue Jays, and Chickadees, and Sparrows. Most often, the only song birds we hear are the crows harassing each other in the trees.

[eyeguy 54]

maybe she needs to put a bikini on when it warms up.

[EBass]

There's a few geese standing on the ice here on Lake Smetana in Eden Prairie. There's also someone ice fishing. It's been a confusing spring weather wise.

[Dotch]

For sure this is a throwback to the good old days when the 1st day of spring was just a date on the calendar. It was cold, rivers and lakes were still frozen and there was still snow on the ground. Lots of killdeers out and about now. 2 rooster pheasants were having a scrap out behind the barn yesterday. Saw the first red wings and a couple meadowlarks yesterday. Had our first robins this morning. Was a flock of about a dozen.

[MN Shutterbug]

Got my first Red-wing 2 days ago and today was my first Robin, Grackle and a pair of Mourning Doves. I just wish the Blackbirds would have stayed south for another month.

[eyeguy 54]

pellet gun ready captain...

[knoppers]

red wings showed up this weekend. had robins all winter long here. heard sandpipers last night flying north, and had a great blue heron land on my pond today.