Starting to see some returning birds

[Scott M]

Yesterday I finally started seeing some birds moving north. A bunch of flocks of mallards and Canada Geese. This morning I saw probably half a dozen flocks on my commute. Spring is almost here!

[dan z]

been seeing a couple extra flyer's round here 2

[jhanks50]

dan z I agree Mankato area has had some birds come through recently

[kc0myy]

I saw a flock of honkers today. and we have no open water for at lease 20 miles from here. so I have no clue why geese were way out here by annandale.

[Musky Buck]

Don't need open water, got melted water and rivers might have openings, but yes St. Cloud last night, mallard central before watching Little Falls vs. Alexandria 3-2 in OT win for L.F.

[Tyler23]

i was on lake washington last night they were honking the whole time we were out there. saw some big flocks right before dark

[Joe15]

I've been seeing lots of birds in Murray County by Lake Wilson. They fly low in groups of two or three but there were about 350 to 450 on the lake the other day

[outdoor ran]

Sure is good to see some ducks coming back. Took this pic on Fri.

[kc0myy]

well if duck open is on oct 3rd which is might be it is 206 days untill the opener and I am already getting the ich to go out. Just seeing the birds around and hearing then does it for me. I have to check old woook duck houses this week because warm weather is coming soon.

[MuleShack]

Saw quite a few Large Flocks of geese flying out of the blizzard today in the south metro area. seemed kinda early for that to me, but i guess i dont follow the migration that closely.

[SledNeck]

I didnt see any today

[MuleShack]

I wi$h we would have gotten $ome of that $tuff...I could be plowing right now. We just got rain most of the day with a few flurries toward dusk.

[Scott M]

'Bout 50 'bills sitting on an open pond today, a mallard pair, some goldeneyes, plus saw a flock of mixed blues, snows, and canadas...LeSueur county. Lots of goose pairs are staking claims on small ponds already.

[Muskie456]

The canadians are pooring through the cities right now. I also saw my first BW teal of the season yesturday

[PKretsch20]

Seen any snows by Talcot, SW MN lately? lots of canadians i no but i havent heard about snows yet.

[BoxMN]

Ringbill have made it to Goose Lake (west side) in White Bear, just saw a nice flock there today. The mallards that have stayed here all winter must be on the move north, as there aren't as many there anymore (warm water discharge from Kohler keeps it open, for those not familiar with the area).

Next will be some redheads and cans, bills, loons and goldeneye, with some buffies wixed in. Then some smiling mallards and teal, and lots of open water

[SneakAttack]

South of Weaver on the Mississippi, there were thousands of goldeneyes rafted in the main channel of the river, quite a sight and also a large number of bald eagles perched on the ice on the south side of Lake Pepin

[Scott M]

Good numbers of divers and mallards sitting on ponds in Iowa this weekend.

[riversmallmouth35]

Went down to a flooded hay field in the area and there were over 500 geese and close to a 1000 ducks in the water. Probably saw another 1000 geese flying by with a couple flocks of snows in the St. Cloud area. You don't see much snows around but it is nice to see once in a while.

[Scott M]

More ducks today. First wood ducks that I've seen, a few more bluebills and buffies, mallards in a flooded corn field, a couple flocks of mergies, TONS of coots, and a good smattering of canvasbacks...Very to cool to see that. And of course one pair of Canada Geese per half acre of MNDOT cloverleaf water retention "wetland."

[Scott M]

Scotch lake by the city of Cleveland had so many ducks on it yesterday it looked like one of those DU photos in the back of the magazine where you ID all the different species of birds. Shovelers, Mallards, coots, wood ducks, beautiful cans, redheads, buffies, bluebills...I wish I had a nice camera because you could get some amazing photos! If you know a good photographer near the area give them a call! With the thaw slowing down this next week they might be camped out there for a few more days.

[icehousebob]

I've had the resident pair of geese staking out their territory on my backyard pond for the last week and a half. They've fought off a couple of pairs of trespassers. They can really kick butt. The Mallards have joined them for the last week. Yesterday, the first Wood Ducks started home shopping. And a Blue Heron swooped in low, checking out the neighborhood. No Mergansers or Kingfishers yet, since much of the pond refroze in the last day. The Robins and Goldfinches have been hitting the feeders hard.

[jhanks50]

Saw my first Blue Wing teal of the season and also the first woody of the season today in Blue Earth County...