It's In Between Time

I've noticed that there are a couple of times each year that are "in between" for birding. I think right now is the first "in between" period (the second "in between" is late summer and early fall, before the main migrations south are underway).

Winter is ebbing and spring is rising. Birds that used to be found in predictable concentration areas are now dispersing. It seems they have disappeared overnight, But careful listening will tell you they are certainly present and now in a different  mode.

Listen at sunrise and you will hear the early stages of the "Dawn Chorus". Many birds that overwintered in the area are now clearing their throats after a quiet winter and are now singing their hearts out, letting everyone know they are here. Songs let other members of the species know that a healthy male is trying to claim the best territories and best mates. As spring progresses, and day lengths rapidly increase, more species and total numbers of birds will arrive. The simple Dawn Chorus of March soon becomes the beautiful cacophony of April and May. The volume and variety of songs is bewildering and spell binding.

Wouldn't it be nice to know when to expect certain bird species in our area? Well, you can! The eBird science page has some very interesting options for learning about bird behavior and biology. One of these shows the migration pattern of the Rufous hummingbird as it travels north from Central America, through Mexico and California,  into the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Alaska for breeding. Notice the return trip south. Many of these these little dynamos follow the Rocky Mountains gleaning every last insect and drop of flower nectar to get them to their wintering grounds.

                           Rufous hummingbird - male

                                 (photo by S. Follett, courtesy of the Macauley Library)

So, keep your ears open and listen for the arrival of spring through the Dawn Chorus of the birds!

                      - Hawkeye