|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top 10 Backyard
Signs of Spring
by
Bill Thompson, III
Editor, Bird
Watcher's Digest
Most people can't wait for spring to arrive, and backyard bird watchers seem especially eager for the earth, spinning on its invisible axis, to lean closer to the sun. This subtle planetary shift creates warmer weather for those of us in the northern hemisphere. Warmer weather brings us many of our favorite things: birds, flowers, butterflies, and best of all, an end to being cooped up inside the house during cold, wet, nasty winter days.
When the winter weather breaks, it's time to get outside to look for other hopeful signs that spring is on its way. In honor of those first tentative steps we take out the ice-battered door, squinting skyward at the bright yellow orb we thought had deserted us, here are my Top Ten Backyard Signs of Spring. Please forgive me if your backyard does not have all 10 of these signs. Look on the bright side: Winter is almost over! Spring is nearly here!
10. There are starlings trying to fit into the openings
on your bird houses. Being a responsible landlord to the
birds, however, you have erected housing that features entry
holes no larger than 19/16-inches in diameter (too small for
the broad-shouldered starlings to squeeze through) but large
enough for bluebirds and other small, cavity-nesting birds.
9. The ground under your bird feeders is extremely
disgusting. Spring is a good time to relocate your
feeders. If the seed hulls have piled up, the grass under
your feeders may need some help to recover. Rake up the seed
hulls and spread some grass seed on the bare spots. If you
move your feeders a short distance, your birds won't mind
the change.
8. Robins are once again seen on your lawn prospecting
for worms. Robins aren't always the best sign of
spring's arrival because in many areas these birds don't
leave in winter. Robins merely change their foraging habits
in winter-leaving the open lawns and gardens where they hunt
for worms and moving to woodlands where their diet shifts to
berries and fruits. On the first warm days of spring, you
may find robins once again prospecting your lawn for
earthworms.
7. Woodpeckers are drumming. The spring courtship and
territorial behavior of our woodpecker species involves lots
of drumming. To drum, a woodpecker (both the male and female
do this!) finds a likely tree within its territory
(preferably a hollow branch or trunk that will make a nice
deep sound) and drills its beak against it in rapid
succession. Among the species especially active at drumming
during courtship are the downy and hairy woodpeckers, the
flickers and the yellow-bellied sapsucker. Some birds even
use metal chimney flues, gutters, and even aluminum siding
for drumming surfaces.
6. There's lots more singing going on during sunny
days. It's not just the woodpeckers that are making
noise trying to attract a mate. Most of the birds in your
yard on a warm spring morning will do at least some singing,
especially members of the finch family.
5. You no longer need to dress in layers to fill your
feeders. Imagine being able to do the morning refill of
your bird feeders without having to spend 15 minutes suiting
up against the cold. You may still need to wear your boots,
though (see #9).
4. You can unplug the birdbath heater during the day.
Birds need water all year long, so it's a good thing to keep
the water in your birdbath from freezing by using a birdbath
heater. Once warm weather comes, the heater can go back into
storage. While you're at it, clean the bath with a light
bleach-water solution (two tablespoons of bleach to a couple
gallons of hot water). You may need to scrub a bit if you
have an especially scummy bath. Rinse the bath well before
refilling it with fresh water.
3. Your male American goldfinches are beginning to sport
patches of bright yellow spring plumage. Now this is a
true sign of spring. Even though American goldfinches don't
nest until late summer, they begin getting "dressed" for
romance as early as late February. By May most of the males
will be in their gorgeous canary yellow, black, and white
breeding plumage. And the females will be brighter looking,
too.
2. There is non-bird evidence of spring. Crocuses are
sprouting and blooming, buds are swelling in the trees,
chorus frogs and spring peepers are calling, and there are
butterflies flying on warm afternoons.
1. There is solid bird evidence of spring. The first
phoebe appears, cardinals are at your feeders doing the
courtship "kiss" (the male passing a seed to a female), the
first purple martin scouts arrive, and bluebirds are popping
in and out of nest boxes.