It seems early to me – CT… but maybe it’s a good sign??!
My red shouldered hawks have moved back in! I can’t say I’ve ever seen a redwing blackbird here, but we’ve got several hawks and a boatload of crows, so perhaps that keeps the blackbirds away. I wasn’t sure if the hawks migrated–looks like we’re right on the line of yes/no when I check the map–but they definitely went somewhere for the coldest months.
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we sold the farm and moved 4 months ago.don’t know if the swallow are coming back.the new people don’t seem to care about what works in the barn.i think they got rid of all of the nests.i feel bad for the boarders that we left behind.(10 out of 12 boarders have left in the first 3 months)
No barn Swallows here in SE michigan, but I did hear our local pair of Sand Hill Cranes. Which seems really early for us.
Really hoping the American Kestrels come back to nest. They hatched out 3 babies last year, but I forgot to check on a daily basis and we lost one chick. They would climb up over the edge of the nest area and were unable to get back into the nesting area. I was able to put one back in once. this year if they come back I will do daily checks when they start get antsy in the nest.
Can’t wait for my barn swallows to come back, though. They just always make me happy.
A friend and I saw a field full of redwing blackbirds today.
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I also saw and heard a Sandhill Crane yesterday in Metamora MI. Too early I thought, but maybe they know something we don’t! No Swallows yet, though the other birds are getting more chirpy with longer daylight hours. Flooding is receeding, ground is totally saturated.
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Ours usually arrive around in March around St. Patrick’s Day. We’re in north central Texas. We only have one nest outside our back door. We had two for a couple of years. I’d really they nest at the barn but do love them.
My friend in Hamilton MI (about 15 miles south of me) said the Sandhills and the Geese are fighting for breeding grounds at her house.
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Southern Ontario…Redwing Blackbirds, and Killdeer, yesterday.
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We had small birds up in the rafters of the indoor here in CT today. I kept trying to get a better look at them to see what they were but couldn’t get a good look.
Holy cow! I have been hearing the Barred Owls ALL DAY. Who cooks for you since this morning (geez, aren’t owls nocturnal? :lol:) and they’re hooting out there right now. Wow!
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One barn swallow showed up a few days ago. We’re in North Texas and he’s early.
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Starting to see some harbingers of spring here, even as we got another dumping of snow - red winged blackbirds, killdeer…
On to swallow prep - we’ve always left their nests up, and they add new mud each year - do you leave them up or knock them down for them to start fresh? Unfortunately, some ratty English sparrows have taken over some of the swallow nests, and I’m going to knock those ones down.
Eagerly awaiting for my barnswallows to return here in Ohio. I absolutely love having them around. The killdeer have returned. Yay. Woo.hoo.
No barn swallows, but lots of red wing blackbirds, a couple of very cold Robins, and the starlings have started another nest in the barn eaves.
BUT I am most excited that my American Kestrels have returned… They hatched out 3 chicks last year in the barn eave, but only had 2 that made it to fledgling, i partly blame myself, as 2 of the 3 had gotten out of the nesting area and couldn’t get back in, i kept returning them, but forgot to check one day and one didn’t make it… But they seem happy to be back… can’t quite tell if its the breeding pair or the offspring. They are so small, i thought they were the mourning doves until i heard their noisy distinct chatter. I can’t say for sure but I swear they helped keep the big horse fly population down.
No barn swallows yet but last year they were quite late… almost May.
How cool about the Kestrels!
I keep hearing the Barred Owls all day long. Courting, maybe? Territory disputes? There are at least two of them out there. It’s such a cool (and recognizable!) call.
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Evern more exciting they are definitely mating! So more baby kestrels this year, fingers crossed. I have to say they don’t have the most elegant of calls. Kind of a shrill Cree cree sound. Yesterday heard a ruckus in the yard and thought maybe one of them had caught another bird but I had just inadvertently caught a little kestrel on kestrel action!
First kildeer came screeching over the barnyard yesterday! Pretty sure he was complaining about the snowcover :eek::eek: Poor guy, he might want try back in a couple of weeks…
We knocked down a nest on our back porch in a much needed thorough cleaning (swallows were gone for the year). Next year they built a new nest in the exact same spot.
Saw the first one yesterday, March 18. Probably on a scouting mission. I hope he/she brings friends back soon. We are in middle TN, just south of Nashville. Bad weather is expected today, so if they put their flight off for a day or two, that’s fine.
