Winter has been easy for most of the south in this El Nino weather year, enabling lingering songbirds to hang on until we are fully committed to spring. There have been a few migrants, notably Song Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds, that have already moved into prospective breeding territory, greeting us with chipper song.

Surprisingly, one of the typical early spring migrants has already moved in, the Horned Larks. The Prairie subspecies began to appear in flocks along country roads two weeks ago, surprising even longtime observers who normally expect early arrivals after mid-February.

Soon we can look for a movement of diving ducks to advance into Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and the St. Lawrence River, with numbers building into March. We aren’t done with Old Man Winter yet but so far he has shown us his soft side.

Happy Birding!

Brian Morin

Publisher of Ontario Birding News