We are well on the way, with spring birds appearing everywhere, while those that have been with us over the winter are preparing to depart for the North. Some already have. Those who have been blessed with redpolls have seen their numbers decrease or disappear altogether. If we are lucky, Pine Siskins, some of which spent the winter as far south as Alabama, will take their place for a short time when they return to the northern forests. That happened in a big way in late March and early April of 2016 so let’s hope there is a repeat performance for these little scrappers.

Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles and Song Sparrows are now everywhere. Outside the cities there are Killdeer, American Woodcock and early Eastern Meadowlarks, Eastern Phoebes and Tree Swallows. This is peak time for waterfowl, with tens of thousands of geese flooding the skies. We waited months for this spectacle so enjoy it.

Happy Spring Birding!

Brian Morin

Publisher of Ontario Birding News