Backyards across the Swannanoa Valley will soon be even more crowded with the birds of spring and summer. They are much like receiving old friends come to stay for awhile.
The tiny bits of fluff and feather have usually flown thousands of miles to reach local back yards, after spending the winter in Mexico, Central America, or South America, where days are warm and food is plentiful.
Many of the birds that nature lovers consider their birds spend less than half of their lives locally. They move north as the snow melts and raise their young on an endless supply of insects that are abundant only during the spring and summer months. Spring migration has a hint of urgency to it, where fall migration can be a drawn out affair with flocks of birds stopping to rest and eat.
Research shows that a surprising number of bird species are arriving earlier, and are shifting farther to the north. Scientist believes that climate change caused by greenhouse gases building up has disrupted the timing of migration, and sends some species farther north for insects.
Winter has officially passed regardless of sudden snow flurries, cold winds, and whatever else a tantrum from Mother Nature may produce. Spring seems to be a delicate season, but the frenzy of choosing nest sites, mates and producing a couple of broods of babies in a few short months prove that image wrong.
Bird houses should be clean and ready to be chosen as this season’s home for a pair of nesting songbirds? New bird houses should already be up.
Spring is a season that is all dressed up in colorful finery and definitely has places to go. Birds become more easily to recognize as individuals dressed in their spring plumage. There are so many tasks confronting spring time birds that it is a wonder that they don’t suffer exhaustion. They have to decide how often and what to sing, whom to mate with, nest site selection, and when to start nest-building. The female lays eggs and incubates them, producing hr first brood in a couple of weeks after incubation starts. The babies stay in the nest and fledge after about a month, and then the process starts over again for the second brood.
Egg laying is intense and energy demanding. The female needs to be in peak condition, and must have more than an adequate source of daily food. That can be an “iffy” situation in March, since natural food sources are still scarce in the Valley. Generous handouts from bird lovers can make a big difference in the survival rate of the adult birds as well as the babies. Keep the bird feeders full of high quality seeds, and plenty of water for bathing. Feathers must stay in good condition until the molt starts in August.
If you have a chance to watch a pair of birds build their nest, consider yourself fortunate. It is quite a production. Usually sunny mornings are the best viewing time.
It is time to anchor the free roaming felines for another baby season. Collared cats with bells jingling are not a warning to baby birds in the nest. They don’t know what the bell is, and they can’t fly, so they are an easy mark for a cat. Adult birds are busy building nests, and looking for food, and sometimes get surprised by a stalking feline. Do the birds a favor, and keep the cats inside until breeding and baby season is over.
Daylight saving time has arrived to optimize the daylight hours in the Valley. Theoretically it results in use of less energy and electricity. People are able to take advantage of more daylight hours and sunlight rather than burn electricity.
How does daylight saving time affect nature? It is not biological, but rather political, so it does not affect the wild creatures.
Bears are up and about, fat and sassy, having obviously not suffered a hard winter. Wood ducks are already nesting. Screech owls are beginning to nest. Mourning doves are nesting, and some early migrating hawks can been seen. Male red wing black birds are beginning to retune to area pond sites. Flocks of robins are showing up through the Valley, bathing in puddles and looking for worms.
May you always hear the whisper of wings.
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