Ah, Spring Migration!

For a long-time birder like myself, the coming of spring is always full of great anticipation. Will the ospreys return on time? Will the Yellow-headed Blackbirds return? When will the Purple Martins show up? The answer this year is yes, yes, and already here. As we move into May and the opening of the Kiwa Trail to walkers, the migrating and nesting birds are arriving to delight us again.  This is the time of year to experience spring arrivals by listening for the birds. Already, April 23^rd as I write this, the Sora rails are calling and can be heard from the contact station. The Yellow-headed Blackbirds just arrived. Their less than musical “song” is very distinctive, made up of buzzes and gurgles. It is often the first indication they are here as they like to hide back from the road around number 3 on the auto tour where they are hard to see. As you come across the bridge onto the River S, listen for the chittering of the Purple Martins. They are noisily setting up their gourd houses just to the right of the entry road. This is the third year the gourds have been set up and it looks like a very successful housing project already.

Song Sparrows have been singing regularly over the last month sitting up on a handy dense bush along the road, but the newly arrived Savannah Sparrows can also be heard now on the refuge. Savannah Sparrows often sit on our posts and signs to sing. Much lighter and shorter tailed than the Song Sparrow, they usually sport a yellow wash on their eyebrow. We usually look for the Wilson’s Snipe in muddy areas where they are probing for worms; but now their calls penetrate the woods beyond the Kiwa trail. They will fly up to a low branch or tree stump to announce their availability with their loud, rapid “weeka” calls. Soon they will be doing their displays flights when their wings make an eerie winnowing sound as they move through their dance. Tree Swallows are back and busily finding and setting up nest holes in the Ash Trees. They are filling the forest with song as they go about their chores.

Along the reeds and bushes of the ponds, you can hear the whichity-whichity of the newly arrived Common Yellowthroats. The American Bitterns are booming across the wetlands, looking for a mate. Nicknamed thunder-pumper their mating call sounds like oong-KA-dunk, oong-KA dunk.

Ah, spring and migration. When the air is filled with song from our feathered friends. Here is hoping our endless winter rains depart and there are enough sun breaks so we can roll down the windows of the car or venture out on the trails after May 1^st to listen to the grand avian chorus that awaits us.

From the River ‘S’ Contact Station- Volunteer and Board Member, Susan Setterberg

Photo: Susan Setterberg- Common Yellowthroat