The Birds are Back
By Glen Wunderlich
Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)
As winter draws to a close, we get teased by Mother Nature, as she doles out a few mild days to us weary wildlife watchers. As a lifelong birder, it is always exciting to notice the early arrival of some of our fair-weather feathered friends. Some of them – like some of us – seem to be pushing things a bit, however.
Their northern journey from parts unknown has not only begun, it has ended for a few early birds; however, they won’t be getting any worms just yet. A male red wing blackbird and two common grackles have beat the rush to Shiawassee County and found their way to a remote feeder of mine deep in the woods already. As for female red wing blackbirds, we won’t be seeing them this early; they inexplicably remain in their southern reaches, while the males scope out new home sites.
On the other side of the coin are some of the toughest little creatures known to mankind: the American Tree Sparrows.
Tree Sparrow
They actually travel south to Michigan for the winter to feed on indigenous weed seeds and those supplied in feeders. American Tree Sparrows breed in the far North and are rarely seen south of northern Canada in summer.
Another tiny, winter visitor of ours is the dark-eyed Junco that has yet to head to its breeding grounds in the Western mountains and Canada. A recent estimate set the junco’s total population at approximately 630 million individuals.
Interestingly, the oldest recorded Dark-eyed Junco was at least 11 years, 4 months old when it was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in West Virginia in 2001; it had been banded in the same state in 1991!
Wild turkeys, although non-migrating, are also in a transition phase. During spring, wild turkeys transition from the slow moving, gregarious mixed flocks of winter and start to disperse, as reproductive activity ramps up. That movement of wild turkeys, both male and female, during the spring transition period represents one of the most active stages of the birds’ lives.
This past week after not having laid eyes on a single turkey for months, they returned in a big way. Strung out in single file for well over one hundred yards in a nearby field was a group of returning turkeys in the snow-covered habitat. Where they were since last fall is anyone’s guess, but one thing I know for sure: Some of them were members of our local gang last year. The giveaway was one disadvantaged hen that walked with a noticeable limp among the birds. They didn’t forget where the feeding stations were, either, and made stops at my neighbor’s station and even my remote fast food feeder.
These game birds will now disperse. Dispersal is commonly defined as the movement of individual birds away from the area they were born to a different location.
Although this wintering location has been a mystery to me, it’s comforting to know they have, in fact, returned to their fair-weather range – even if fair weather remains but a promise for now.
