Spring Approaches....

 Not that we had much of a winter, but there have been signs of spring the last few days.  Weather has improved from the almost sunless winter, and on some days it has been very balmy.  Owls are on the move this month, so may not be in their usual winter spots.  Some waterfowl, as well as Red-winged Blackbirds have arrived in the last few days.

Recent clear nights have been good for movement, as the moon shines bright.

My Long-eared Owl near Wilkesport is still hanging in, well-hidden its favourite tree.

I managed to get photos with a long lens as to not disturb it too much.  Apparently, too much disturbance by certain owl seekers, in certain locations, have created early departures.

Other holdouts include the Barred Owl at Shrewsbury, where it seems content for the time being.  Still being seen today!  

Eastern Bluebirds are few and far between this winter, but some are still around Wilkesport.  They never co-operate for photos....

Friday afternoon was quite balmy, and I found this yellowjacket at the back of the house.  Unfortunately, it is a European import, a German Yellowjacket.

Some waterfowl has arrived in the warm weather, as they usually do this time of year.  Spring migrant Tundra Swans were collecting south of Sombra yesterday.

As alluded to before, the St. Clair River has been a complete and utter disappointment this winter.  There are very few ducks and gulls.  The other day there was a raft of 300+ Redhead Ducks at Sombra, which was nice to observe.  The hybrid Ring-necked X Redhead was among them, but I was not in a position to photograph it.  Glad to know it came back for another winter vacation.

As mentioned previously, a probable Barrow's Goldeneye was at Corunna.  On Friday I spotted a possible candidate, but then decided it was likely a hybrid.  Too distant to be sure though.  Then, the next day, a local birder was fairly certain there was a Barrow's Goldeneye. Still a bit distant, so it remains to be 100% confirmed!

Long-tailed Ducks are the most numerous this winter.  Thousands can be on the St. Clair River, where thirty years ago, they were a rarity!

Today was a stellar weather day, so I headed down to Rondeau Park.  I really needed a long walk more than anything, so headed out marsh trail to Long Pond.  A 10 km round trip.

There were not many birds, but some Red-winged Blackbirds were setting up territories already.

A few Northern Pintail were certainly spring migrants, as they flew over Long Pond.

There are still some extensive drifts on the trail left from the Christmas storm. It will still take some time before they disappear!  One can only imagine what it was like during the storm!

Feeders have been a bit quiet this week.  Too many accipiters around!

Warmer weather is on the way, so we will certainly see some more spring migrants in the coming weeks.  What will this year bring?