Signs of Spring

To go with the recent warm weather we have the earliest of spring birds starting their annual cycle. Crows, Canada geese, and bald eagles have all been spotted in the last few days. Two days ago I saw a magpie carrying nest material into a young spruce tree where it was busy making it's nest of sticks.

Every spring I watch for the arrival of the thrush cousins, the American robin and the varied thrush. It seems to be a race between the two - some years the robin arrives first and others it's the thrush. Sometime in the second week of April is about right for Hinton. Who will be first in 2010?

This weekend I'm going to put up some duck nesting boxes around Maxwell Lake in the hope that a few cavity-nesting species such as the common goldeneye and bufflehead will make the area their home this spring. Watch for the boxes mounted on trees and let me know if you see any ducks entering or leaving.