Timely arrivals #phenology

We recently posted about a handful of swans at the Sunrise River pools. Today, we're happy to report they've been joined by several handsful more swans plus a number of flocks of Canada geese. This is, give or take a few days, about when we normally expect to see the leading edge of the waterfowl migration that's heading North as waters open for them.

a pair of Canada geese in early Spring

Photo by J. Harrington

We haven't yet noticed any red-winged blackbirds nor smaller waterfowl, such as ducks or mergansers, nor have we seen any sandhill cranes in the local marshes or fields. Speaking of fields, at least two local ones, a pasture and some kind of row crop, are greening up a little. That surprised us.

We're not positive, but we think we saw a goldfinch at one of the feeders this morning. Some Winters they show up about every month. Not so this year. It's been a couple of months since we've seen any.

the shiny edges are water, not ice

Photo by J. Harrington

The small pond a little North of the house now has leads of open water around the shoreline. Over the next week or so, barring the return of below normal temperatures, it should become all open water. That's about the time we'll be looking for the arrival of the rest of the waterfowl contingent and, maybe, even some cranes.

We don't intend to be flippant about the seriousness of the corona virus threat, but over the next few weeks we do intend to spend some "self quarantined" time checking out the wetlands and streams in the area, except for "opening day" of trout season(s). It's one of the nicest ways we know of to stay out of crowds and you know what they say about an ounce of prevention...

The Pasture

By Robert Frost

I'm going out to clean the pasture spring; 

I'll only stop to rake the leaves away 

(And wait to watch the water clear, I may): 

I sha'n't be gone long.—You come too. 

I'm going out to fetch the little calf 

That's standing by the mother. It's so young, 

It totters when she licks it with her tongue. 

I sha'n't be gone long.—You come too.

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