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Transition from winter to summer



    I've been keeping track of winter birds, trying to record last sighting
dates, and watching for spring/summer birds at the same time.
    The yellow-rumped warblers that had been eating my suet all winter were
very visible from March 16 through 20 and then disappeared.  Yesterday
(4/7), I spotted some yellow rumps gleaning insects in a hickory in my
yard.  The male that I examined through my binoculars was in breeding
plumage.  I suspect birds migrating through because they aren't around this
morning.
    The juncos that I fed all winter thinned out as March ended. A few were
around from 3/29 through 4/4 and then I saw none until two turned up
yesterday (4/7).  I'll keep watching to see if any more come through.
     The yellow-bellied sapsucker that was around this winter was very
visible on March 31 and then disappeared.  Last spring my latest sighting
was on the Shearon Harris nature trail, 3/29, so the disappearance of the
sapsucker this spring was about on schedule.
     I've seen a few spring birds.  Yesterday (4/7) I saw chimney swifts
over the house for the first time this year.  Today at the King's Grant
golf course, I saw a barn swallow and two b-g gnatcatchers.  Also, I
believe the chipping sparrows that began showing up in my yard on a daily
basis on March 31 are summer stock, not left-overs from the winter.

Bob

--------------------------------------------------
Robert C. Perkins, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Methodist College, Fayetteville, NC 28311
910-630-7037     rperkins@methodist.edu