Page 11 - OASC April 2021 Newsletter

April/21
as best they can. Boundaries disappear over the course of the snowy season as they get neighbourly with each other; as the daylight hours increase, however, so does the urge to re-establish some sort of order as to the division of the woodlot.
Chatty little “chick-a-dee-dees” are replaced with the purposeful whistle of “sweet spring” as rotting birches are excavated in preparation for this year’s clutch of eggs.
Crows begin to find reasons to miss the big flock gatherings, preferring to spend some quality one-to-one time with the missus. Mr. Crow is amazed how easily Mrs. Crow is impressed with a little gift like a stick. “Here, dear, have this awkward to handle stick I found. And here’s another. Wow, this is easy.” And sud- denly, somehow, a nest is made.
Even the wild turkeys are prepping for another season of egg laying, despite the amount of snow still on the ground. The big ol’ toms will soon start practising their puffed up “look at me” stances, spreading their tails and dropping their drawers, er, I mean wings. So far, the hens are still being way too practical, remaining focused on finding seeds.
Not surprising (at least to me), it’s the quieter birds that have already moved from showmanship to raising young. Horned larks and mourning doves will be on their eggs by mid-March; their nests have been constructed with quiet expediency and efficiency. This early start to the nesting season will give them time to raise two or more sets of youngsters over the coming months.
Birdwatchers will soon be abuzz reporting on new arrivals and flock sizes. Cars will patrol backroads and clusters of telescopes will be found scanning open water areas. Binoculars tend to appear like mechanical implants on the faces of dedicated birders, and field guides are consulted with religious fervor. Then it’s a race to post their sightings on the local website, because it’s always a competition to be the first... “Hey, hey! Look at me! First sighting of red-winged blackbird! Hey, Hey!”
Birds, birding and spring... how sweet it is. And maybe we can learn a few things along the way:
“Helloo, Julie, I brought you a 2x4! A 12-footer! Can I build you something? Bet you’re impressed, eh!” n
David Hawke is a naturalist who is well known for his outdoor writing and photography. David has worked for several agencies and organizations around Lake Simcoe. In his weekly blog, he shares his observations and insights related to our local natural environment.
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