It was always the first Robin to harbinger Spring. No more, Robins are here in February and some winters they never leave. Something has changed the traditional signs of the changing seasons.
The QCA’s first sign of winter are the return of the Bald Eagles. The wintering population has become a destination for bird watching tourists. A drive through Arsenal Island from Illinois to Iowa will sometimes provide a view of 20 to 25 Eagles roosting in the trees at dusk. As they begin to move up the Mississippi, following the receding ice and the opening of the rivers in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, new migratory visitors stop over before following the Eagles.
When the Pelicans arrive in late March we can anticipate one last spring snow and by the time they have moved on, spring is ours. It snowed last Thursday and on the way to work on Friday I drove through Sunset Park and was greeted by the Pelicans. ~~Bob
2 comments:
I love the photo of the white pelican. I didn't even know RI has pelicans.
For whatever reason, the migratory flyway for the American White Pelican now includes the Mississippi River. We began to see the Pelicans in the QCA within the last 5 to 8 years. Biologist think that between population growth and climate change, the migration routes have changed for many species. As a result of these changes, we can expect to see a pelican population develop permanently here.
Another fairly recent change is that the American Bald Eagle is now present year-round. The DNR has documented nesting pairs in the back-water area of the local rivers.
Bob
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