Migration Time for the Birds

I've been watching the past two or three weeks as my Winter birds have begun to leave my backyard and begin their annual migration back to their summer homes to the north, and, at the same time waiting for the return of my summertime birds that spend the winter to the South of here. I am always amazed at how, as if on cue, all of some species decide to leave at the same time. For most of the Winter and early Spring, I had between 60 to 100 Goldfinches and around three dozen Dark Eyed Juncos that came to my backyard and feeders each day. Then, a week ago, I took a weekend trip to Hot Springs, AR, and when I returned two days later, they were all gone. I also had about as many Chipping Sparrows this Winter as Goldfinches, and, while most have left, there are several still coming to the feeders. Same thing with the Harris's Sparrows which wintered here in larger numbers than I have ever had. At one time, I counted as many as three dozen feeding in backyard, but now see about four or five.

With the departure of the Winter birds, my backyard isn't nearly as crowded as it was just two weeks ago, but I am starting to see signs of my summer birds return from the South, so numbers should increase soon. Becky put out a Hummingbird feeder two weekends ago, and we saw the first Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the season on the last Sunday of March. I also have a pair of Eastern Phoebes that have built a nest underneath the eave of my front porch and are already sitting on eggs which will hatch within the next couple of weeks. What I'm really looking forward to is the return of the Painted Buntings, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers and Mississippi Kites which are among my favorite summer birds. Haven't any yet, but thinking I will very soon. I've also been watching pairs of Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Cardinals and Mockingbirds, which are here year round, going through their annual mating rituals, so expect to start seeing seeing some young recently fledged offspring in the next month or so.