MIGRATING BIRDS—
This seasonal travel, often over great distances, is another amazing performance by Nature’s flying critters.
I was reminded of this semi-annual phenomenon when I recorded my last Junco here April 21st. Then, poof! After being winter-long visitors, I have not seen one since.
Juncos are common in almost the entire lower 48 states all winter, but, they scurry north when mating season arrives in mid spring. There they will populate virtually all of Southern Canada, extending as far north as the Yukon Territory and Alaska.
Another reminder came April 24th when the first Rose Breasted Grosbeak arrived. This handsome fellow very wisely spends his winters as far south as Venezuela and Peru. His breeding range extends across the Eastern US and most of Canada.
Soon, the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds will return here for the summer. Their seasonal preferences mirror the grosbeak.
The grand prize for migration goes to the Arctic Tern who spends breeding season in the northern Arctic then flies across the Atlantic Ocean and south along the European and African coasts to Antarctica where it is summer down there and their food is plentiful.
This seasonal travel, often over great distances, is another amazing performance by Nature’s flying critters.
I was reminded of this semi-annual phenomenon when I recorded my last Junco here April 21st. Then, poof! After being winter-long visitors, I have not seen one since.
Juncos are common in almost the entire lower 48 states all winter, but, they scurry north when mating season arrives in mid spring. There they will populate virtually all of Southern Canada, extending as far north as the Yukon Territory and Alaska.
Another reminder came April 24th when the first Rose Breasted Grosbeak arrived. This handsome fellow very wisely spends his winters as far south as Venezuela and Peru. His breeding range extends across the Eastern US and most of Canada.
Soon, the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds will return here for the summer. Their seasonal preferences mirror the grosbeak.
The grand prize for migration goes to the Arctic Tern who spends breeding season in the northern Arctic then flies across the Atlantic Ocean and south along the European and African coasts to Antarctica where it is summer down there and their food is plentiful.
The photos are a junco(L) and a grosbeak from Oseaux.
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