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Spring is on the Wing!

By Deanna Frautschi April 5, 2017

It’s time to look up and note who is flying overhead and may even stop by for a visit in our yards. Many migrating birds are taking to the sky above us right now. Some may stop for just a bit of rest and relaxation while others may stay and raise their young in our yards or close by.

This is a great time to get outside with your children and a pair of binoculars to look around and see what winged wonders are visiting. Not only are more robins and cardinal pairs likely to be seen this month but also visitors from as far away as South America who come to North America to nest and raise their young.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks showing up at our feeders for sunflower seeds are a sure sign that spring has arrived. These beautiful birds with their rose bibs cannot be missed in a tree or at a feeder. Females are the same size but brown with white head stripes. Their coloring helps them blend in with their surroundings and stay hidden from predators when they are nesting near wooded areas.

Tanager Beauties 

The Summer Tanager is a South American beauty. This cardinal- size bird stands out with the males sporting a reddish-orange feathered coat and the females a yellow-green coat for spring. We have been fortunate to have them stop to rest and refuel in our yard, eating berries from our serviceberry bushes and suet that contains berries. Most disappear into forests for the summer to build their nests high in oaks, pines or cottonwood trees.

A relative of the Summer Tanager is the Scarlet Tanager. Although the male’s body is bright red, its wings are black in stark contrast to the body. The female sports a yellow-green feather coat with black wings. The Scarlet Tanager is also a forest nester.


Orioles & Oranges 

Some of my favorites are the Northern Orioles. Robin-size, the males sport bright orange bodies and black wings and white stripes as well as black heads. Females are paler orange with brown wings and heads. It’s fun to put out orange halves on our deck railings and watch them come to dine on these in the spring.

Orchard Orioles are a rusty orange for males and yellow for female. They love fruit and tree blossoms and will also come to fruit in spring. Once they build their pouch-like nests, they are usually dining on insects and bringing those back to feed their young.

Brilliant Blues

And who will not delight in seeing an Indigo Bunting at their feeders. This iridescent blue bird is the size of a finch but brilliant in its reflective plumage. The female is brown so she can stay hidden on the nest from predators. We have been fortunate to have them nest in our shrubs and bring their blue and brown youngsters to our feeders in late summer before they return to southern climates.

Bird Walks Scheduled

Now is a great time for you and your children to get out and see the winged beauties flying through your yard or a nearby park. The John Wesley Powell Audubon Society hosts free bird walks on Sundays at Ewing Park. Walks for Spring 2017 will be Sunday, April 16, 23 and 30. May walks will be Sunday, May 14 and 21. All walks are at 8 a.m. with skilled leaders who can help you recognize and identify those avian wonders that are coming through our area this spring. A good identification book such as the Stokes Field Guide to Birds can also be helpful.

Deanna Frautschi is a local Naturalist who is passionate about connecting families with nature. Using her knowledge of wildlife and her photography skills, she helps others enjoy the nature around them. If you have any questions about exploring nature with your children and grandchildren, you may contact Deanna at Decardinal@aol.com. Join the hundreds who follow her on Facebook where she posts photographs and short video clips of birds and other wildlife taken on her travels as well as in her yard. You can also join her "Nature Lady Lessons" and "Hummingbirds Anonymous" Facebook group pages.

Photos by Deanna Frautschi.