It’s hard to know what’s going on! Yesterday we had a high of +15 C. and today it’s over 13 C. According to Environment Canada’s weather network these temperatures should be new records for the Hamilton area. The old one for February 18th was 9.7 C. (in 1981) and 12 C. for today (in 1984). And all the snow is gone ( you have to feel envious of all those folks out east who have had 4 dumps of it over 10 days – now that is Snow Bunting weather!

I went for a couple of walks today and listened to Northern Cardinals, Carolina Wrens, House Finches and Black-capped Chickadees singing, setting up territorial boundaries. And along the river many of the Canada Geese have paired off and some looked as though they were scoping out and holding down nesting sites. Several Red-winged Blackbirds went by, all heading north. And although I’ve yet to see one (much to my wife’s enjoyment – she has seen one…yesterday), there are a number of local reports of Turkey Vultures on the move.

I’ve been carrying the Snow Bunting traps around in my car for the past 2 weeks waiting for a change in the weather but I think it’s time to face it: Snow Bunting season (down here, at least) is over. I’ll unload the traps tomorrow at Ruthven when I open the feeder nets to see what we can band on Family Day.
Rick