Princess Point, Hamilton. ON. April 4, 2024. I had forgotten how much fun the first big deluge of spring birds can be. I’ve been away for the best part of a month so had missed most of the March trickle, an exciting but oh-so-gradual reappearance of things like Red-winged Blackbirds and Killdeer. That trickle becomes a weather-regulated flow, flow becomes a stream and then, weather-be-damned, it’s all about April days like this.
I had inadvertently assigned myself to one of our most challenging transect routes today. It was a wake-up call. I felt excitement and a heart-lift as I untangled songs I knew but couldn’t put immediately my finger on: American Goldfinches, Dark–eyed Juncos and Carolina Wrens. I was happily distracted by waterfowl, a squadron of male Northern Shovelers splendid in white, green and rust. A little way off, tucked away trying not to be seen, was a scattering Gadwall. All old friends I was glad to see back.
Out on open water a long string of Ruddy Ducks mingled and merged with Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead and even a few Common Mergansers. A grand reunion driven by hormones and the need to find territory to raise the young of this year. The waterfowl in particular have a long way to go yet, there are thousands of lakes, waterways and wetlands for the taking north of us, most of it still locked in winter.
I watched a trio of Song Sparrows apparently squabbling. It was unclear what the male: female mix was but the argument was over who holds which patch of grassland and associated rights. They reminded me of medieval barons and princelings claiming domains and fiefdoms to be overseen by landmark towers, keeps and castles. Here is one of those would-be czars, a male in full hormonal battle cry. He and the others of the tangle were my Birds of the Day.
