Spring Has Finally Reached Minnesota

I haven't posted anything in a long time. Partly because life gets in the way sometimes and partly because this winter was pretty slow as far as my birding goes.

After a record cold start to April and a ridiculous amount of snow, the temps are rising and the birds are finally showing up though some are a bit behind schedule.

I got out this afternoon to see what water had opened up and to see what was present. I wasn't disappointed.

Waterfowl are moving through in good numbers and don't seem to be spending much time before continuing their trip north. These Northern Shovelers, Anas clypeata, were among the more common species. You gotta love the bill on these birds.

There was also a good number of Bonaparte's Gulls, Chroicocephalus philadelphia, feeding over the marsh while I was there.

Other species included Yellow-headed Blackbird, Sora, Greater White-fronted Geese, Ring-necked Ducks, Pied billed Grebes and American Widgeon and several other  expected species. With the temps still predicted to hit into the 70s this weekend I suspect birds will continue to push north as more water opens up.

All the more reason to go outside and keep looking up.