Winter is icumen in.. (1 Viewer)

[Charles Harper]

Yesterday morning, the first definite sign of winter-- the appearance of the first Bull-headed Shrike, perched magisterially atop a neighborhood tree, carping loudly at all and sundry with his piercing chatter. While the disappearance of the Barn Swallows signal that the end is near, these shrikes are usually the first positive sign of the winter birding season.

Yours?

 

[Tammie]

Flocks of snow buntings along the roadways! Saw the first flock last week. Lots more to follow, I'm sure.

 

[HokkaidoStu]

Hey Charles-Bull Headed Shrikes LEAVING is one of the signs of winter coming up here! They still haven't all left though-there were 1 or 2 around a couple of days ago.

I'd say Daurian Redstart is a surefire sign winter is a coming......

 

[Charles Harper]

Yup, it all adds up: Daurian Redstart don't appear down here (in my neighborhood at least) until the cold weather has really set in.

 

[Beverlybaynes]

We're already getting Red-Breasted Nuthatches, a sure sign in their cyclic irruption years.

But I'm NOT anxious to see my first Junco!

 

[Charles Harper]

'anxious', Bev, or 'eager'?

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Charles,
I'm presuming the arrival of Juncos more-or-less coincides with deep snow and severe cold?

Guess around here, it is the arrival of Whooper Swans, Fieldfares, Bramblings that signals winter, though realistically these all arrive in mid to late autumn, rather than real winter.

Michael