One of the first signs of spring is not what we see but what we hear. Already some Cardinals are greeting the day with a chorus of cheerful songs as they proclaim territory and perhaps hope to lure a mate. These are resident birds, here for the long haul regardless of what Mother Nature dishes out in winter. Offer them a feed of black-oil sunflower seeds and they will happily return to your yard, often the first bird to appear in the morning and the last to leave at dusk.
The White-breasted Nuthatch song does not compare with the Cardinal but nevertheless it is music to the ears of a prospective female. A series of low whistled notes may be punctuated by its call, a nasal ‘yank-yank’. This is the time they make their mark in song and calls. Keep the suet, shelled peanuts and sunflower seeds going for them.
Happy Birding!
By Brian Morin
Publisher of Ontario Birding News
