Nature Happenings

• Great Backyard Bird Count, mid-month, www.birdsource.org/gbbc
• Project FeederWatch continues, www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw
• February is National Bird Feeding Month
• Listen for cardinals, titmice, House Finches, chickadees and Mourning Doves singing.
• Barred Owls begin calling.
• Killdeer and Eastern Meadowlarks return in late February.
• Large flocks of robins can be seen feeding from fruit-bearing plants like hollies, dogwoods and sumacs.
• Peak of Bald Eagle migration.
• Maple tree sap running.
• Grackles return north.
• Raccoon, woodchuck, beaver, skunk, opossum and rabbit mating seasons.
• Bluebird and other nest boxes need to be cleaned out this month.
• Red-winged Blackbirds return.
• Look for early waterfowl migrants such as Bufflehead, Common Goldeneyes and Redheads as lakes thaw.

Common Grackle