Last time we did winter. Here’s one about spring and summer. As a kid, I had a thing for spring. I loved it when the crocuses, which I used to call “croqu-I,” pushed their blooms above ground, becoming sometimes the only dot of color against the dirty, grimy, leftover snow and ice from winter.
I would wait expectantly for the first Robin of spring, wondering how they knew when the ground was soft enough for pecking worms out of it.
Though they were nasty, the Blue Jays brought additional color and noise to the occasion.
And then came the crazy Cardinal. The Cardinal is one of my favorite birds. My mom had a wooden cardinal on a stick stuck into the ground in front of her azalea bushes. I don’t know what was with this one lunatic bird, but he’d announce his arrival by flying head-on, full speed, into our kitchen window. His window of choice was over the sink, so if someone was doing the dishes, the smack of the bird hitting the glass would give a jolt to whoever was there. I don’t think there are bird psychiatrists, but if there were, this bird should have been first in line.
I got this love of birds from my mother. She loved to hear them sing. One year in college, I was in Shenandoah Valley. In the visitor’s lodge, they were selling an LP (remember those?) with the songs of every bird in the valley. It was near her birthday and a school break, so I bought it for her. In the living room, we had a Victrola (remember them?) set into a three-ton piece of furniture. I had, I was sure, the perfect gift. She hated it. Don’t ask.
For those of you kind enough to follow my writing (btw there’s more on Substack with stronger opinions on all manner of things that Viewpointe doesn’t allow), you know I love listening to the birds on my street (I almost said, “block,” which is what people in New York call the street on which they live). I am a subscriber to and supporter of the Audubon Society. It’s like the American Kennel Club for birds. Anything you want to know about birds—they’ve got it. An article heralding Spring caught my eye. Since my Robin days, I knew that Spring started the migration of birds that went south for the winter and returned in the Spring. Two figures grabbed my attention. The first was the figure 3.5 billion. That’s approximately the number of birds that make the migration. Yes, 3.5 billion. The other was 1.7 billion. That’s the number that don’t make it back. I was stunned by both. Audubon estimates that more than a billion additional birds make the trip at night to find calmer air and fewer predators. They travel thousands of miles.
Spring migration generally runs from March 1 to June 15, with April being a peak month.
350+ common species of migratory birds are involved in this movement, say experts. If you want to watch this happen live and in person, visit the Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray. There’s not a tree branch in sight that doesn’t have Mr. and Mrs. Name Your Species busily building their nests. The most amazing to me are those built by storks. I won’t spoil it for you. Go look.
So, that brings us to the 1.7 billion of our feathered friends who don’t make it. What can be done for them? The answer is complicated and effectuating it takes dedication. Here are some tips. Keep an eye on legislation, state and federal, that concerns wildlife. Let your reps know this an interest of yours.
Find out which companies build wind turbines. It’s been discovered that if every other blade is painted black, the birds don’t fly into the blades.
Find out who is building tall buildings in your city. There are types of window glass that also deter birds from committing mass suicide as they fly into them.
And find organizations like Audubon. Send them a check. They’ll do the work for you.
Here’s a Florida-based example.
One way of tracking animals is by banding then tracking them. Here’s another number that’s a head-spinner. Audubon has banded 3,000 Roseate Spoonbills. These birds are called an iconic Florida species. Mind you, they don’t just stand there and lift a leg to let it be done. Spoonbills are considered an indicator species for the Everglades ecosystem’s health. This work began in 2003 in nests in Florida Bay and in Tampa Bay at the Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary, leased from and managed in collaboration with Mosaic and Port Tampa Bay. In 2013, staff also began banding birds hatching from nests at St. Augustine Alligator Farm. The banding of the chicks has led to a greater understanding of dispersal rates and behavioral structures after the nesting season in the Florida Bay is over.
Pull up a picture of the Roseate Spoonbill. When you’re driving, keep an eye out for Wood Storks standing on one leg on a canal bank, keeping an eye out for you. When you’re outside, keep your ears peeled for the entertainment. Do that, and then you’ll know why I’ve written this. Columnist and author Bill Gralnick was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He recently finished a humorous memoir trilogy. The first book is “The War of the Itchy Balls and Other Tales from Brooklyn.” The second is “George Washington Didn’t Sleep Here.” The recently published third is, That’s Why They Call It Work.” He is currently working on a novel. His books are available on Amazon and his other writings at https://www.williamgralnickauthor.com.
