Read for details: When do you think the last four Northern Observation Posts will see and hear their robins? Read these descriptions for clues. Make your predictions here: >>
Homer,
AK (59.79 N/-151.31 W)
The stage is set (temperatures from lows of
28-34, highs up to 50), the scenery is in place (the snow has practically
all melted except for north-facing slopes and in thick spruce growth,
no green at all yet but clear open spaces), and the lighting is
adjusted accordingly (mostly cloudy skies, but daylight from 6:20
am to 9:50 pm). The audience is restless and impatient. When will
the show begin? But like many star actors, the robin will make his
entrance only when he feels ready!
Whitehorse,
YT (60.63 N/-135.16 W)
Spring remains slow in coming here. There is still a lot of snow except
on exposed south-facing slopes. The lakes are still frozen. Migration
is slow. We have been having seasonal weather for the last month with
lows in the morning of -5C and highs around +8C, however we had so much
snow this year (more than 30% more than usual in most places) that the
ground is slow to be exposed. The first flower “prairie crocus” (other
than willow catkins) was reported yesterday in Haines Junction but still
none have been seen in Whitehorse. We have not had an over-night temperature
above freezing yet this year. Still migration seems to be occurring on
time. American Robins are found in flocks throughout the southern Yukon,
only a few days late. Ducks, geese, swans and gulls are all on time or
only a day or two late. But the forest birds are still in short supply
except for Dark-eyed Juncos and American Tree Sparrows. There have been
a few reports of Varied Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Tree Sparrows
but that is about it. Raptors such as Red-tailed and Rough-legged hawks,
Bald and Golden eagles, Northern Harriers, Merlin, Kestrel etc. have
all been seen.
The day length is 15.5 hours with sunrise at 6:15 and sunset at 9:45.
We are still gaining over 5 minutes a day and next week the daytime temperatures
are expected to be in the teens.
North
Pole, AK (64.75 N/-147.32 W)
No, no robins yet. But Canada geese,the first trumpeter swan and
the first sandhill crane, first gulls and herring gulls have arrived.
A Wilson's snipe
was
heard
calling
on
Chena Hot
Springs Road on Friday--almost
2 weeks early for that species. We are hoping the robins come soon!
But our yard is still covered in snow, except for the edges by the
driveway. It warms to the mid
40's during the day, but it is slow in melting. The ice on the Chena
River is beginning to melt, which is exciting. We are having
to watch for bears that are coming out of hibernation. We have been
warned not only keep to our garbage locked up safe and sound, but
to make sure that all mounds of birdseed that have fallen under feeders
during the winter have been raked up.
For Your Journal: Choose your favorite robin sighting and record your thoughts in your journal. >>
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Is he claiming his territory? |
You can find all observations reported this 1-week period in the sightings database.
