Two More Signs of Spring

I heard my first red-winged black bird today - another sure sign of spring. Red-winged black birds are named after the male bird’s appearance. If they were named after the female bird’s appearance, they’d be called a brown streaked white-eye striped bird. These birds are among the most abundant birds in North America. Both sexes have black feet, black bills and black eyes. To display himself to a fetching female or to defend his territory, the male will spread his wings and fluff up his red patches. Some red winged blackbirds winter in Mexico but others stay around all year. Insects, seeds and grain make up their diet. Red-winged black birds make their cup like nests out of reeds, leaves or wet vegetation, line it with mud and finish it off with an inner layer of fine grasses. The nests are woven between several stems and are often over water. Each clutch has 3 or 4 eggs. I welcome the sound of the red-winged blackbirds - missed you! The second sign of spring is the ice broke up on the Rum River near the Anoka Fairgrounds today. I am grateful for the sight of open water running again.