There was a Whimbrel in a wetland a week or two ago, not far from where I live. For a moment, May 24th had arrived, for that is when we expect to see this long-legged shorebird with the down curved beak – not in mid-March. It was early, incredibly so, and so have been many other migrants this spring, most of them announcing their presence at least two weeks ahead of schedule. In the Belleville area just two weeks ago, there was a hummingbird, six weeks early.

Fortunately, the urge to report the first arrival of anything, like robins, for example, has become all but a thing of the past, for we know that large numbers winter throughout eastern Ontario, suspected migrants from farther north. Flocks numbering several hundred some winters are not unusual as they seek shelter in dense thickets of red cedars and tangles of wild grapes and buckthorns which provide plenty of food sources for these birds. Even bluebirds, and there were many this past winter, aren’t always inclined to travel far south. I guess that explains why they are among the first spring migrants, if indeed they migrated at all.

Other species seen early this spring were true migrants, and optimistic ones at that. But, they are hardy, and will cope with the snowfalls that are apt to come before spring finally settles in, provided they have diversified appetites and can snatch whatever is available. Even then many early migrants have been known to practice “reverse migration,” basically turning around and heading south again as far as they need to go to locate a food source. It’s a shame we toss the uncomplimentary term “bird brain” around with such reckless abandon. Their brains, tiny as they are, are constantly computing new information and utilizing it to survive.

Birds do get caught off guard though despite their best survival instincts. Thousands of tree swallows in the Belleville and Prince Edward County area died in 2003 when a five day ice and snow storm arrived unexpectedly in early April. Tree swallows are very opportunistic, ready at a moment’s notice to switch from an insect diet to one of small berries when the need arises. Probably not the most palatable food, but indigestion is likely a better option than interment. However, five days was just too much for the tree swallows, and all died from either starvation, or from suffocation as they packed themselves in available nesting boxes to escape the wintry blasts. The bulk of the mortality was in the immediate vicinity of open water where thousands made a final effort to scoop up the remaining insects that hovered over the open water, before succumbing to the impossible conditions on the fourth or fifth day.

Mother Nature is not always kind, and many birds simply do not make it when early arrival spells disaster. If they arrive early, and the weather holds, then they get an early start on the nesting season. If the early birds must sacrifice themselves in their efforts to get an early start, later migrants will fill the void. Once that April’s snow storm became a memory and the snow and ice melted, later arrivals of more tree swallows soon filled the vacancies left behind by those who gave their lives. Nature plans for this by compensating with later arrivals or higher populations. It reminded me of my dear friend, the late Lois Wishart of Belleville who died a little over a year ago at the age of almost 104. She once told me that she always planted two crops of potatoes - one early and one a bit later in the spring. “If the weather was kind then I would have a bonus crop of potatoes; if the early crop rotted in the ground before they sprouted - well, I would still have potatoes in the fall!” she would exclaim in her usual humorous and philosophical manner.

Many insect eaters like the warblers wait until May before arriving to eliminate the possibility of surprises. Some of the earlier warbler arrivals like the yellow-rumped warbler that can arrive in early April puts its insect preferences on hold, and becomes quite happy with red cedar berries. In fact, so comfortable is the yellow-rumped warbler with this food source, that many dozens don’t even bother to migrate, but winter right here, if a food source is available. The majority of early bird arrivals are seed eaters, so spring snow storms are little more than a minor inconvenience to them.