A classic harbinger of spring, of course, is the American robin (
Turdus migratorius).
This is the first one I've seen this year, spotted in the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery in Montreal on April 25th. T. migratorius is often one of the first migratory birds to return from winter territories.
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| T. migratorius on a gravestone; note the A. saccharinum blooming in the foreground and the leaf buds on the shrub in the background |
Interestingly, this widespread bird is apparently a major carrier of
West Nile virus, contributing to the virus' spread across the continent.
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| T. migratorius |
This particular individual didn't seem at all fazed by our presence, and in fact ended up calmly observing us in return.
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| Leaf bud opening |
The leaves are just starting to emerge now. Here are a few photos of leaves beginning to emerge. The species I've seen already opening buds here in Montreal are
Acer negundo,
Fraxinus pennsylvanica, and
Syringa vulgaris.
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| More leaf buds |
The weather is warming quickly now.
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