Here in Maryland, the days are getting longer and a bit warmer, things are starting to green up and the birds are starting to return from their wintering grounds. The migration of birds and other animals has always held a fascination for me. When the first neo-tropical migrants (birds that migrate to the North American tropics) arrive in my backyard, I always wonder how those tiny little bundle of feathers could have made such an incredible journey in a matter of a few weeks! Traveling over land and sea, the songbirds run a gauntlet of obstacles, including hungry predators and other hazards. After nesting and raising their brood of young, these long distance travelers begin to fatten up on caterpillars and other insects before beginning the process again, this time in reverse, journeying down to Costa Rica, or Panama or other sunny climates for the winter months.
The word from observers on the Pribilofs is that that spring has started to arrive there as well. The kittiwakes first put in an appearance back in March and the murres have begun to arrive over the last couple of weeks. Most of the seabirds of the Pribilofs are also migratory species. The birds don't travel to the tropics, but do move southward into the Pacific Ocean, where they will hunt for fish and other small marine creatures for food to sustain them through the chilly northern winter. Kittiwakes may range as far south as Baja California. As the length of daylight increases, there is a change in hormone levels in the birds as they get ready to go into migration mode. The birds also go through a moulting of their basic plumage into their alternate or breeding plumage. The restless birds soon make their way back to their traditional nesting grounds where they congregate along the icy cliff edges above the Bering Sea.
Some of the early arrivals on the Pribilofs Photo by Karin Holser
Seabirds begin to congregate on the icy cliffs of the Pribilofs Photo by Karin Holser
In roughly 3 months, I will be making a migration of sorts as well. I am looking forward to my journey to St. Paul and the opportunity to study the kittiwakes and murres and the other birds that call the Pribilofs home (at least for part of the year). I'm excited that the season has begun, marked by the arrival of these magnificent birds!