BirdingPastor

My avocation is birding. I tend to walk or drive through natural areas 4-6 times per week, generally before coming into the office. I track seen & heard birds on a weekly and yearly checklist - generally seeing 250-280 species annually in Minnesota.

This week I've noticed how late bird migration is - have not yet seen a Killdeer (normally back by mid-March), saw first two Eastern Bluebirds this morning (few days late), few Sandhill Cranes in area, few migrating ducks in the air or fields. Ponds open briefly during the day, but freeze again overnight. Last year Mille Lacs Lake opened March 28th, this year it could be 10-14 days later. This could end up being a slower birding year, since some species could skip central MN (and its frozen lakes & ponds) on the way north.

Sometimes my Type A personality can be impatient - not a good attribute for a pastor or follower of Jesus Christ overall.