April 14 update

Here is my update for today...I checked 23 nests in the snow/sleet/ rain. Had some good strong coffee and a very buttery croissant to fuel the excursion. I only found two nests that had a pair present and two nests with a single bird present out of that 23! Overall this week, me and my wonderful volunteers have seen single birds on 11 nests and pairs on 12 nests. We have read 8 bands. Keep in mind that with this odd spring, with so many lakes frozen, the timing of our nest visits may affect what we see. Many birds are traveling a distance to find fish, so they are unable to stick as close to the nest as they normally would, if their local fish market were open for business. Many nests remain empty, and this data will surely change on a daily basis. But we will keep checking, documenting and this will add to our understanding of these birds and the environment. Stay warm.