>> CATHY: ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF WAKING UP WITH THE BIRDS, LIKE I DO MOST DAYS, IS KNOWING THAT A CHANGE OF SEASONS IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH SOUNDS RETURNING THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD SINCE LAST FALL.

IF I FIND IT FUN, JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT AN AVID BIRDER THINKS ABOUT IN THE SPRING!

WELL, WE'RE GOING TO ASK OUR FAVORITE ONE RIGHT NOW.

SHARON STITELER, KNOWN TO MANY AS BIRDCHICK, ONCE TOLD US THAT "BIRDERS CALL IN SICK A LOT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

>> WE ABSOLUTELY DO.

[ Laughter ] >> Cathy: EXCITEMENT, EXCITEMENT.

OKAY.

WHAT IS THE COOLEST THING YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PAST WEEK?

>> OH, MY GOSH.

FOX SPARROWS ARE SINGING.

THAT'S JUST ONE OF MY FAVORITE SPARROWS, THEY'RE VERY RED AND THEY'RE KICKERS, SO THEY KICK AROUND ON THE GROUND.

THEY'RE ALSO KIND OF BEEFY SO THEY'RE A LITTLE BIGGER AND EASY TO SEE.

YEAH, THAT'S JUST ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW I'M GOING TO ASK YOU WHAT THEY SOUND LIKE.

>> I CAN'T DO THAT BUT MY PHONE SURE CAN.

>> Cathy: NOT GOING TO PUT ON THE SPOT.

>> IT'S TOO COMPLICATED OF A SONG.

>> Cathy: IT'S OKAY.

>> Eric: WE WANT YOU TO NARRATE SOME PHOTOS FOR US.

>> Cathy: THEY'RE NESTING ALREADY.

>> I'M PRETTY SURE THEY HAVE CHICKS JUST BASED ON THEIR ACTIVITY.

MY FRIEND CLIFF THE OTHER NIGHT SENT ME PHOTOS OF YOUNG BARD OWLS OVER BY THE CHAIN OF LAKES.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO START SEEING BIRDS OUT AND BOUT, BABY BIRDS, AND BIRDS ARE BUILDING NESTS.

THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHERE, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE YOU HAVE A WREATH THAT YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN IN, HOUSE FINCHES AND ROBINS ARE LOOKING AT THOSE WREATHS RIGHT NOW.

SO UNLESS YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE A DRIED-UP WREATH OUT ON YOUR DOOR FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, MAYBE TAKE THAT IN BEFORE A BIRD DECIDES TO NEST IN IT.

>> Cathy: IS IT OKAY TO HAVE A IRD NEST IN IT?

>> IT'S FINE, YEAH.

BUT MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT YOUR DRIED-OUT HOLIDAY WREATH HANGING OUT THERE IN MAY AND JUNE.

WE IGNORE OUR PORCHES A LITTLE BIT.

BUT START CHECKING YOUR PORCHES, IF YOU SEE BIRD START TO BUILD A NEST WHERE YOU DON'T WANT IT, IT'S OKAY TO TAKE IT DOWN AS LONG AS THERE ARE NO EGGS IN IT.

>> Cathy: I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED TO SEE THAT BIRDS ARE ALREADY STARTING TO HATCH.

>> YEAH.

>> Cathy: I MEAN, ISN'T THAT EARLY?

>> NOT FOR CROWS AND NOT FOR OWLS.

THIS IS A HOUSE FINCH.

THIS IS A COMMON FEEDER BIRD.

THIS IS A HOUSE FINCH NEST IN AN EMPTY BIRD FEEDER.

SO, I MEAN, HOUSE FINCHES WILL NEST IN JUST ABOUT ANYTHING, A LOT OF PEOPLE GET THEM NESTING IN THEIR HANGING PLANT BASKETS.

THIS IS A YOUNG GRAY-HORNED OWLET, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT OWLS BECAUSE THEY GO HROUGH THIS BRANCHER PHASE WHERE THEY CAN'T REALLY FLY BUT THEY CAN CLIMB REALLY WELL.

SO YOU MIGHT SEE THEM ON WANT GROUND.

THE ADULTS ARE STILL TAKING CARE OF THEM.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE, LIKE, OH, DO I NEED TO TAKE THIS BIRD TO THE RAPTOR CENTER, CHECK WITH THEM FIRST, BUT LEAVE THEM BE, THEY'RE LEARNING HOW TO FLY AND HUNT.

AND MAKING A LOT OF SCREECHY NOISES.

>> Eric: THE ADULTS ARE PROTECTING?

>> OH, YEAH, THEY'LL SWOOP AT YOU SOMETIMES.

>> Eric: GOOD TALONS.

>> Cathy: SO I LOVE WARBLERS, ARE THEY COMING?

>> BUTTER BUTTS ARE JUST COMING.

YELLOW RAMPED WASH ALREADY, THAT'S THE FIRST ONE TO ARRIVE.

WARBLER.

SOON WE'LL GET THE PALM WARBLERS, BUT EARLY MAY, THAT'S WHEN WE'LL START SEEING THE BLACK-THROATED GREEN, ND MAYBE HER LUCKIEST AND THE GOLDEN WARBLERS, BUT THE YELLOW RUMPS ARE SHOWING UP NOW.

>> Eric: HOW ABOUT THE BIG FIGHT BETWEEN THE PER BEGIN AND THE EAGLE?

>> THE WHOLE SITUATION HAS ME GOB SMACKED.

SO THE NORTH MINNEAPOLIS HERON RECRY, HAS SO MUCH DRAMA, IT'S AN AMAZING REALITY SHOW RIGHT NOW.

TYPICALLY THE HERONS AND THE CORMORANTS CORMORANCORMORANTS ARRIVE, I WEO DO A SERVICE, TO WELCOME THEM BACK, NO BIRDS WERE IN THE WATER.

AND BALD EAGLES HAVE BEEN HANGING OUT ON THE ISLAND AND THEY HAVE STARTED BUILDING A NEST.

>> Cathy: OH, NO.

>> SO THE HERONS, THEY'RE NOT THRILLED WITH IT BECAUSE EAGLES WILL EAT THEIR CHICKS.

SO, THEY'RE NOT SURE ABOUT COMING IN.

BUT THERE'S A NEARBY PEREGRINE FALCON NEST AND THE PEREGRINE ARE CHASING THE BALD EAGLES OUT.

MY FRIEND GOT AN AMAZING PHOTO.

>> Eric: SIZE WISE, THEY MATCH.

>> SO THAT IS A PEREGRINE ESCORTING A BALD EAGLE OUT.

ONE OF THEM WAS TRYING TO BRING IN A STICK AND THAT PEREGRINE SAID ABSOLUTELY NOT, METHAMPHETAMINE.

AND CHASED THE -- MA'AM.

AND CHASED THE EAGLES OUT.

THE EAGLES ARE STILL PERSISTING, WHEN THE EAGLES ARE AWAY, THE HERONS AND THE CORMORANTS COME BACK, BUT AS SOON AS THEY SEE THE EAGLE, IT CHASES THEM OFF.

SO IF YOU GO TO THE MARSHALL TERRACE PARK IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS AND WATCH THE REDUCTIONRY ON THE TWO ISLANDS, YOU'LL GET QUITE A SHOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

ARE THE EAGLES GO TO STAY?

ARE THE HERONS GOING TO STAY?

OR WILL THE EAGLES SAY, PEREGRINES ARE TERRIBLE NEIGHBORS I'M OUT.

>> Eric: WHAT KIND OF COMEBACK HAVE THEY MADE IN MINNESOTA WHEN THEY WERE THREATENED?

>> WE NOW HAVE THE LARGEST POPULATION OUTSIDE OF ALASKA, LARGEST BREEDING POPULATION.

AND THERE ARE SOME POPULATIONS THAT WE HAVE MORE EAGLES NOW THAN IN THE HISTORICAL RECORD THAT EUROPEANS HAVE BEEN KEEPING.

BUT, YEAH, WE'VE GOT -- THEY'RE EVER WHERE.

>> Eric: HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

>> Cathy: OBVIOUSLY THROUGH CONSERVATION EFFORTS.

I WANT TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT BEFORE WE GO, ABOUT WHAT FOOD SHOULD WE BE PUTTING OUT TO WELCOME UR FEATHERED FRIENDS?

>> SO, IF YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A LOT OF BLACK BIRDS TAKING OVER YOUR FEEDER, HAVE ONE FEEDER THAT'S STRAIGHT STAFF FLOWER, CARDINALS, HOUSE FINCHES, THEY'LL STILL EAT IT, GROSS BEAKS WILL EAT IT, CHICKADEES WILL EAT T BUT THE BLACK BIRDS DON'T CARE FOR IT.

SUNFLOWER SEED IS ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE OUT THERE.

HOLD OFF ON YOUR NECTAR AND YOUR ORANGES UNTIL THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY.

THAT'S WHEN HUMMING BIRDS AND ORIOLES WILL COME BACK.

>> Cathy: OH, EXCELLENT.

>> Eric: THANKS BC.

>> BC.

B DO