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Journey North News will be posted on Fridays: Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, Mar. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Apr. 5, 12, 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Journey North News to be Posted... February 1: Red-winged Blackbird Alert Red-winged blackbirds will soon migrate back to their northern marshes. Get ready to track their trip! First learn this blackbird's song so you'll know it when it arrives. Most people love these harbingers of spring, so why do some Great Plains farmers dread them? Read about the redwing population explosion and alternatives for action. Learn how scientists and governing agencies collect data, determine how serious a problem is, and make decisions about possible solutions--and try the season's first Challenge Question! February 8: Chickadees Surviving and Thriving Imagine weighing about the same as two quarters, and sleeping outside in the cold northern winters all night with only feathers for warmth! Black-capped chickadees do this with no problem, and we tell how it's possible. Daylength, cold temps, and limited food all tell a chickadee that it's still winter, but there's a good reason why they're already singing their spring song. How does a chickadee warn, "This is MY grub?" Our new Chickadee Dictionary has the answer, and a quiz to test your "Chicka-deese." February 15: Announcing Journey North's 9th Annual Ice-out Contest! Winter's icy grip is big news in SOME of our official ice-out observation posts, but it's been unseasonably warm at others. What's up? Read about each ice-out post, then work out your answers to this COOL question: What's your prediction for ice-out dates in each of Journey North's six official observation posts? Contest Deadline: February 28. February 22: Something to Crow About Crows are found throughout winter in most places of North America, but in the middle of February they suddenly start acting differently. What's going on? Crows are said to have "the highest degree of intelligence" found in any birds, but they are also misunderstood. Learn how to tell the difference between crows, grackles and other blackbirds, and see our lesson to learn how scientists study animal intelligence. March 1: Earthworms Wriggling One of the most important signs of spring quietly munches dirt underground, and this week we've got the scoop on worms. Our map shows where they're surfacing, but what were some of these worms doing wriggling around in the middle of winter? And what was that mysterious slime on the worm found by the students in Charlton, MA? Our new lesson explores what it's like to be a worm, and compares your body functions to a worm's. See where the first frog songs are being heard, too. March 8: First Red-winged Blackbirds Back in Marshes "Okalee!" This cheery song tells you the red-wing blackbirds are back! Adult males often return to the same territory they held the previous year. How do they recognize it? Hear about Professor Robert Nero's fascinating experiments about red shoulders and territories. Were Mother Goose's "four-and-twenty blackbirds" related to our red-winged blackbirds? And can you tell a chap from a chip? Learn six redwing calls and then play Name That Tune! March 15: Loons Prepare to Migrate With New Feathers Is it the weather, or is something loony about this year's loon migration? January brought reports of loons in fairly northern fresh water lakes, and last week one may have returned to its Wisconsin breeding lake. What if ice starts closing in? How does a loon keep its unfeathered body parts warm in frigid waters? Loon feathers get a lot of wear and tear. Learn about molting, and contemplate the dangers to loons at a time when they're unable to fly at all. March 22: Are the Swallows Back in Capistrano? Swallows are swooping in! Barn swallows from the coasts and clearly heading north--with a record-breaking early bird in Madison, WI on March 13. And right on time, the Cliff Swallows are back in San Juan Capistrano from their Argentina wintering grounds. Why do they return so faithfully? If a falcon caught a swallow, would its dinner be mainly red meat or white meat? You'll find out when you explore our new lesson on Muscle Magic. March 22: News From Right Whale Calving Grounds Right now the great whales are taking care of their newest generations on ocean calving and birthing grounds. Survey teams reported sightings of 15 or more right whale calves swimming at their mothers' sides, all along the coast from Hatteras to Canaveral. This is news to celebrate! One of Earth's most endangered whales, the right whale made headlines last year with sightings of 30 new calves added to the gravely endangered population, but also many deaths. What are the threats, and what's being done to protect right whales? April 5: First Female Red-winged Blackbirds Return Now that male redwings have set their breeding territories, the first females are appearing in central and southern states. Take a try at unscrambling the female's steps in constructing a redwing nest! Studies show those nests could support 1.8 kg; why so much? If Crows, starlings, grackles, and blackbirds have you confused, you'll find clear help here. To hear a redwing say "I'm queen of the marsh" (and other boasts), enjoy our blackbird language lesson. April 12, 2002: Waiting For the Humpbacks Where are humpback whales these days? This week's Signs of Spring report has the splash on Atlantic and Pacific humpback whales. Compare the songs of a humpback and a blue whale. How are humpbacks equipped for their awe-inspiring breaches? Signs of Spring and Thoughts for Earth Day 2002 It's BIRTHDAY TIME across the Northern Hemisphere. As spring unfolds, Nature welcomes billions of babies--some of them in your backyard. It's no coincidence that so many baby animals are born in the spring. Reproductive cycles are timed to maximize the chance of survival. Among all species, humans have the greatest capacity to shape and adapt to our physical environment, but ALL species have one thing in common: we all depend on the Earth for survival. So on Earth Day 2002, consider what human resource use and population growth mean to all living things. April 26: Oriole Migration is Now Underway! The oriole migration is underway! Bullock's Orioles have been turning up all over in the Southwest. An observer in Ontario heard a Baltimore oriole on April 20, and since then they've been seen there as well as in several states. By day orioles feed and hang out in small flocks, sometimes moseying north as they move from feeder to feeder, but not covering big distances until night. Why do Bullocks Orioles always have a big migration push weeks before Baltimore Orioles do? Find out how to welcome back YOUR orioles! May 3: Red-winged Blackbird Neighborhood Watch Red-winged Blackbirds are nesting in much of their breeding range. But some are still migrating, thanks to the late snow and cold weather in many places. Once redwings set up housekeeping, how do they ensure that their babies will be safe? One way is through their "neighborhood watch" program for chasing crows away. See how this interesting behavior works, and try our fun activities with springtime's redwings. May 10: Life at the Top: Earthworms and Frogs After spending the winter buried under mud at the bottom of a lake or surrounded by molding leaf litter, it's no wonder frogs are ready to sing and worms are crawling out of their burrows now that it's spring! And it's no wonder Journey North participants are so delighted to hear and see them once again. Why are frogs and worms more active by night than day? Find out what funny-looking bird adds beeping sounds to frog choruses in the evening, and why worms are trying to keep clear of that bird. Take our frog song quiz, and try a worm race to see what variables may affect escaping predation. May 17: Common Loon: Baby on Board After the mild winter, loons had an early start on migration this year. You'd think they must have arrived on their breeding lakes early, but they didn't--thanks to the cold spring keeping ice on their lakes. Our maps help you compare this year's migration to last year's. Loons get busy courting, mating and laying eggs as soon as they're back. Our audio and video clips will take you right into the field. Learn all about baby loons, who leave the nest for good when just a few hours old! May 24: Barn Swallows: Daily Marathoners Barn swallows are back on their nesting grounds! They're busy eating lots of insects and building nests on many barns, garages, and homes. Where did swallows build nests before these human structures appeared? Even when they're not migrating, these lovely birds fly about 600 miles every day to swoop up insects. How far would a swallow fly in its lifetime if it did this every day for 8 years? May 31 (FINAL REPORT): Rockabye Baby Orioles are back on their breeding grounds, bringing brilliant colors and cheerful music to people in many northern areas. Learn the steps in building an oriole nest (try it yourself!) and imagine living in an egg in a nest that often sways in the breeze. If the average weight of an oriole egg is 2.99 grams and the average weight of the empty shell is 0.20 grams, how much does the "stuff" inside the egg weigh? Find out what a baby oriole must learn in order to survive. What important thing do baby orioles learn from staring at the stars on wakeful nights? Copyright 2002 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions toour feedback form