Now is either the best time or worst time of year.

Birders all over have the itch to get outside and bask in the glory that is Spring Migration. The return of all sorts of birds ready for the new life of spring are arrayed in breeding plumage looking for that special someone to continue the circle of life.

The rare bird alerts that are almost dormant aside for the very rarest of occurrences during winter are now making my phone buzz hourly. As one who likes to see as many species as possible this is the frustration.

With a full time job, two kids, two cats, and a dog, it’s just not possible to leave on a moments notice when a bird shows up that shouldn’t be here.

Take earlier this month for example. Michigan had a first state record of a Pink Footed Goose in the upper lower peninsula. About a three and a half hour drive from home. I started making plans on the hopes that it would stay just 3 more days when I could take a day to head up to see an early star of the migration. The next day it was gone. Most likely headed out to it’s normal Icelandic breeding grounds.

Most frustrations though are from the easier birds that have arrived. At some point, I’ll see most of them but it’s just knowing they are back and getting antsy to add them to my yearly total. Every time an early warbler or shorebird arrival is posted, I check to see how close it is and if I can get there before it moves on or will it stay until the weekend when I can head out in search of the next yearly tally?

I guess it’s back to work. I have got to stop obsessing on adding to my list! (Yeah, like that’s going to happen!)

Nah! Where is the fun in that?