Scipio Migrations

A lot of family history and genealogy research is centered on tracking the migration of ancestors; by boat, train, wagon or sometimes on foot they made their way first across the ocean and then westward across our nation. Sometimes they stopped for awhile at the newest frontier, then some or all of the family continued westward.
This time of year in Scipio you can witness another migration, that of birds returning from their winter homes. Some remain here in Cayuga County; some continue northward. We've recently seen the return of the red-winged blackbirds, and the blue jays have started squawking at the feeders in hopes of attracting a mate.
The Canadian geese are back and flying overhead as I write this posting in small noisy skeins towards Owasco Lake. This year we've had several snow geese as well. Their white bodies with the stark black wingtips stand out in the sky as they seek food and shelter in their journey.
Last week, it was possible to see a fairly uncommon sight; Tundra swans were flying along Owasco Lake. I looked out my window at the delightfully unexpected sight of an undulating white string of birds flying south, low over Owasco Lake in the late afternoon.
As we continue the sometimes frustrating search for our ancestors, the migration of the birds teaches us to keep our senses alert; because when we least expect it, we may find ourselves hearing or seeing something wonderful that we were not expecting. Happy researching!