It has been very birdy recently. We enjoyed the winter birds, and this month have been starting to notice the spring birds, which are much more vocal. Some will be nesting locally and some will just be migrating through. I also took a closer look in the yard today to find the first flowers.
Resident robin resting late in the afternoon in the oak tree. Where will the nest be this year?
Another robin picture. This time in the maple tree next door that is about to flower.
The male northern cardinal has been singing a lot recently. This is not a great picture, but you can see the daffodils in the background that are slowly nudging up.
I love it when the mourning dove visits.
The vernal witch-hazel has been blooming for a while now.
The first yellow snow crocus blooms are so cheery.
I noticed another crocus blooming near the house. On closer inspection it looks like the rabbit ate the green shoots right off.
I had noticed this flower from my office window and thought it was an anemone, until I took a closer look today and saw this purple crocus, which I don’t think I planted here….
One more crocus picture!
I have been hearing sandhill cranes every day around noon over the past week. Large flocks of them tend to circle in our area, catching an updraft before moving on.
Our Saturday walks last week and this week have given us a glimpse of quite a few migrating birds.
Little Red Schoolhouse – March 16
Common mergansers
Hooded mergansers – a little blurry
Song sparrow?
A white-tailed deer on the path watched us as we watched it.
Ice crystals on the river last week. Now most ice has melted.
McGinnis Slough – March 23
The air was filled with the sound of red-winged blackbirds this morning.
Male northern shoveler.
The paths around the slough were flooded. We had worn our winter boots, but still had to head into the thicket to go around the water. Dan fearlessly pushed through the brush.
Ring-necked ducks
Lesser scaup
Buffleheads
Mallard couple nesting. I hope the ducks and geese did not lose eggs in the flooded waters.
It was a gorgeous sunny morning as we walked down the path in the other direction toward the open water. We paused to listed to the chickadees and woodpeckers.
Finally we came to the view where we could see hundred and hundred of ducks. A muskrat was swimming around in the reeds near us as we listened to the red-winged blackbirds overhead and enjoyed the sun on our backs.
Spring is on the way!
Little Backyard World 