Spring mornings are just about perfect. I usually grab a cup of coffee and head to the deck for a few minutes of quiet listening. Listening to the natural world around me. The air is filled with bird song. I try to concentrate only on the sounds of nature with the hope of drowning out any man-made noises, such as the constant road noise and rumble of truck and car traffic, becoming more and more invasive from the nearby roads. A “proper human sound,” as Wendell Berry refers to is not so easy to find these days.

Wild turkey hen. Photo by Bob Heins

This time of year I enjoy all the bird song. One in particular always gets my attention, the gobbling of the Tom turkeys. Their echoing gobble comes from the distant woods and drifts on the morning air like a haunting melody. So secretive and shy, to hear their spring call floating through the woods and across the fields, is a treat. They are our wild neighbors even though we rarely see them, and then only from a distance. Their secretive nature only makes them more intriguing.

Gobbler displaying. Photo by Bob Heins

To see the Toms in full display is a thrill. They spread their large tail feathers into a dramatic fan-shape, fluff up the rest of their feathers until they look two or three times their normal size, and fan their wings out at their sides. With their heads a colorful blue, they strut and dance about in a slow display of courtship. The coloration of turkey feathers when lit by the sun is gorgeous. Not only bronze, but also red, green, gold, purple, and copper glisten from the feathers. They remind me of the color of oil on water. Friends who enjoy watching the turkey dance as it takes place in the fields near their home sent this picture.

There’s a fascinating documentary that aired on Nature in 2011 about turkeys called, “My Life as a Turkey.” The documentary follows Joe Hutto, a naturalist and wildlife artist in the Florida panhandle as he spends a year being the mother to a group of young turkeys. Hutto finds a bowl with about 20 turkey eggs on his doorstep one day (the eggs were recovered from an area that was to be mown by a tractor). From the moment each egg hatches, Hutto is imprinted on them as the mother hen. For the next year, Hutto’s life is dedicated to raising the young turkeys almost if they were being raised in the wild.

Having studied turkeys, and somewhat of an expert on the birds, Hutto said he already knew wild turkeys were smart, but he discovered they have extraordinary intelligence and use it daily for problem solving. I found it really fascinating in the film to discover what a complex language they share in their group dynamics. The cinematography in this documentary is exceptional.

 The film was based on Hutto’s book, Illumination in the Flatwoods, and his experience in the 1990s.The documentary is a genuine recreation and a complete replication of Hutto’s experiment in raising the young turkeys. The actor in the film spent a year, just as Hutto did, raising the young turkeys used in the filming. It’s a documentary well worth watching. Hutto has a new book out, The Light In High Places: A Naturalist Looks at Wyoming Wilderness–Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, Cowboys, and Other Rare Species. Both books are on my reading list.

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On fence patrol

I mentioned in an earlier post that we were preparing (fencing chickens out) the various beds and gardens for planting. We’ve been lucky so far in that they haven’t figured out they could easily fly over these rather short fences. I do think they’ve organized a fence patrol. They can be frequently seen marching around the outside of the fence looking for a way in.

Always eager to help, the chickens are never far away when dirt is being turned over for any reason. I recently set two planters out of the greenhouse that had winter lettuce. The lettuce had become spindly and eager to bolt, so it was time for it to go into the compost.

Chicken spa day

As with many tasks around here, projects are started but rarely finished without numerous diversions getting in the way. This project was no exception. After setting the planters outside I got sidetracked and ended up somewhere else. By the time I returned, the planters had become the location of the latest chicken spa. The hens were lined up, eager to have their turn in these fancy new luxurious dirt-bath tubs. They were simply in heaven as the dirt flew in all directions. Little dirt remained in the planters by the time they were finished.

Prior to the rains, we’d had several nice days, leaving the gardens just right for tilling. The sound of the tractor with the tiller engaged must be akin to the dinner bell to human ears. With not a chicken in sight, as soon as the tiller makes its first pass chickens seem to materialize out of thin air. Opening the fence to get the tractor in the gardens is an irresistible invitation to scramble inside for a scratch fest. Chickens must be herded back out before fences can be closed.

The bird herd was extremely excited when they noticed the fence coming down around what we call the lower garden. We decided to remove the fence, till, and leave it to the chickens until we were ready to plant. They spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the fresh tilled dirt.

Dead chicken! No just dusting.

On one of our warm days last week I came upon what one might think was surely a dead chicken. Look at this picture. Doesn’t this look like a mangled pile of feathers attached to a lifeless body? The head is turned upside down, feathers all askew and covered in dirt. It looked more like something that had been thoroughly shaken by a rather large terrier. No, this was Chaser having a luxurious dust bath. Buffy was also in dirt up to her neck and in chicken heaven nearby.

Old Girl sunbathing

Our oldest hen, Old Girl, sometimes we call her Fox Bait, was also enjoying the sunshine. Here, she is sprawled out in the green grass, wing spread in a classy repose showing a flirty glimpse of leg.

She earned the name Fox Bait after being snatched unceremoniously one past spring day by a fox (probably a vixen with a den full of hungry mouths to feed) right from the backyard. Our ritual after lunch nap was brought to an abrupt and noisy halt by the sound of, “I’m in the jaws of a fox,” squawking. We jumped from our recliners in a sleep-dazed stupor, and ran to the back deck to find Old Girl dangling from the jaws of the fox as it trotted away. My husband’s caveman instincts kicked in. He picked up a piece of 2 X 4 and flung it with great accuracy at the fox. She dropped the chicken, ran a few feet away, and to our utter surprise, turned and reconsidered coming back for a second try. She wanted that chicken, especially since she had probably absconded with the two others that had disappeared in recent days. After her return attempt was met with loud shouts and clapping, she decided to wait and try again later. With only a few neck feathers missing, Old Girl seemed to be unharmed and has lived to tell the tale.

While the chickens can be a pain-in-the-neck they do keep us entertained. Gathering eggs is often like an  Easter egg hunt. Yesterdays eggs were nicely hidden inside the dog barrel. Having chickens does keep us on our toes.

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The Magee Marsh Wildlife Area covers some 2,200 acres. Add to that several thousand acres of other protected marshes and coastal wetlands and you have almost 12,000 acres of diverse bird habitat. This unique and rich habitat is owned and managed by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Magee Marsh is a must visit for many birders across the country and is a world-class birding destination. A visit during spring or fall migration and you can see why. With its proximity to Lake Erie migrating birds gather here to take a break, refuel and rest before continuing migration. Some 140 species have been documented as nesting in this area. This area is known as the Warbler Capital of the World. 

The Big Week events are organized by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, and supported by many other organizations in the area. There is plenty of birding information available, a wide variety of free and paid events, tours and workshops, and if you’re looking for some new binoculars or other optics this is the place to see what’s out there.

Having heard about the spring migration and how many beautiful warblers one can see along the boardwalk, I knew I could not leave without a visit to Magee. Though there are thousands of acres that make up the area, the Magee Marsh Bird Trail, a mile-long boardwalk that rambles through a 34-acre section of swamp forest, is a hot spot for birders this time of year. I’d also heard the boardwalk would be elbow to elbow with enthusiastic birders and it certainly was.

I couldn’t wait to set foot on the boardwalk. It’s easy to find the birds because twenty or thirty other birders already have their binoculars focused on them. When you spot a crowd with binoculars up, and all looking in the same direction, you know they’re looking at something. Everyone was eager to spread the word so a simple, “what are you seeing,” was answered with the bird identification and lots of pointing. Within the first ten feet of the boardwalk, I had my glasses focused on a magnificent blackburnian warbler. This handsome little warbler was only a few feet from the boardwalk gleaning the branches for insects. He put on quite a show for everyone watching.

As I meandered down the boardwalk, I felt a little out-of-place with my tiny camera which seemed more like a toy compared to the high-powered equipment in tow by so many of the other birders. I’m sure there were some fabulous photos taken. Even with my small camera I came away with a few shots good enough to show you what a thrill a stroll on the Magee Marsh boardwalk can be. The great thing about this time of year is the leaves are just starting to come out so the birds are much easier to spot and get a good look at.

I could have stayed on the boardwalk for hours but had a long drive ahead of me so only stayed for about an hour and a half. It was great fun and so exciting to have so many of these fabulous birds darting amongst the vegetation at close range. There is so much more of the area to see including the marsh ponds where loads of waterfowl congregate. This is definitely one location I must return to when I have a couple of days to spend.

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Spring Has Sprung in the Mojave – Diane Pierce

The cottonwood trees are leafed out, Great-horned owls hoot to each other in the mornings, and burros are frisky. Temperatures have climbed to the 80‘s, then down to the 70‘s, and Death Valley recorded the earliest 100 degree reading in five years.

Rainfall during winter months means life and flowering for plants, and rain is sporadic. In Ohio the average rainfall per year is 40 inches, here it is seven in an abundant year. It can fall in one valley and not another a mile away, or gentle rain can douse the land for many miles around. Timing is everything, and plants are adapted to dry conditions with many spines, small leaves coated in wax for water retention, and huge root systems anchored to the water table deep down beneath the earth.

At an elevation of 3,400 ft, we recently cruised up Beatty Wash, a rocky dirt path meandering to the nuclear test site boundary, where we saw the deer I wrote about in my last blog post. No deer this time, but plenty of burros, including this baby with family.

A golden eagle soared, and primroses bloomed a showy yellow. A red-tailed hawk pair dove at each other,while the Joshua trees huge white flower heads graced their tops. These Joshua trees are a giant member of the Genus Yucca. Roy got this picture of a shrike poised on the top, it’s mate was nearby on another yucca. Small birds are scattered, but I have heard and seen the black-throated sparrow singing its morning song out in the scrub.

 We spread birdseed on the ground right outside our motor home, but will soon end this practice so the birds will spread out or migrate away. The mixed flock of red-winged and Brewers blackbirds have been here all winter, and they know the feeding times-if that doesn’t happen when it should, they spread out on the electric wires (spaced evenly apart), and chatter incessantly, or fly near the windows. White-crowned sparrows have also been here the entire winter, doing their funny little hip-hop back and forth over the ground to uncover seeds buried in the dirt. They are the first to arrive just at dawn, singing their sweet little song to greet the day.

Some residents have left, including the one male western towhee, and the various Dark-eyed juncos. Occasionally, a sharp-shinned hawk dives into the bushes looking for a meal, and once in a while, receiving one. Three desert cottontail are daily visitors, and almost tame. Within the last few days, yellow-headed blackbirds have appeared with the other blackbirds.

 Spring is wonderful everywhere!

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Sharp-lobed Hepatica

Hepatica

Round-lobed Hepatica

As you can see hepaticas come in many different colors.

Red Toadshade Trillium (also Trillium sessile)

Sessile refers to the blossom sitting directly on the leaves with no stalk.

Red Trillium (also known as Wake-robin, Purple trillium)

The red trillium has a stalk that holds the blossom up above the leaves.

Red toadshade and red trillium together

Here the two were growing close together so you can see the difference.

Squirrel Corn

The Squirrel corn flower and leaves look much like Dutchman’s breeches, but if you look closely at the blossom it is heart-shaped. 

Squirrel eating corn!

Squirrel eating corn. Not a wildflower. Just seeing if you’re paying attention!

Dutchman’s Breeches

While the foliage looks almost identical to squirrel corn note the difference in the two blossoms.

Wood Poppy

Columbine

Bloodroot

Bluebell

Golden Corydalis (thanks Bob for identifying this)

White Trillium

White Trilliums

Jacob’s Ladder

Rue Anemone

Rue Anemone

Bellwort

For more information on the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System you can refer to my article listed under Travel.

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Red-headed Woodpecker

We get all the regulars at the feeder here during the winter months, Downy, Hairy, and Red-bellied. Just recently the Red-headed showed up to visit the feeders this spring. In years past we’ve had them visit year-round, even bringing their young to the feeders after they fledge. This red-head has become very sassy. If you happen to be in the area of the feeder when it’s ready to fly in and feed, it chatters away at you expressing its displeasure with your presence.

While we’ve never had a pileated visit the feeder, although I’ve heard other people say they have, we often see or hear them in the area. With their distinctive drumming, piercing call, powerful swooping flight, and large size, they are always a thrill to see or hear.

Northern Flicker

The Northern Flicker, another member of the woodpecker family, is also a beautiful bird. We often see them flying, the white patch on their rump quite visible when in flight. When seen from a distance, or in flight, you usually only see quick flashes of color. I’d never seen one up-close, other than through the binoculars, so I hadn’t realized just how complex and intricate they’re markings are until my husband found one dead the other day. We think it had flown into a window and probably broke its neck.

Upon examining the bird, the coloration was absolutely gorgeous. The underside of the wings and tail are a brilliant yellow with black and gray outlining. The sturdy tail feathers are like the other woodpeckers, made for propping. The spotted breast and the underside are a rich pattern of black dots with shadowy gray dots that look like a reflection of the darker spots. A prominent black crescent looks like a bib at the base of the neck.

The brown back and wings are strikingly barred. A bright red crescent is splashed at the back of the neck. This particular bird was a male because it has the black malar (moustache) just below the cheek.

It was a shame to find such a beautiful bird lifeless. I now have a much greater appreciation for their splendid appearance.

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April Sunrise

The last few days have been filled with glorious sunshine. Beautiful sunrises have greeted us each morning. Finally, the temperature hit the fifties and the last few days up into the seventies and flirting with eighty. A little too warm too fast for this time of year.

Apricot in bloom

There’s a flurry of activity in front of the beehives, a good sign for this time of year. The apricot tree has burst into blossom and is a beautiful sight. The red maples have unclenched their tight little buds and opened them to the world. The last several days there’s been a hum in the air.

Honeybee on apricot blossom

It’s a remarkable sound to stand under the maples, or near a flowering fruit tree when in full bloom. If you close your ears to the rest of the noisy, intrusive world and just listen all you can hear is the buzzing of bees. The hum permeates the fresh spring air. Honeybees and native bees flock to the new blossoms in a frenzy to gather some of the first sweet nectar and pollen of the season. These are the first abundant blossoms of spring. There is a rush to gather as much of the bounty as possible. As with most blossoms, they are fleeting and don’t last long.

Red maple in blossom

I love to stand near the blooming trees and look up through the delicate blossoms with the blue sky as the backdrop. It’s easy to see the bees, darting among the blossom-laden branches. What a glorious sight and sound, this frenzy of food gathering after a long, cold winter. To watch and listen to these tiny insects which play such a crucial role in our lives. Many people hardly realize how our lives and so much of the food we enjoy depends on them. This is the type of experience we all too often pay so little attention to. It slips away without appreciating its significance to our own existence. We’re often so busy with our day-to-day lives, the real miracles of nature slip by unnoticed.

Honeybees with maple blossom pollen

Back at the hive things are a blur as the forage bees come and go carrying nectar and pollen in as fast as they can. The pollen baskets on the back legs of many bees are huge, no doubt packed as tight as they can get them. Once in the hive, other worker bees will help the pollen gatherers remove the pollen pellets. Other workers will help the nectar gatherers empty their nectar stomachs. Both nutritious ingredients for food that will sustain, and build the hive as the days grow warmer.

Red maple blossoms with beehive

The queen too is in a frenzy, out of sight in the hive, laying hundreds or more eggs a day. The colony is building… building in strength and numbers, in preparation for the nectar flows to follow. It is this frenzied drive for nectar and pollen that plays such a vital part in the pollination and abundance, or lack of abundance, in our food supply. The nectar flows also provide the source for the sweet, golden honey that both humans and bees covet.

Honeybee on daffodil

Like the fleeting first blossoms, the magical days of spring are here for far too short a time. This is a special time of the year, and each day should be cherished, for it seems to rush by all too quickly.

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New blueberry with boards for mulch

Yesterday morning we planted two new blueberry plants in spots where two blueberries died last year. This blueberry patch is still unfenced. Our bigger patch has a permanent fence around it. After planting, I resorted to using lumber to mulch the new plants. I knew it wouldn’t be long before the soft dirt would be too much to resist. It wasn’t long before the flock had found the new plantings, and was trying their best to excavate the plants. The boards did their job quite nicely. It’s pretty bad when you have to use lumber for mulch, but whatever works!

Chickens dusting

This time of year when the garden isn’t planted yet we’re happy for the chickens to scratch around to their heart’s content. They do a good job of working the leaves I spread on last fall into the soil. Chickens also love to create dust beds. Dusting is healthy for them and is a natural way for them to rid themselves of any type of lice or mites. It’s surprising how they can almost uproot a small tree when it happens to be located near a favorite dusting spot. A pock-marked area of basketball-sized craters identifies their favorite dusting spots. With chickens, as in life, you have to pick your battles. Some aren’t worth fighting over.

Chickens helping till a new patch of ground

Chickens can be as clingy as a faithful dog. That is if there’s a chance there might be a worm unearthed. We decided yesterday was a good day to till a new plot of ground to plant something this year we don’t normally plant, like corn to feed chickens that never seem to get enough to eat. As you can see from this picture, my husband no sooner made one pass with the plow and the whole flock showed up to chip in and help. Luckily no chickens were run over and tilled in, although I’m sure they would make good compost.

Evidence from egg-eating chicken

While we love the fresh eggs we gather every day, apparently one of the hens also loves fresh eggs. I’ve been finding an egg broken and eaten on a regular basis lately. Not good! Even with all the worms, bugs, expensive chicken feed, kitchen scraps and tender fresh greens available to a free-range hen, one of them still wants more. I’m hoping to catch the culprit with egg on her face. Someone might find themself on the table for Sunday dinner soon. Most people who know me know that won’t happen. I think the chickens know these are just empty threats too. Darn it!

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April dawned with glorious sunshine against a brilliant blue sky. What a welcome sight after so many recent dreary days this winter. While the sun shone bright this morning, the temperature was still a chilly twenty degrees. I went to feed, and let the chickens out, and by the time I returned to the house my fingers were numb.

The chilly morning hadn’t dampened the spring bird song. A chorus of songs greeted me as soon as I stepped outside. Robins and a male cardinal expressed their appreciation of the sunshine from the orchard, a red-winged blackbird announced his territory from the birch tree in the front, a wren’s boisterous song sprang from the fencerow out back, and the soft warble of bluebirds floated from near the woods.

The bluebirds have been busy inspecting the various nest boxes. We came upon a pair the other day chattering to each other while poking their heads in and out of a box. This box, in the location their song came from this morning, is a favorite. Every year at least one brood is fledged and often two. This time of year you’ll see the male bluebird displaying near or on a nest box. He might wave his wings while perched on the top of the box, go in and out as if he’s inspecting it, and even carry pieces of grass in as though he’s ready to start building the nest. This is all just show of course. The female is the real nest builder and incubator of the 4-5 eggs. Only the females have the brood patch for incubation.

Troyer Bluebird Box

A week or so ago we made the rounds cleaning out the nest boxes, and readying them for this years nesting season. Not even one box had a mouse nest in it, which was a surprise. A couple of days ago we put up two more boxes, one a brand new one and one a refurbished old one. Both boxes are the Troyer design. We’ve had good luck with the Troyer. This design reduces the nesting area which helps discourage the house sparrows.

Peterson Bluebird Box – photo Bob Heins

The other box friends of ours prefer is the Peterson. It too is a box with a deep reduced nesting cavity to help deter sparrows. Both of these box designs have a large enough entrance so the bluebirds can escape if being attacked by sparrows, which are notorious for trapping the bluebirds and tree swallows inside, and killing them. Sparrows will also kill baby bluebirds and destroy eggs.

Bluebird box with PVC predator baffle installed

Since bluebirds are cavity nesters they would normally use old woodpecker holes and tree cavities. Prior to the use of metal fence posts and treated fence posts, bluebirds could be found nesting in holes in old fence posts along open areas, their preferred habitat. Once prevalent in our country, bluebird populations declined drastically from around the 1920s to the 1970s, due to a combination of a change in farming practices, pesticides, declining habitat, severe winters and competition from invasive species such as English sparrows and European starlings.

At one time, it was rare even to see a bluebird. Once the plight of the bluebird became more publicized, campaigns to help the bird recover were undertaken by groups and individuals across the country. Bluebird trails were established and thousands of nest boxes were put up for the birds. All this has led to the recovery of the much-loved bluebird.

Bluebird on Suet – photo Bob Heins

And, what’s not to love about them. The vivid royal blue and deep peach coloration of the males is gorgeous. The subtle, paler blue of the female is elegant. Though not a boisterous songster their rich soft warble and twittering is a soothing, easily identifiable sound. They are gentle, unobtrusive birds that provide a valuable service by eating thousands of insect pests throughout the year. In colder months, bluebirds will eat berries, fruit and suet. Here’s a picture from our friends feeding station where bluebirds regularly visit their suet feeder.

With the right habitat bluebirds are easy to attract with nest boxes. They prefer open fields and meadow areas with trees nearby to perch. If you place nest boxes too close to the woods edge, in shady areas or near shrubby areas more than likely a house wren will take up residence in the box. Placing boxes further away from buildings will discourage sparrows from using the boxes.

Two bluebird boxes 20 feet apart for tree swallows – photo Bob Heins

If you have tree swallows in your area, you may want to place two boxes within 15 to 20 feet of each other. Both bluebirds and tree swallows are territorial. Neither bird will tolerate a close neighbor of the same species, but they’re happy to be neighbors with one another. Tree swallows are also beautiful birds that are great eaters of mosquitoes. To prevent competition between birds of the same species place boxes 100 yards apart.

Peterson box mounted on a metal post – photo Bob Heins

Mount boxes 4-6 feet above ground in an area protected from the wind and generally south-facing. Keep the boxes at a height that makes them accessible for you to look inside to monitor the nest. Avoid placing boxes near open areas where poisonous chemicals are sprayed. It’s best not to mount boxes on trees, wooden fence posts, or poles unless predator guards are installed. Also avoid mounting them on fence posts where livestock can rub against them and knock them off.  

Once nesting begins monitor the nest. To peek into the nest without disturbing it, use a mirror. Remove sparrow nests as soon as they try to nest in any of the boxes. Sparrows make a messy nest that fills the entire box. If sparrows consistently try to nest in a box, it may need moved to a new location. Many bluebird references say to monitor for blowfly larva when the young birds are 7-10 days old. The blowfly larva will feed on the blood of the young birds and eventually kill them. The following is a method recommended for controlling these parasites without the use of poisonous chemicals, which could also harm the birds.

Bluebird babies in a nest box

According to Andrew M. Troyer’s book, “Bring Back the Bluebirds,” you should carefully remove the nest, clean the bottom of the nest box out, and look for the worms among the nest material. If worms are found, (apparently the eggs are too small to see with the naked eye), he recommends making a new nest. He says to “take a generous handful of soft dried grass and make a new handmade nest. Place the new nest in the box and transfer the babies to the new nest.” He assures readers of his book that the adults will not abandon the young after they’ve handled them. I have not tried this but now know what to do if blowfly larva is discovered. This method can be used for tree swallows also.

Wood shavings and diatomaceous earth in nesting cup to discourage ants

We have had trouble with ants taking over bluebird boxes to the point the birds have abandoned the nests. We now watch for ant trails going up the poles or posts. You can use bug spray at the base of the pole or post where the birds won’t come in contact with it. We’ve also used diatomaceous earth mixed with wood shavings and sprinkled in the bottom of the box to help deter them.

Once the young have fledged clean out the box so the birds can build a new, clean nest and start a second brood. They may start rebuilding within a week of the first brood fledging, so don’t wait too long to clean the box out.

There is plenty of information online about bluebirds, bluebird trails and various bluebird nest box plans. Bluebirds have made a remarkable recovery over the last few decades. They will continue to need our support and they are certainly worth it. 

 “Indeed, this bird seems incapable of uttering a harsh note, or of doing a spiteful, ill-tempered thing.”
John Burroughs, The Bluebird, 1867

Here are a couple of recipes for bluebird food, which they may eat during the winter months. The first was given to me by a friend who has bluebirds at her feeder regularly, eager to cobble up the mix.

Mix corn meal & peanut butter to a fine crumble mix (you’ll have to experiment with the amounts to get the crumble texture). Add dried currents or raisins. Place on a platform feeder. 

 I forget where I found this recipe

 1 c. peanut butter

1 c. quick cooking oatmeal

1 c. fine, yellow cornmeal

Mix with 1 cup of melted suet.

Place on platform feeder.

The post The Bluebirds In Spring appeared first on Hazel Freeman.

We’ve had several good runs on the maple trees and gallons of sweet, delicious maple syrup have been bottled. There is absolutely nothing like real maple syrup on a blueberry pancake topped with a dollop of real butter. While the sap continues to rise, the sugarmakers energy level and the height of the woodpile continue to diminish. Another sugar season is about over. We love to see it come, but we also breathe a sigh of relief when it ends.

The sugar maples bud out later than the red maples so they could go a little longer before their sap becomes buddy and un-useable for syrup making. The rising sap is pushing the buds to swell on the red maples. A sign it’s time to pull the taps from the trees. I mentioned the subtle signs of spring that are quietly making an appearance. The red maple buds are one of them. I couldn’t help but snap a shot of this bright red male cardinal as he perched among the swelling buds of the red maple.

 Early this morning I stood on the front porch contemplating the snow-covered ground once again. As I cursed the inches of snow and the 20-degrees below normal temperature, the sweet song of a meadowlark drifted on the crisp morning air. As he continued to sing, I searched for where the song came from. I finally spotted him on the snowy ground in the hayfield. He looked out-of-place standing there amid a carpet of white. He seemed quite confident in his efforts no matter how un-spring like it seemed.

I watched as he flew to a perch high up in a tree and continued his serenade. He was easy to spot as his bright yellow breast looked like a tennis ball perched on a limb. I snapped a distant shot. Though it’s not a very good picture, if you look closely you can see I caught him in mid-song, as his beak is wide open. This was yet another subtle little sign that a few inches of snow can’t keep spring at bay for much longer.

I thought… if this meadowlark can be happy and singing on such a day, than so should I. Though I tried to embrace the snow and cold, the sleet changing to rain, the rain changing to snow, and the snow changing back to sleet, as the day wore on, I could not bring myself to sing a happy song as the meadowlark had. To be quite honest… I’m sick of winter!  Well, maybe I am going to whine a little bit. 

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