Cold and clearing

Soft, fat clouds, tinted cream or smudge gray, are moving fast on an icy wind. A crow proclaimed from the top of the sweet gum. There are V tracks on the creek, Geese paddled by and a pelican and an egret flew downstream. The osprey circled and hovered.

Juncos and cardinals on the feeder, juncos and white throats on the ground, along with squirrels. One white throat is working on a gumball while the other digs in the mulch under the rosemary. The cardinal pair visit one at a time, first male then female.

The clouds have all blown away. Lots of pelicans are out on patrol. Some chickadees finally showed up. They seem more intimidated by the little juncos than by the bigger finches and cardinals. The first daffodil is blooming and the Carolina jessamine, undeterred by the cold, has buds all over.