Warm

I went outside to listen to the birds.  I should have recorded them.  I heard a woodpecker hammering, a kingfisher giggling, blue jays screeching, crows cah-ing, cardinals, titmice, chickadees, and others I don't know.  There was new growth on the rue. Leaves were beginning to show on the wild cherry.  The sky was hazy and streaked but the sun was bright and warm.  I had a good shot at a blue jay and the camera focused on the background. A titmouse climbed a pine trunk.  Maybe it had been watching the nuthatches?  The butterbutt was a perfect match in hue with the daffodils.

A squirrel almost defeated the squirrel-proof feeder.

Canada geese found something they liked in the water just below our yard. There was more action on the lake than the creek.  Turtles soaked up sun while ducks stirred up food.

A blue jay with a misshapen beak visited the feeder outside my window.  It looked like another bird had pecked its neck.  It was able to pick up a bark butter ball but I don't know how well it eats otherwise. 

I finally saw the kingfisher but it took off before I had it in focus.The south wind brought not only warmth but clouds.  There wasn't a sunset, just dropping light.  After dark I could see the first quarter moon overhead, but it was just a blur of white. The warmth and the South wind may be pushing spring migrants.  This map suggests it's time to put an optimistic hummer feeder out.