Gale

The South wind roared all day and drove the temperature up to 70°.  At times, fierce gusts grounded birds. The Carolina wren pair arrived early.  Pine warblers shared suet with downy woodpeckers.  Blue jays were sneaky but bluebirds were more cooperative. 

I startled a kingfisher and it got away without a portrait.  I did catch a hooded merganser pair.  A female bufflehead was diving around the pilings of the dock across the creek.  Later I saw a drake. 

The white throated sparrow dashed around the patio.  The mockingbird switched to bark butter balls.  The pine warblers argued over the suet.