Like a lamb

March exited gently with some sun and a little rain and temperatures in the 60s.  A blue jay breakfasted on barkbutter balls.  A white throated sparrow foraged beneath.  A crow wanted barkbutter balls very much.  A downy ate seeds while starlings ate suet.  Brown headed and white breasted nuthatches also had seeds.  A mockingbird arrived after the barkbutter balls were gone.  The male red bellied woodpecker was not happy about the starlings.  

Signs of Spring

The sun shone and the creek shone back.   Starlings came early to finish off the suet.  A yellow rumped warbler hung around hoping for a chance at the suet.  Then a fish drive swept through.  It was a flock of red breasted mergansers again.  Either they were all female or the males were in winter drab.  I didn't see any fish, though - maybe they swallow them under water?  There were well over two dozen ducks.  A cormorant that joined the fun was distinctly larger.  A little while later the flock came straggling back downstream. 

A white throated sparrow perched on a dogwood branch.  A brown headed nuthatch visited the birdbath for a drink before seeds.  It was very picky and tossed many away.   A Carolina wren worked on the remnant of suet.  A mockingbird wandered around the pool cover, then took a turn at the suet.  

A blue jay wondered if I had refilled the dish feeders.  I hadn't.  Downy woodpeckers worked on the suet.  Red bellied woodpeckers appeared and disappeared without eating.  A pileated woodpecker made a brief inspection.  That motivated me to get the dishes refilled.  Later. K hung another block of suet.

After lunch the temperature reached 78 but there was a cool breeze.  I went out and watched insects.  There were lots of Polistes wasps harvesting wood pulp.  Carpenter and bumblebees were hunting nectar.  Cabbage whites also sought refreshment.  Later I saw a dark butterfly.  A squirrel ate tender oak leaves.  Rusty-red ants roamed the concrete looking for food, I suppose.  And then ... I saw a skink!  It was an adult with a regrown tail. 

A white breasted nuthatch came for seeds despite my proximity.   I snapped a picture of glimpsed movement and got a blue gray gnatcatcher!  Along the creek shore came a yellow crowned night heron, first this season.  It tread delicately through the goose deterrents. 

The sky was mostly clear but at sunset a small cloud picked up the orange light.  The newspaper today discussed the warm winter and prognostications for outdoor planting.  Ken Spencer said, "December, January and February — was a warm one. The average high was 2.2 degrees above normal; the average low, 3.7 degrees above normal; and the mean, 2.4 degrees above, according to the National Weather Service, Norfolk. All three months were above normal. The highest recorded temperature for the period was 77, on Jan. 26; the lowest low, 22 on Jan. 17. I counted 22 days in which the temperature was 32 or below. And of those, only 10 days were 28 or below, the weather service threshold for a hard freeze. Seven of those days came between Jan. 16 and 23. That was our winter."  He also spoke about the rain and wind, and no doubt wrote before this past week's drenching.  For gardening, he echoed the advice I posted a couple of days ago. 

Flowers everywhere

The sun poured through rents in the clouds and the creek was all aglow.  As the air warmed, the clouds dissipated.  Finally I got a satisfactory picture of the white breasted nuthatch.  Two mockingbirds wanted breakfast so I refilled the dishes.  But that brought the starlings and a half dozen of them gate-crashed all day.  A myrtle warbler prospected for windfalls.  The male downy showed his annoyance with the starlings by erecting his little red topknot.  The cardinals were courting. 

Pine trees started to catch up to the hardwoods so we can expect lots more yellow pollen.  Violets bloomed in the French drain but I didn't see any in the grass.  Money plant was all in bloom, especially around where the hibiscus will come up.  I caught a bumblebee in an azalea blossom.  A cabbage white flitted across the yard.  The winter was so mild that last year's fern fronds were still green.  The mosses, liverworts, and lichens were refreshed by the rain.  There were flowers on the domestic cherry and the dark purple iris. 

After lunch, I watched birds in the bright sunshine.   A red bellied woodpecker cussed me out which was foolish because I was keeping the starlings away.  A pine warbler hoped for some suet.  A brown headed nuthatch visited the seeds.  After I came in the red bellied woodpecker finally got her seeds. 

At supper time a ship of fools drifted downstream as they tried to restart the outboard motor.  The little boat looked way too full of people to me.  I didn't bother to take a picture. 

 

Rain

The whole day was dark and the North wind ensured that windows were smeared with rain so I couldn't take decent pictures.  I was able to see a white breasted nuthatch, a Carolina wren, a red bellied woodpecker, a mockingbird, white throated sparrows, a myrtle warbler, and the ubiquitous starlings.  

The newspaper reported we got 3 inches of rain.  The bucket I left outside agreed.  The last freeze this year was January 18 which made me curious about the average last frost date for our location.  I found this.  It suggests that it's safe to plant by mid April.  This winter has been so warm, and March so wet. I want to cast seeds around. 

Drizzle

The creek reflected the muted colors of a sunless day.  The mockingbirds were back but they had to compete with the starlings.  A handful of white throated sparrows hunted for fallen seeds.  Above them, the female red bellied woodpecker picked seeds out of the feeder and naturally dropped some.  The azalea with white flowers started to bloom.  

Overcast

The starlings finished off the suet but K hung a fresh block.  I don't think the pileated woodpeckers ever ate any of the last one - the last time I saw a pileated was ten days ago.  However, the red bellied woodpeckers made frequent visits.  Mockingbirds returned too.  A titmouse was displeased that the barkbutter dish was empty.  White throated sparrows stuck to terra firma.  I saw the white breasted nuthatch again but it took off just as I snapped it.  Myrtle warblers scavenged what they could find.  A female oriole found the jelly.  

A great blue heron landed on the dock.  The creek was gray with a surface that looked like sandpaper, flat but rough.  The hackberry was leafing out.  

Cold sun

Two mockingbirds came for breakfast.  Yellow rumped warblers were also up early.   The female red bellied woodpecker chose seeds but the male wanted suet.  His belly was redder than hers.  A junco visited but didn't come near the feeders.  I saw a white breasted nuthatch but it spooked and didn't come back.  White throated sparrows cleaned up the patio.  A female oriole checked the jelly dish.

Fierce wind gusts disturbed the creek.  A flock of female red breasted mergansers rolled through the water chasing fish.  Pelicans and egrets cruised over the creek avoiding the worst of the wind.  

Camera problems

The sun was back but the Northeast wind stripped away all warmth.   Starlings gobbled suet and later mealworms.  A mockingbird tried to get a fair share.  Titmice braved the wind for seeds and suet.  Bluebirds appeared as soon as I put out mealworms.  After the camera quit, I saw a female oriole on the jelly dish.  Pelicans congregated over the more sheltered creek.  

Rain and wind

Heavy rain fell at breakfast.  A mockingbird, the female red bellied woodpecker, titmice, a pair of cardinals, and a couple of warblers were hungry enough to ignore the weather.  The suet gave a warbler no shelter but at least it didn't get soggy.  The mockingbird kept shaking water off its feathers, but the barkbutter dish was flooded.  The overhang on the seed feeder kept the red bellied woodpecker drier.  When the cardinal got a turn it wouldn't share with a titmouse. 

The rain trailed off after lunch.  White throated sparrows picked at suet crumbs.  A Carolina wren tried each feeder before giving up.  A pelican flew past.  I went to a program that was not what I expected and mostly a waste of time.  But by 4pm, surfaces were beginning to dry.  Sunlight occasionally found a path through the clouds. Though the wind stayed gusty, the creek grew placid.  A pair of buffleheads paddled downstream.  

Still windy

Dawn added tangerine tints to the clouds.  The wind flipped directions from yesterday and gusts ruffled feathers and the creek.  Buds began to open on a second dogwood and on a hackberry. A mockingbird was up before the sun.  The red bellied woodpecker breakfasted on seeds.  A myrtle warbler enjoyed some jelly and a blue jay found the barkbutter balls.   An egret perched on a dock post.  Pelicans continued to patrol the creek.  

Rough wind

To paraphrase the Bard, "Rough winds do shake the darling buds of March."  The wind also roughened the creek.  A bluebird, a mockingbird, and the female red bellied woodpecker came looking for breakfast before I was willing to endure the wind to put out food.  A myrtle warbler foraged on the ground since the feeders were empty.  It found one of the stale walnut pieces. 

After I finally took some mealworms out, two mockingbirds came back, along with crows.  One of the crows also relished the stale walnuts.  A female oriole got a drink from the ant moat.  Then she indulged in jelly.  K restocked the seeds and suet.  Starlings took over and frustrated the oriole and the mockingbird.  The female red bellied woodpecker came back for seeds and seeded the mulch below.  

The sapsucker moved to the backyard to test the wild cherry sap.  I only glimpsed his head.  A white throated sparrow scuttled around the patio. 

We're hungry!

The creek and the azaleas were both so lovely, I didn't know where to focus.  But the birds were sulking because there were no seeds in the seed feeder, no suet in the suet cage, no barkbutter, no mealworms, no jelly!  The blueberries bloomed.  The buds on the sweet gum were swelling.  The wind stretched out the flag across the creek and quickly drove me indoors.  The moon was bright but the camera refused to see anything but a white blob with a halo.  

Vernal Equinox

The creek glittered in the early light.  A white throated sparrow prospected for breakfast. The  azaleas were gorgeous.  K reminded me that the extra day in this leap year made the equinox come a day early by the calendar.  But when I checked sunrise and sunset, equal day and night actually happened on Saturday, March 16th when the sun rose at 7:14am and set at 7:14pm.  That was also the first quarter moon.  When I returned from the library, there was a sapsucker in the pecan tree.  However, I had to get to an online meeting and when that was over, I forgot to look for the bird.  

Chilly

Dawn clouds were sweetly tinted.  The red bellied woodpecker couldn't wait for seeds.  Mockingbirds were close behind.  The air was chilly so I didn't rush to put out food but eventually the dishes were restocked.  And re-emptied.  A butterbutt was late to the party.  

Mockingbirds

The warmth returned, but with cloudy skies.  Two mockingbirds made several visits for food.  The woodpeckers and starlings finished off the suet.  A downy was very frustrated by a pileated.  Eventually the downy ate some seeds.  Then the yellow cat made everyone nervous.  

The female red bellied woodpecker ignored the suet in favor of seeds.  A white breasted nuthatch, maybe two, defeated my attempts to get a photo.  Warblers were less flighty.  When I filled the barkbutter ball dish, the blue jays were right on it.  A crow was close behind.  Then bluebirds came.  White throated sparrows bustled around the mulch.

The narcissus bloomed.  After the birds ate all the barkbutter balls I put out some mealworms.  All the birds seemed to drop more than they ate, but the ground foragers will take care of the fallen.  Even the orioles turned up for mealworms.  The red bellied woodpecker didn't want to share seeds with the downy.  I was surprised that the mockingbird, which is bigger, deferred to the female oriole on the matter of mealworms.  

Temperature drop

The creek was lovely at breakfast with magenta azaleas in the foreground and a pair of wood ducks paddling by.  Even though the temperature dropped about 20° from yesterday, Spring clearly had arrived.  A few violets were blooming.  The yellow daffodils were about finished and the "fried eggs" narcissus were about to pop.  Still, there were pelicans fishing on the creek.  

The starlings and pileated woodpeckers tore through the suet.  Warblers hoped I would refill the dishes.  The female red bellied woodpecker dug seeds out of the feeder.  A couple of blue jays kept an eye on the barkbutter dish.  A cabbage white circled the pool aimlessly.  

Hot day

Morning was windy so we had pelicans.  One azalea bush began blooming.  Oak, maple, and dogwood were blooming while the wild cherry put out leaves.  A couple of cabbage whites flitted around egging leaves.  A patch of leucojum bloomed.  I had hoped to be rid of it. 

The temperature was 79° at lunch.  I spotted a song sparrow on a branch, then a white throat on another.  A paper wasp gnawed on an old bamboo stake.  Starlings demolished the suet and fought with each other for the privilege.  A couple of turtles enjoyed the warmth.  I had expected more of them to be basking.  By 6pm rain had begun falling.

Red-bellied woodpecker male

Brown headed nuthatches were up early as usual.  A white throated sparrow was out looking for tasty debris.  So was a Carolina wren.  A pair of mockingbirds made repeated visits.  Butterbutts scurried around.  Orioles appreciated the jelly.  The creek was beautiful and the day was very warm - 78°. 

Finally a male red bellied woodpecker showed up, very red-headed and ready to woo.  I'd about decided that the female was a spinster.  A dove plodded around.  Starlings fought over every kind of food.  A crow investigated.  In addition to the cabbage white, I saw a sulphur butterfly.  The wild cherry began to leaf out.  A violet bloomed by the birdbath.  

Osprey!

A lovely, warm, sunny day began with glowing reflections on a placid creek.  The long haired yellow cat roamed around the pool.  I discouraged that.  I restocked the dish feeders and K hung fresh suet.  A brown headed nuthatch stayed loyal to the seed feeder.  The oak buds burst.  The rosemary finally felt healthy enough to flower.  I saw bees, a yellow-kneed Polistes wasp, a cabbage white, and a ladybug beetle.  

Two osprey circled in the sky calling high-pitched keee, keee cries.  In the afternoon, I saw a mockingbird drinking from the ant moat.  I scrubbed out the bluebird house for the first time in several years.  Previously I just hauled the pile of nesting material out.  

Summer-like

The creek was exquisite at low tide in the early morning light.  The yellow long-haired cat tried to hunt birds under the feeders.  I need a Rube Goldberg device that would dump water on birdwatching cats.  A couple of brown headed nuthatches ignored the cat.  A white  throated sparrow perched in one of the dogwoods out of reach.  A pine warble landed on the feeder roof, then on the suet remnant. 

The temperature rose to 73°.  I emptied the bluebird house and, thankfully, found no eggs.  Carolina jessamine, daffodils, dandelions, and buttercups gilded the greenery. Hyacinths and a few azalea blossoms added other primary colors.  I don't know why people think Spring is pastel.  

An oriole perched in the maple, then visited the jelly.  A bluebird found the barkbutter balls.  So did a starling.  A white breasted nuthatch made it to the feeder.  A pileated woodpecker was disappointed because the suet cage was empty. 

Some buds burst on the oak and dogwood.  Buds on the blueberry bushes were close to opening and bees hovered around like it might happen any minute. I saw a cabbage white flitting around and after dark a tiny silver moth shaped like an isosceles triangle on the window.  Spider threads lurked on the jessamine. 

Four woodpeckers

Some fishing occurred at dawn.  I saw cormorants for sure.   The creek surface was roughened.  Up on the patio, a myrtle warbler wanted a drink from the drying birdbath.  The male pileated tackled the suet.  I got a glimpse of a white breasted nuthatch but it did not return. 

In the late morning, red winged blackbirds came back along with starlings and cowbirds.  By then the temperature had climbed enough that I refilled the dish feeders.  This time I put out barkbutter balls for a change.  A bluebird was watching.  A female yellow-shafted flicker landed in the dogwood but came no closer.  

A handful of hoodies paddled by on the far side of the creek.  A pine warbler studied the menu.  By this time the wind had grown very gusty and was waving whole pine trees.  The wind, or something, made birds cautious and easily spooked.  The red bellied woodpecker, for example, snatched a barkbutter ball and was gone.  I had to lie in wait for her.  Blue jays were even worse. 

A few white throats came to forage along with a song sparrow.  The male oriole finally settled in for some jelly.  A Carolina wren also poked through the mulch.  Downy woodpeckers squeezed in whenever the starlings left the suet.  That made four woodpecker species today.  Buds on the dogwood and the oak seemed to be swelling.  The newspaper started reporting on pollen last Friday. 

Windy

Because of the time change I was up earlier, before the day had shown what weather to expect.  A titmouse, a butterbutt, a song sparrow and two white throated sparrows were already seeking breakfast.  The creek was still and high with the new moon, but the trees it reflected were just gray.  Soon, though, there was sunlight and two brown headed nuthatches appeared.  Although only 20 minutes had passed, the creek surface had become rumpled.  Fierce-looking clouds boiled up from the horizon but they were all show and no storm.

The starlings arrived and began to argue about the food. The female pileated woodpecker scared them away.  Then a crow scared the woodpecker when it prospected for suet crumbs. 

Blue jays discovered that I'd put out mealworms.  Then the starlings had to have some.  The female red bellied woodpecker worked hard to extract seeds.  Bluebirds heard about the mealworms.  The male bluebird tried seeds as well.  He had one feather sticking out at an angle.  (I hope it drops somewhere I can find it.)  Orioles found the jelly. 

A flicker hunted in the pine needles and dried vegetation of the far side of the pool.   A dove joined a squirrel in rooting through the mulch under the feeder. 

Pelicans patrolled the creek and one floated downstream.  By this time the tide had dropped though the wind was affecting it.  Warblers were here and there at lunchtime.  A white breasted nuthatch escaped the camera while my hands were full of lunch. The orioles had another dispute over jelly.  The male pileated took a turn at the suet.  A small flock of red-winged blackbirds clustered around the birdbath.  Three brown headed cowbirds, one female, were with the half dozen blackbirds. 

The wind got stronger as the day progressed.  Dark clouds continued to blow over.  The late afternoon sun lit up the trees in front of the clouds, then turned the clouds yellow. 

Rainy day

Another warm, rainy day was accompanied by an extra-high tide this time.  The surfboard that washed up onto the dock a couple of weeks ago washed back off.  But K rescued it.  The pileated woodpeckers were back for more suet.  A couple of squirrels turned the creek-side dogwood into a honeymoon suite.  The female red bellied woodpecker dug into the seeds.  Myrtle warblers continued to fuss about pecking order.  White throated sparrows hunted for fallen seeds.  The rain became more of a mist in the afternoon.  A Carolina wren poked through the dead vegetation under my window.  

Oriole standoff

A female pileated woodpecker worked on what was left of the suet. Then she hunted for what she'd dropped.  And she found it!  The female red bellied woodpecker was only interested in seeds.  Warblers and white throated sparrows foraged.  The tide rain high and rough. 

A female oriole had jelly for breakfast.  I put out mealworms and a male oriole showed up.  The female oriole kept an eye on him from her perch on the jelly dish.  Soon he barged in and took over the jelly.  She sulked in the camellia. 

Meanwhile, a brown headed nuthatch was frustrated by finches hogging the seeds but eventually got a turn.   A female bluebird had some mealworms.  A blue jay watched from the oak.  The female oriole returned to the jelly. 

This time, when the male oriole tried to take over the feeder dish she was not intimidated and kept her beak between him and the jelly.  Eventually he gave up and waited till she was finished.  I took lots of pictures but I wish I'd thought to make a movie.  

A song sparrow hopped down the steps to look for suet crumbs.  Later it looked in the birdbath for seeds.  Bufflehead drakes paddled downstream.  Then female buffleheads headed upstream.  A white breasted nuthatch got seeds. 

There were buds ready to open on the azalea.  Turtles basked on every available surface.  Occasionally pelicans flew past.  

Drying out

We got over four inches of rain this week and more is predicted.  But none fell today so I put jelly and barkbutter balls out.  The suet may not last till the next dry day.  Pileated woodpeckers gave it a thorough pecking.  The female red bellied woodpecker still ignored the suet in favor of the seeds.  The downy shared the pileated's preference.  

The creek was in a reflective mood in the early light but there was no sunshine to make the water glow.  A pelican passed over.  A bluebird checked out the menu.  A brown headed nuthatch got some seeds.  Then white breasted nuthatches did the same.  

Around 12:30pm a bit of blue opened up in the Northeast and soon the clouds were rolling back.  The wind that pushed the clouds away felt cold, but the temperature was close to 60°.  Blue jays stuffed their beaks with barkbutter balls.  Starlings copied them.  Butterbutts were more interested in the suet.  

Sign of Spring - A female cardinal had a beak full of twigs!  A pair of brown headed cowbirds hung out with the starlings.  The female orioles found the jelly.  

Evening arrived with bars of cloud across the Northeast sky.  It made an interesting backdrop for the cormorant commute.  

Dismal day

It rained all day and into the night.  A brown headed nuthatch grabbed a seed.  House finches and the occasional chickadee ate seeds too.  A male bluebird tried for some suet since the barkbutter dish was full of rain.  A female bluebird opted for seeds.  The seed trough was more sheltered than the suet but a yellow rumped warbler chose suet.  A female oriole was unhappy with all the choices.  Crows appeared to be unbothered by the weather.  A turtle hauled out on the log - perhaps the air was warmer than the water.  A bufflehead spent more time under water than in the rain.  

Gray and warm

The rain ended before I got up, but the sky was gray and the air damp.  The feeder dishes overflowed - fortunately they had been nearly empty.  The female red bellied woodpecker woke up hungry for seeds.  A song sparrow was also up early.  

I emptied the mealworm bag and that attracted a titmouse.  Pileated and downy woodpeckers traded off at the suet.  Female orioles thought the mealworms were good but were happier when I got them some jelly.  A yellow rumped warbler wandered forlornly waiting for the bigger birds to leave.  A white throated sparrow searched the ground with more purpose.  I glimpsed a brown headed nuthatch. 

A squirrel thought it saw something good in the birdbath and worked hard to dislodge it but came up empty, and wet.  Bluebirds rejoiced in the mealworms and the male actually evicted a male cardinal.  There were two females with him.  In the afternoon we got some sunshine but mostly cloudy skies.  The temperature was in the 60s. 

Rain

Pileated woodpeckers and a mockingbird managed to get fed before the rain began.  Later while the rain was still light, I saw a Carolina wren.  Soon the windows were covered with rivulets of rain.  The birdbath looked as rough as the high seas. 

Springlike weather

Today was warm and sunny and full of birds.  A squirrel tried to burglarize the seed feeder.  The jelly was popular with warblers and orioles and was all gone by late afternoon.  Blue jays were happy the barkbutter balls reappeared.  The red bellied woodpecker thought so too.  

Pileated woodpeckers stuck with suet.  A handful of white throated sparrows looked for windfalls.  I spotted a red winged blackbird in the dogwood but it came no closer.  At least one pelican flew along the creek.  A couple doves walked around the patio.  Starlings ate everything except seeds. 

The long haired yellow cat was back, but seemed fascinated by something along the far edge of the pool.  Then it came over to the feeders and I told it to depart.  

I went outside to enjoy the day.  Two female orioles and a brown thrasher hung out in the budding red maple tree.  A mockingbird that I had been chasing with the camera finally held still in the tree.  Then I saw two flickers in the oak.  They displayed a white patch on the back at the base of the tail which I had not seen a flicker do before.  

I put out mealworms instead of more barkbutter balls that had been gobbled up so fast.  After I went back inside, a Carolina wren and then a bluebird showed up.  Clouds gathered.  A white breasted nuthatch came for seeds.  The short tailed squirrel got into something unpleasant that it tried to wipe off its face.  I wonder if it was a fragment of hot pepper suet.  Who knew a squirrel could be accident-prone?  The clouds made a colorful sunset.  

Wet day

The birdbath and the ant moat were brim full with rain.  Off-and-on rain kept everything wet all morning.  Despite the rain, white throated sparrows kicked the wet mulch looking for fallen seeds.  The creek was quiet and gray.  Daffodils bowed to keep water off their stamens.  The bossy butterbutt worked to get at the remnant of suet which was so small it was escaping from the cage.  The downy woodpecker took over.  The half-a-tail squirrel came to  look for seeds in the mulch.  It couldn't shelter under its tail like other squirrels.  A pine warbler went to the seed feeder since nothing else was available.  

Eventually the rain ended and the clouds broke up.  A female bufflehead floated on the creek.  A white breasted nuthatch helped itself to seeds.  

Woodpeckers

The yellow long-haired cat was out hunting for breakfast.  Nevertheless, March did not come in like a lion. Morning was sunny though chilly.  Pileated, red bellied, and downy woodpeckers all visited.  The red bellied female was not interested in the suet, but the others nearly demolished it.  Starlings helped.  A mockingbird surveyed the feeders but didn't stay. 

A strange contraption motored downstream.  There was a boat with an outboard motor traveling backward, pulling a barge with a yellow construction (destruction?) machine with a jointed arm on caterpillar treads.  I couldn't see what was at the end of the arm because a stack of boards or panels was in the way.  The barge seemed a lot bigger than necessary.  The whole thing maneuvered very slowly around the bend below the dam.  Clouds moved in during the afternoon and the light became gray.