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It is very warm and sunny.  The volunteer sunflowers are making buds.  The red camellia in the front has blossoms. 

Fog

It began raining late yesterday,

Magnificent sunrise here

Lots of early birds

A great blue heron flew upwind and twenty geese passed over headed North.  On the feeder first was a Carolina wren, then chickadees, titmice, and cardinals, and finally finches.  The sun is making beautiful reflections on the creek, but it is windy and only 60. I think the angle of the sun has more effect on creek reflections than the wind.

The angle of light also changes the colors on a red spotted purple butterfly.  This one was visiting the cherry in spite of the wind.  Look at how blue one side appears.  In other light the same area is purple or brown.  I think this has become my favorite butterfly because it seems to like being photographed and because it looks so different at different times. 

Bees are busy on the rosemary.  I don't see the spider I posted yesterday.  A cloudless sunset. 

Still gray this morning

Again titmice and chickadees were up first, cardinals arrived soon after.   Mid-morning, clouds broke up somewhat and the sun peeked out.  But other parts of the sky were heavy and dark.

Over the course of the afternoon the sky has cleared and it has grown much warmer.  But the pool is now covered for the winter. 

There is an orb weaver in the sweet gum in the front yard like the one I was watching on the patio.  I think a sharp-shinned hawk flew overhead into the next yard - a small bird exploded up and away.  I think I saw a kingfisher flying down the creek, but I didn't hear the characteristic landing rattle. In a parking lot, I saw a bronze grackle tagging after a purple grackle, who cussed it out.  The holly bushes at the Kempsville Library are full of sheet webs. 

Cold and wet

Didn't stop the titmice and chickadees. Veils of rain are blowing past, but neither the wind nor the wet is keeping birds away.  A Carolina wren is exploring the gas grill.  Cardinals are down in the mulch as well as on the feeder with the chickadees.  I've noticed that chickadees almost never land on the ground.

The first camellias  are blooming, one benefit from the cold front.  It seems strange when most trees are still green.  The dogwoods of course have been turning for weeks, and there are single twigs in the sweet gum and the oak that are yellow. 

I think the rain is over.  Wasps and bees are flying. But it is still very gray. 

Still gray

But lightening up a bit.  A new color of morning glory is blooming - a rosy pink. Meanwhile others have gone to seed.

Rain began around lunchtime. Later I heard thunder.