Spring is Arriving!!

Here I am, after 6 posts on photography, sharing some absolutely terrible pictures of birds - but they're the first returning migrants of the season, so they're important markers of the changing season here in the valley.  Within 24 hours I saw our first robin, first starlings, and first redwing.

Of all the seasonal changes I think spring comes with the clearest markers of change - first migrating birds, first green grass, first flowers, and so on.   The robins and blackbirds are usually the first of all the migrants to arrive (though I don't like in an area for observing waterfowl).  The date I watch for robins is Mar. 10th; this one arrived on Mar. 30th.  When you don't see them you can easily recognize their calls.

At the same time a group of starlings  usually arrives and sits around huddled together in the cold, waiting for the rest of the snow to melt.  But they do help mark the start of spring.

This is the hind end of a redwing blackbird - probably the worst picture I've ever posted on this blog.  But try to put yourself outdoors where you hear their spring calls, one of the most vibrant signs of spring.  If only he'd turned around...

Still we have lots of snow, though it's now subsiding in the sun fast.  This is a big rock, about 4 feet high in our backyard.  We haven't seen it for 8 weeks, but I like the pattern of the shadows on the snow..

The heavy indestructible plastic adirondack chairs sitting under the old apple tree are emerging; we can actually see the arms of two of the chairs now.

And the snowbanks out front are definitely starting to disintegrate.  The road is bare, and the driveway is almost bare, though saturated and wet at the moment.  Things will take a long time to dry out this year, but I think we've turned the corner.  It hit double digit temperatures today!

I've just squeaked in under the deadline, but I'm glad to join:

                                                          for the last time this season.  It's been fun; see you next year.