A Spring Teaser

We've had a colder than usual winter, and the spring seems to be teasing us a bit. But I am thankful that we seem to have seen our last frost. I did use the word 'SEEM', right? This post does offer our first hummingbirds of the season, and we keep a lookout for those other summertime visitors. Enjoy this week's offering.

 One of our winter Sparrows, the Junco, still on the ground near the platform feeder.

 I've been working hard to prepare this birthday gift to my wife. She always gets spring yard projects for her gifts, it's what she prefers. This one is for vegetables.

A rare visit from an Eastern Bluebird to our yard. I see them on the fenceline on our road all the time, just rarely in our yard.

 Titmouse posing on the office deck.

House Finch doing the same.

 That American Goldfinch showing patches of glory.

 American and Lesser Goldfinches, an uneasy truce at the feeder.

Look out below!

 Well, no one said it was squirrel-proof!

 Seeing the Great Blue Heron more these days.

 American Wigeons hanging for a bit longer.

 Gotta get off the porch to see this fellow, the Cedar Waxwing.

The Cardinal in the volunteer Bradford pear tree in spring bloom.

 Caught a blurry shot of this Blue-gray Gnat Catcher with the black eyebrow.

 Lesser Goldfinches always entertaining at the office deck thistle feeder.

Sunrise at the office deck, and the Cardinal with some back light.

 More fun with the Goldfinches.

 This guy buzzed the office recently. The Osprey was common in our area when the lake was full of water, but haven't seen him in a while.

 The never-ending Goldfinch wars!

 First pics of a returning Black-chinned Hummingbird at the office deck.

 More Goldfinches!

I put out the new hummingbird feeder on the 19th, and that afternoon he showed up.

 As long as I stock the suet cake, this Ladder-backed Woodpecker will show up.

 Sun was gone, so popped up the flash to catch this view of the Cardinal.

 Likewise, I had hung a feeder at the house last week for any early birds. You can catch a hint of the purple throat of this guy.

This female showed up the day after the first day of spring.

 The White-crowned Sparrow, looking to head north soon.

 House Finch at the house.

 Another American Goldfinch, this one at the house, putting on patches of that glory coat.

This female Black-chinned lit, and seemed to just rest. Maybe she just came off a trans-continental flight!

We finish with a pic my daughter Kate sent me from Kansas. She said the Canadian geese are everywhere, kinda like Grackles in Texas! I'll take the Geese!