Nearing Spring

The weather has been exceptional, bringing forth the blooms, the bugs, and the birds. Enjoy this week's variety of the signs of Spring.

One of our winter visitors, the White-crowned Sparrow, continues to hang at the yard. We have even seen one on the deck at the office.

He's usually munching from the stone border close to the Lady Banks Rose.

This Cardinal was enjoying the watering dish at the office deck.

We continue to enjoy the regular presence of the Ring necks and Gadwall ducks, though I believe the Ring necks have headed for their summer haunts.

 The male Lesser Goldfinch peeking at me from the thistle sock.

 The American Goldfinches are yet with us, though I expect them to leave soon.

A rare sight, our two Goldfinch varieties in one shot.

 He heard there were peanuts available. Oops, picked up the wrong goodie.

 For many years at the office conference room, Cardinals constantly fought their mirror images in the reflective windows. They have been replaced by a very tenacious Titmouse.

 This male House Finch has the most rosy red on him that I have seen.

The Pine Siskins, more winter visitors that are still hanging in there, literally.

 Likewise the Red-breasted Nuthatch. He sure is busy storing food, I'm just not sure who is going to enjoy it, 'cause this guy will head north soon.

The Great Blue Heron was enjoying the pond, and quickly flew when I stepped out on the porch. But he didn't go far, stopping on the far side of the meadow, and spending the rest of the morning perched in the low limbs of the big Pecan tree that died.

 Our Red-shouldered Hawk buzzed the pond, picked something up, and went to the far side of the pond. Didn't phase the ducks, they just kept dunking.

 My Spring gardening is interrupted when I hear a familiar call and grab the camera to try to get a shot. This is a Ladder-backed Woodpecker, taking flight.

 Our neighbor tells us that this wild turkey had twelve chicks last year, and are hanging around in our woods. We just never see them, so this was a Sunday morning surprise, sauntering along between our fence line and the pond. Then it launched and actually flew across the creek to the other side.

 In the same tree with the Ladder-back, this is the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. I can only assume he's looking for gnats!

 The Ladder-backed Woodpecker.

Are we possibly seeing the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher catching a gnat?

This is Polyphemus, the big ole moth. When those wings are spread out, those rings are 4 and they are filled with a transparent membrane. Makes for quite an image!

 Glory! Our first Bluebonnets have shown up in our field next door.

 This colorful moth is visiting our Mexican Plum tree, that is blooming like never before.

 Unidentified butterfly on the Mexican Plum tree.

And the bees are really enjoying the blooms!

 We'll close with a couple of Hummingbird Moths. This one is the Sphinx hummingbird moth. I was surprised that the other flying bug acting the same way was actually another variety of hummingbird moth.

So this guy is the Clear-winged hummingbird moth. You can see these guys are both enjoying our Vinca Major, that is blooming again this year as in days past. A walk around my place is just filled with the amazing evidence of our Creator God!

In Like a Lion

We welcomed March in with a pretty severe wind storm for our area, but the birds weathered it well. Our treat this week is our earliest spotting of a hummingbird on the porch. Enjoy.

 The Orange-crowned Warbler is still gracing the deck at the office.

 A Carolina Chickadee pauses just long enough for a picture.

 This morning the pond was a glassy mirror.

 The American Goldfinches are showing up at the office and the porch. 

 This young one is starting to put on some of his summer glory, and getting a little bit of that black cap as well.

 The Black-crested Titmouse at the dish.

 The Goldfinches flashing some of their color.

 When there are peanuts in the offing, the Scrubjay is not far away.

 Here is my Saturday morning surprise at the porch; an early March visit of a Ruby-throated hummingbird. Earliest sighting for this young birder.

 You can be sure we hung the feeders out immediately. I'll be carrying extra sugar to the office tomorrow to make sure we're covered there.

 Scrub Jay at the office deck.

One more shot of the hummingbird. Partial to the Salvia, but didn't bother with the yellow Jessamine.

 But this guy didn't shy away from the Jessamine.

  A little tail damage did not slow him down from being all over the plant.

We'll close with a few remaining Gadwalls enjoying a glassy Sunday morning pond.

Winter Fading Mix

Where has February gone? I see my blog posts seem to start out with the next verse of an old song, but life happens when you fully intend to download some good pictures. So be blessed with our offering of February's visitors and discoveries!

 The only time we get to see American Goldfinches is in the winter, when they don't have their 'full glory' on! This guy seems to have a little halo where he'll have a black cap this summer.

 The female American Goldfinches even have more yellow to show than their female cousins, the Lesser Goldfinch.

 These guys always brighten up the office deck when they show up at the thistle feeder.

Male Lesser on left, male American on right, and two female American Goldfinches in the center.

The Pine Siskins like to mix it up with each other and the Goldfinches around the feeder.

 My Grape Holly plants, or Leather-leaf, put out their yellow blooms this year. And as you can see, a local bee appreciates it. 

The White-crowned Sparrow has been very elusive this winter, rarely coming around the feeders in the yard.

 It is a Song Sparrow, or possibly Savannah. I just don't see them enough to know the difference.

 This young House Sparrow provided some afternoon entertainment. He was so puffed up and moving slow. I was glad there wasn't a predator around. He actually took a short nap there on the rock!

 The Chickadees have discovered the new feeder at the house.

 Our diving ducks, the Ringnecks, continue to enjoy the offerings of our pond.

They are not as skittish as the Gadwalls, and don't mind coming up close enough to the near shore for a better shot.

An early morning encounter, when the surface of the pond was like blue mercury.

 I thought I had been spying a broad white center stripe on a duck bill out there. This pic confirms; we have an American Wigeon on the pond. The top duck is the only one among the Gadwalls and Ringnecks. His blue flash on the side of his head gave him away.

 It's cool when they are taking a nap on the pond.

 Sunday morning near freezing, causing the steam to rise from the warm pond waters. The sun was coming up, and it was one glorious morning on the porch!

Later the Gadwalls were spooked by my activity, and staging to make their escape. One wrong move, and they erupt into flight.

From the other end of the porch, the Carolina Jessamine that I nursed through our last dry summer is bursting forth. I know the date isn't right, but looks like Spring is bustin' out all over to me! Let's see what kind of bug and bird magnet this plant turns out to be.