It is amazing what a difference a couple of days have made. It has been so rainy and cold for over a month. The temperatures were so much cooler than the calendar would suggest. Then a couple of days ago the sun came out. The temperature actually moved into the lower 80s. On top of that, the trees are turning
green. I made mention of the fact that the birds didn't care what the weather was presenting, they were acting like it was Spring. Now all the signs are there. It is so cool.
The first hummingbird came to the feeder today. It was a beautiful male. About an hour later, another male came. I am pretty sure that it is a different one. The first one was in much better color. It was nice to see them here.
I also have a pair of Robins building a nest in the tree/bush just outside my window. This is the same bush that I see the Phoebees in quite often. The Robins have been really busy today, flying back and forth with twigs and grass. I don't know that they will really stay there for they have not been exposed to the "normal" human traffic in that spot. That includes a two year old who is quite active and is often pushing all sorts of rather loud wheeled toys just under the branch where they are nesting. We'll see how brave they are.
While I was typing that a male hummer came to the feeder.
A little earlier today, I saw this year's first Red Headed Woodpecker. He went too fast for me to grab the camera.
To say that I love Spring is an incredible understatement. I feel that I am most alive when Spring comes along. The hummingbirds today were the first proof of Spring for me.
I will say again that I love Spring. One little silly way that I show it is that I always capitalize the s in Spring. Proper spelling will not change my view of Spring and the respect that it is due.
Michael is a former biologist and Texas Master Naturalist. Originally from Newsome, Texas (Between Pittsburg and Winnsboro), educated in Dallas & Garland schools, then off to the University of Texas system where he received a degree in biology and worked as a biologist with the University of Texas system. After many years away from nature and biology, he relocated to the banks of Lake O' the Pines where he has been rediscovering the joys of nature. He is somewhat surprised that he has become a birder. Most of his interest in nature was centered around reptiles. Perhaps just like birds evolved from reptiles starting in the late Jurassic, he has begun his own evolution. During his formal education, his interests in biology/nature grew to include community ecology and population studies, all with a binding of evolutionary processes. He liked birds, but they were secondary at best. All at once he finds them fascinating.
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