Birds and other critters

7:30 pm and the air is full of sound... The Crowned Sparrows have taken over the yard and the feeders and fill the evening with their songs. We were out cleaning up the front yard this morning and did not get a very warm reception from the birds. They did a whole lot of complaining cause we were too close to the feeders. After some yard work we took a drive out to the marshland and did some more birding, saw lots of ducks, geese, hawks and Coots. Our bonus was seeing a small herd of Pronghorn Antelope, a Great Blue Heron and three Cranes. In the foreground is Ladd Marsh and in the background is Mt. Fanny.

Sunny Spring Morning

7am... the sun was shining bright and big, fat flakes of snow drifted gently down from a blue and windless sky. How does that happen? A few crocus are bravely showing their bright colors and some daffodils are budding. Along the walkway, a whole new generation of wild tulips are coming up from last year's seeds. (The first year I almost pulled them as they look like grass coming up in the path.) One little quail among the blackbirds and starlings scratching away at the seeds that have been kicked to the ground. The thistle socks are straining with the weight of the Gold finches and House finches who are so intent on getting their breakfast that they ignore the squirrel's antics on the sunflower feeder. All in all a beautiful morning.