Weak spring sunlight casting shadows of leafless trees on new meadow grass.It's been spring, officially, for two weeks, but it's not really spring for us bird watchers until the good spring migrants start showing up. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE the hardy early arrivers: pine warblers, tree swallows, chipping sparrows, brown thrashers. But it seems so much more wonderful when the wood thrushes, chestnut-sided warblers, great crested flycatchers, and Baltimore orioles show up.
So I guess I am trying my level best to hurry the seasons along. Despite the advice of all the New Age gurus that we must "live in the moment and not "wish our lives away." When it comes to anticipating the special birds of spring, I'm totally ready to forget today if tomorrow brings a dawn chorus of new arrivals.
Some other spring signs:
Blooming fruit trees.
Bluebirds getting house proud.
Patience, my son, patience. All good things come to those who wait.
ReplyDeleteYes Master. Grasshopper hears and heeds your wise words.
ReplyDeleteWell Willie, I must say I’m surprised by your wording.
ReplyDeleteWriting “good spring migrants" intimates that there are “bad spring migrants".
We all have trash birds, but bad birds?
You must be reeducated to be politically correct in the New Age.
Repeat after me, all birds are worthy of our respect. Now say it 12,382 times.
Awesome shadow shot.
Beautiful photos, for us to spring official weather not! Excellent shade photo. Anna :)
ReplyDeleteBluebird getting house proud - that is so sweet. I hope to see my first hummer within a week. I'm not patient, either.
ReplyDeleteWow--green grass and apple blossoms!!
ReplyDeleteI was excited to see daffodils sprouting 1" out of the ground this morning (only to be covered by 3-5" of snow tonight!)
At least my bluebirds are back anyway.....
Great lighting. That can make all the difference in taking photos.
ReplyDeleteWe sure wish the seasons would hurry around the Black Hills of South Dakota...we've had 3 blizzards and over 3 feet of snow in 13 days and that is in town not in the higher elevations, they've had 6'!
ReplyDeleteWe and the birds are getting real tired of it, what ever happened to "April Showers"??
We're moving into autumn at this end of the world, so our migrants are heading in the opposite direction.
ReplyDeleteThat top photograph is ... well ... tops. :)
They are coming. It's been spring in central California for awhile now and the birds are singing and moving north. In reference to Rondeau Ric's comment, one "bad spring migrant" comes to mind: European Starling. Where I am they get a jump start on picking out the best nest cavities before the swallows even have a chance. Seems an unfair advantage.
ReplyDeleteI've got another bad spring migrant: brown headed cowbirds, which swarm the feeders so they can breed and make eggs that cancel out warblers, native sparrows, tanagers and vireos.
ReplyDeleteI really like the shadow shot.
love the tree shadow shot....
ReplyDelete