Stirrings

I finally got a day off that coincided with perfect Spring weather. So what better way to celebrate than to go out and catch some signs of the oncoming season. What I couldn't capture for you were the sounds - a Brown Thrasher going through his repertoire of bird calls (as a cousin to the Mockingbird, the Thrasher is a mimic), several Towhees calling back and forth, and the sounds of Cardinals, Robins, a couple of Phoebes, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Carolina Wrens, White-throated Sparrows, Tufted Titmice, the sound of Woodpeckers drumming (Woodpeckers not only peck to find food, they use their bills to drum on trees to attract mates)... Yeah, it's pretty noisy outdoors these days.

I saw lots of birds but photos were hard to get. I certainly saw plenty, including a big old tom Turkey (wild variety) who ran across the drive as I was walking down to the road. But as usual lately, the birds have been avoiding my camera. What I did get, though, were shots that show the slow onset of color in the countryside. Along the Dykeman Walking Trail...

On one of the duck ponds there I got this male Mallard paddling around. Not exactly an oncoming Spring shot, but it came out well and the colors are certainly Springlike.

As I was approaching home I got this shot of Timber Hill, where we live, with the first colors of Spring appearing.

© 2011 by A. Roy Hilbinger