Recently in Birds Category

It was in the upper sixties today. It might have even hit 70. As I went out to call in Edward Scissorhands, I noticed that the daffodils along the east wall of the house have begun to bloom, and I can see the heads of the lily plants poking out of the earth.

Somewhere back in my archives there is an entry or twelve on Scilla, a tiny blue flowered bulb that blooms early in the season. Last week I noticed a sea of thin green leaves around the base of one of the trees in the grove, and today the flowers had opened. Here's a good picture of scilla thanks to the University of Illinois.

I went back through my archives, and was interested to see that the squill bloomed much earlier in some years than others. This must have been a tough winter, with all the snow and cold.

And, we have at least one Rufous-Sided Towhee! Welcome back little bird!

Today, April 12, we saw our first egret for the year. I'm pretty sure it was a snowy egret. It was at the edge of a retention pond that is ringed with cattails, and it was fishing.

Personally, Elegante Mother and I feel that both the heron and this egret are a bit early, but that doesn't make us any less happy to see them. While robins are generally a harbinger of spring in this area, the egrets returning is usually a signal that we are going to start see the weather warming.

It's drizzly and damp, and rather chilly today. The skies are a sullen gray. It's a good day to be inside, getting indoor chores done so that we will be free to go outside once the sun finds it's way back.

We do have two birds that are content with this weather. For quite a number of years, we have had a pair of Mallard ducks come to visit in the spring. Papa duck keeps an eye out for danger while Mama duck Hoovers (as in vacuums) up any stray birdseed and corn she can find. Occasionally we will see Mama contentedly eating away, and wonder where her mate has gone. One day, Dear Husband told us that he has seen Papa duck sitting up on our roof, where he can apparently get a better view . We've enjoyed their visits. They are beautiful birds.

Yesterday, I saw the first large gray heron for the season, about two miles west of our home. Sorry, Cop Car, I'm not sure exactly which of the birds it was. I saw it as I was "on the fly" (sorry, couldn't resist...DH at work *G*), so I didn't get a close look. But where there's one, there may be others.

At least SOME ONE thinks it's spring!

Addition, later the same day.....

I checked the Sibley Field Guide to Birds, and it's likely I saw a Great Blue Heron. It was the appropriate size and coloring, and is the only heron listed that fits what I saw. Thank you, Nan, for the Sibley book for Christmas!