Spring Break 2020

The flowers on our Silver Maple Tree are opening!  Spring must be getting closer! I hope the kids who will be off school for 3 weeks get lots of opportunities to spend time outside and enjoy the beauty of nature!

Yesterday, Deryl found his first Meadowlark of the year. (above). We returned to the landfill trails today and found 2 pairs, but none of them were willing to have their picture taken.

We did end up with an unexpected view of 3 Short-eared Owls

 that had been resting on the ground and took to the air when they saw us.

The most I could get in one shot were 2 owls.

This afternoon, 2 Carolina Wrens were feeding in our backyard. 

They had to wait for the Downy Woodpecker to have his fill first.

Taken through a glass window and screen.

We have regularly been finding and hearing the trill of 

Red-bellied Woodpeckers in the forest.

Ring-necked Ducks (which I think are misnamed as they are easiest to identify 

by looking for the ring around the bill and not the neck) have been 

showing up recently in Lake Chipican.