Signs of Spring!

Nothing says spring like the annual show the male wild turkeys put on for the hens. We have been lucky enough to have them in our yard just about every morning.

As the snow melts it reveals our lawns ...

...and the forest floor, one of my favorite spring treasures is finding antlers shed by the white tailed deer during the coldest winter months. True luck happens when you find a matched set!

The sugar maple trees are giving forth one of my favorite treats, maple syrup! I have tried the first batch this year and it is amazing, a nice medium amber.

Even the goldfinches are putting on their best attire ready to show the brilliant yellow they are known for!

Hope everyone has a great Easter weekend!
-Bill

Chestnut-Sided Warbler

Some birds get stuck with the silliest names, its almost as if someone was in a major time crunch to name all the birds in the world in one day and could only give each one a fraction of a second to think about an appropriate name. This is very true with the Chestnut-sided Warbler. Clearly it makes sense, the chestnut sides are very obvious, but what about a Masked Yellow Crowned warbler, or perhaps North Eastern Field Warbler. A name with some meaning or character. Ok, so these names are no better but I think I made my point.

 

I must not lose site that this is one of my favorite birds, a harbinger of spring, with a song that carries across vast fields. I see these little birds only a handful of times each spring and early summer, but never have I been able to get so close and capture so many clear photos of such a fast moving skittish bird. Hope you enjoy!