Meadowlark!

Today it looks, feels and sounds like spring.

bird song was everywhere!  Chickadee’s were giving their ‘here penny’ calls – a definite sign of spring…

There weren’t quite enough Tree Swallows to call them a ‘swarm’ yet, but there were a lot more than we’ve seen and I definitely saw some Violet Green mixed in.

I was looking out this way, trying in vain to see a duck, goose, heron or bird of any description other than a Robin – when I heard it!

way up there on the top of that piling – a Western Meadowlark was singing…

I’ve cropped this in as much as I dare, but if you enlarge it (click on it) you can see the meadowlark – they don’t always pass through here during migration – but it is a thrill when they do.

back to reality and it seemed there were Northern Flicker calling from all directions – 3 of them in this picture.

zoomed in on two of them here, these appear to both be females but it is hard to really see..

also several of those Ruby-crowned Kinglets – finally!!!  Sorry but that is the best I managed of those guys.

lot’s of scurrying around and activity in the underbrush – Towhee and Song Sparrow nest on the ground – one of the many reasons for staying on trails and keeping dogs on lead.  Also saw Fox Sparrows and both Robins and Steller’s Jays obviously with nest building on their minds.

one last look at the exceptionally low water levels right now.  The only water type birds were 3 little female Bufflehead ducks – but there was an adult Bald Eagle flying around today.