Phenology journal: the birds are back in town

I heard Sandhills calling today. A week ago a cardinal sang a love song, and sat high again this morning. The pileated woodpeckers make cartoon machine guns out of deadwood. Canvasbacks mingle with the swans. The redwing blackbirds arrived with the Sandhills.

Two beavers played in the river. No photo. Two eagles hunted our field. Photo below.

We had fresh snow last night. The sun burns it into rivulets. Robins appeared last week, then fled again before the snow.

My leeks grow. They are the first of my garden-to-be.

Warm air plus cold earth equals fog. We have started pruning fruit trees between snow storms.

Pheasants and deer play in our backyard.

While the chickadees play indoors.

The long red light returns with the birds, heralding the equinox, and spring.